Question Details	Asked By	Asked On
How do you remove rhetoric from reality?	paraclete	04/05/05
I'm greatly disturbed by a statement I just witnessed on the PBS program "newshour" An american female was being interviewed regarding the Late Pope and she said "we know he will always be there and we can pray to him" Surely catholics dont equate the Pope to God, to Christ, don't think he now has any ability to answer prayer, surely the catholic church has moved on from this nonsense of saints as intercessors
Answered By		Answered On
hOPE12		04/06/05
Hello Paraclete, Here is what Jesus taught his Follower to do and how to pray and what was proper to pray for, and whom to pray to. In 32 C.E., a disciple of Jesus observed Him praying. He could not hear what Jesus was saying to his Father, for it was probably a silent prayer. Nevertheless, when Jesus finished, the disciple said to him: “Lord, teach us how to pray.” Luke 11:1 What prompted this request? Prayer was a regular part of Jewish life and worship. The Hebrew Scriptures contain numerous prayers in the book of Psalms and elsewhere. So the disciple was not asking to be taught something that he knew nothing about or that he had never done. Doubtless, he was familiar with the formalistic prayers of the religious leaders of Judaism. But now he had observed Jesus praying, and he likely sensed that there was a big difference between the sanctimonious prayers of some, and the way Jesus prayed. Matthew 6:5-8. Some 18 months earlier, in his Sermon on the Mount, Jesus had provided his disciples with a model upon which to base their prayers. Matthew 6:9-13 Possibly this particular disciple was not present at that time, so Jesus kindly repeated the essential points of that model prayer. Noticeable is the fact that he did not repeat it word for word, indicating that he was not giving a liturgical prayer to be recited by rote. Luke 11:1-4 Like that unnamed disciple, we too want to be taught how to pray so that our prayers will draw us closer to God. Let us therefore examine the fuller version of the model prayer, as recorded by the apostle Matthew. It consists of seven requests, of which three concern God’s purposes and four concern our material and spiritual needs. Take a look for yourselves and see what Jesus taught us to pray for and how to pray and who to pray to. This is take from the King James Version: Matthew 6: 9 After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven,( Notice that Jesus taught his disciples to pray to the Father in heaven, to God. Not to “Saints” or to “Mary his mother.” but to “Our Father which are in heaven.”) Hallowed be thy name. (To make known God’s name because it is holy) 10 Thy kingdom come, (We are to pray for his, God’s kingdom to come) Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. (Here Jesus shows we are to pray for God’s will to be done on earth as it is already being done in heaven.) ‘ 11 Give us this day our daily bread. (Jesus also showed us that it is proper to pray for our daily needs) 12 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. (Here Jesus shows us that we can ask for forgiveness of our sins against others according to how we forgive others.) 13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: (Here Jesus is asking for the Fathers help in protecting him from wrong desires and temptations, and to deliver or keep him safe from the wicked one.) For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen (Jesus shows his respect here for his father, His kingdom and his power and glory for all time.) This is the way Jesus taught us to pray and who to pray to, and what to pray for. God did not make saints, man made saints. Jesus did not pray to anyone but his Father in heaven and if I want to be his follower then I will always follow his lead when I pray. Take care, Hope12

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