Many people have asked me this question, often with a sincere desire to understand how we should relate to the Blessed Mother compared to the other saints. It’s a good and holy question because it reveals a heart that longs to draw closer to God through those who are closest to Him.
The Church teaches that all the saints can intercede for us, but Mary’s intercession is indeed unique. She is not only a saint—she is the Mother of God and the Queen of Heaven. When Jesus gave her to the beloved disciple at the foot of the Cross (“Behold your mother,” John 19:27), He gave her to all of us. Because of this, Mary’s love and concern for us flow from her maternal heart, perfectly united with the will of her Son.
Mary does not act apart from Christ’s grace—she intercedes within it. Her prayers are powerful not because she has divine power of her own, but because she is closest to the One who does. As Saint Louis de Montfort beautifully wrote, “To Jesus through Mary.” Her intercession is the most effective because no other creature has ever been as completely open to God’s will or as filled with His grace.
So, when we ask for Mary’s help, we are not choosing her instead of Jesus—we are going to Jesus with her. The saints are our friends in Heaven, but Mary is our Mother. And every child knows that a mother’s plea carries a special tenderness in the heart of her Son.
When you turn to Mary, do so with confidence, knowing she always leads you closer to Jesus. Her words at Cana still echo today: “Do whatever He tells you.”
— Fr. John Matthew, for Christian Way
