Homily for Monday of the 24th Week in Ordinary Time

For daily readings, see http://www.usccb.org/nab/091707.shtml

There is some irony between today’s two readings. The first reading from St. Paul to Timothy contains a quotation most invoked by those who find prayer to Mary and to the other saints misguided. St. Paul says that ‘there is one mediator between God and men, the man Jesus Christ, who gave himself as ransom for all.’ Catholics of course should be able to assent to this true statement of Paul. For every Christian, all prayers and answered through the grace won by Jesus Christ. The merits of Mary and the saints do not ‘win’ grace, but are the fruit of the grace won by Jesus Christ. Therefore, every prayer should be addressed through Jesus Christ, as St. Paul instructs us.
Interestingly, however, the centurion in today’s Gospel, because of his humility and his concern for Jesus’ mission, does not want to monopolize Jesus for himself but asks for a favor through the sending of ‘friends’ to Jesus. These ‘friends’ make the petition on the centurion’s behalf, and the request is granted because of the faith of the centurion. This is the proper understanding of the way in which Catholics seek the intercession of Mary and the saints. They act as our ‘friends’ and because by the fruit of their lives we have confidence that they are close to our Lord, we ask them to carry our petitions to Jesus, through whom every prayer in answered. It should go without saying that this is not an either/or scenario. We do not have to make a choice whether to pray with Mary and the saints or to Jesus. From the testimony of the Gospels, we see that it is efficacious to do both.