The Body of Christ is One. Each member of the Body of Christ is loved and cherished and taken care of by the other members of the Body - no matter where they are. Mother Mary, the Angels and Saints in Heaven, also are part of the Body of Christ and they pray fervently before the throne of God on our behalf. God bless them!
Our Church has taught us that there is One Church. St. Paul called the Church the 'body of Christ'. However, this Church is in three places. There is the Church Suffering (in purgatory). There is also the Church Militant here on earth (the 'army of Christ') battling the forces of darkness. Finally, there is the Church Triumphant - those who have gone before us and now share the glory of Christ in heaven. Though the Church is in three places - in three parts - it remains one Church. St. Paul said, ". . . that each part may be equally concerned for all the others. If one part is hurt, all parts are hurt with it."
Love - the love of God and the love that is God - holds the parts together. The individual members of the Church, wherever they are, should feel the sufferings of the other members and try to bolster, through prayer, the souls of those who struggle.
St. Paul encourages us to "Pray for one another." Therefore, why should anyone find it strange to ask other believers to pray for them? Asking someone in heaven to pray for us is no different except in these positive ways: they are 'closer' to Christ since they are in heaven with Him, they are not limited by their bodies weakness since they are spirits at this point and don't need sleep and, they are not beset by either distractions or sins so can pray with purely, simply and wholeheartedly. Thus, those in heaven pray for the other two parts who continue to struggle in their faith. In the same way those of us on earth pray for those suffering in purgatory. This is the reasoning (and scriptural basis) behind 'praying to the saints'. We are taught by the Church to ask those in heaven to help us by praying for us.
That is what our father Francis was doing when he prayed, "Holy Virgin Mary, there was never anyone like you born in the world among women – daughter and handmaid of the most high King, our Father in Heaven; mother of our most holy Lord Jesus Christ; spouse of the Holy Ghost! With the archangel St. Michael and all the Virtues of Heaven and all the saints pray for us at the throne of Your beloved most holy Son, our Lord and Master."
"Hail Mary, full of grace. The Lord is with you!", said the Angel Gabriel on greeting Mary. Mary was 'holy' as Francis said, for she was 'filled with grace' - filled with the very goodness of God Himself. She was a 'virgin' - and at least for us in the Catholic Church remains a virgin - pure from the taint of fleshy (selfish) lust, a pure vessel to hold that purest and most powerful of essences - God Himself come in human form, Jesus the Christ!
Francis continues his prayer by pointing out that "there was never anyone like you born in the world among women". Francis was quoting the Holy Spirit speaking through Mary's cousin Elizabeth when she, filled with the Holy Spirit, heard Mary's voice calling to her during the Visitation. The Spirit said prophetically through Elizabeth, "Of all women you are the most blessed and blessed is the Fruit of your womb!" Francis' prayer indicates that Mary was not like other 'women born in the world' because she was MOST blessed'. Finally, Mary was not only the 'daughter' of the Lord (for we are all God's children) but His 'handmaiden' since Mary herself said to the Angel Gabriel, "I am the handmaiden of the Lord . . ."
Francis talks about Mary being the 'daughter of the Most High King, our Father in Heaven'. A daughter of a King is, at the least a princess, right? If her Father is the King of Heaven then she must be a heavenly princess. He then calls her 'the Mother of our Most Holy Lord Jesus Christ'. We all know that Christ is a King and the mother of a King must be a Queen, right? Mary is, therefore, the Queen of Heaven. Francis indirectly refers to scripture when he calls Mary the 'spouse of the Holy Spirit'. The Angel Gabriel had replied to Mary's question as to how she could become pregnant (while a virgin) with the very Son of God by saying "the Holy Spirit will come upon you and the power of the Most High will cover you with It's shadow." Was Mary married to the Holy Spirit as Francis said? No question about it for how could God's Son, Jesus Christ, be born out of wedlock?! God betrothed Mary to Himself - and forever! Amen.
Thus we see that Mary, in the scripture, is the daughter of a King, the Mother of a King and the spouse of a King. This is also why she is considered to be not only the Queen of Heaven, but the Mother of the Church - for out of her came the 'body of Christ' - the Church, 'with Christ as it's head'. Didn't Jesus, from the cross, give His Mother to the Church (as represented by John the Beloved disciple) when He said, "Women, this is your son! This is your Mother!"
The Church has taught us this 'prayer' to Mary. Note that the thrust of the prayer is to ask for prayer! "Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee! Blessed art thou amongst women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus! Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death! Amen." Most of the prayer is a repetition of what God Himself said to Mary through the Angel and later, prophetically, through Elizabeth. We ask for her prayers at our death for she was there, for Jesus, at the time of His death, praying fervently, helping Him thereby. Note that most of this prayer is scripture and the rest is based on the truth within scripture.
'How could Mary, a mere human being, be the Mother of God?' our fundamentalist brothers might ask. Well, if God could become flesh - be incarnate - in the person of Jesus then it is clear that He could make her 'the Mother of God'. God decided that through her, He would come into the world, joining His Spirit to her flesh (the substance of her body) - God incarnate! If no one can argue that God was Jesus' Father how can anyone argue that Mary was not the Mother of God (Jesus is Divine)?! Of course humble and meek Mary looked at herself as only 'the lowly hand-maiden' of the Lord. She said in the Magnificat, " . . . He has looked upon His lowly handmaid . . . He has exalted the lowly. The hungry He has filled . . ."
We see how Francis used scripture to reach out in prayer and touch God. Children learn to talk by imitating their parents in what they say, using their words. We also, the children of God, should learn God's words (like Francis did) and let them guide us in the way we talk to Him. Some people use scripture (the Psalms, but other scripture as well) to direct their prayers. It is wonderful to note how Francis knew and loved scripture and used it in his daily prayers. We should follow his example.
Francis had a very great devotion to the Archangel Michael, the "Prince of God". Francis often asked St. Michael to help him through his prayers. Someone pointed out that it was during St. Michael's feast days that Francis received the Stigmata. It is interesting that Christ appeared in the form of an angel when He gave Francis the gift of the Stigmata - combining the earthly (physical crucified Christ) with the heavenly (angelic wings and glory) and that is why Francis is called the 'Seraphic' father. This is all very mysterious and holy!
Francis, that holy man of God, called on all the heavenly host to pray for him. Though he was wise and mighty in the ways of God, he wasn't shy about asking for their help. Francis also spent countless hours in prayer following Jesus example Who often spent whole nights in prayer. Though we are sinners, Jesus urges us to follow His example in prayer. "Keep praying and don't lose faith!", He said. This is a worthwhile goal and we can at least try to follow Jesus' by spending a bit more time every day in prayer. After all, someday He will ask us to explain what we did with the gift of life and if we used the flood of gifts He gives us each day to do good to others. Hopefully we have a good answer and the proof of a good life to show Him! Let us pray very hard and also ask all the forces of heaven, especially our Mother Mary, St. Michael and all the other saints to join us in our prayers!
PRAYER: Sweet Mother Mary, we beg you to pray to Your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, to help do what He wants us to do. We are so confused and so easily led into sin by the enemy. However, through your prayers dear Mother, we know that Christ will give us the victory over our fleshy selves, the world and the power of the evil one. We want to live lives worthy of the One who gave His life for love of us. Pray that we might love like He loved - without limit. Pray that we might be faithful in praying, meditating on scripture and in loving all of those God brings into our lives. Holy angels and saints, join with us in begging for grace to bring glory and joy to the heart of our Heavenly Father. Glory and all praise to You, Father, and to Your Son, Jesus the Christ and to the Holy Spirit, most blessed. Be exalted and glorified forever! Amen.
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