"To “intercede” is to do something for someone else, to ask for a blessing or benefit on behalf of another. The Saints are great intercessors and we often call upon them in to intercede for ourselves, for others, or for a particular situation. If you have ever had a moment when you have misplaced your keys or phone and have prayed to St. Anthony to help you find them, you have been in the midst of an intercessory prayer moment.

More seriously, intercessory prayer is a blessing and a call to faith. I have witnessed the fruit of intercessory prayer many, many times, but I will share one particular moment-- a family asked me to come a pray with them. Their mother had been diagnosed with a brain tumor. We prayed over her and asked for the intercession of Mary, the Mother of God, with her son, Jesus, for healing for their mother. In this particular moment, the mother said that she all of a sudden felt at peace and felt so blessed that her family had come together to pray for her and ask for the intercession of Mary. The family and I were deeply moved by the experience. When the mother went for her next appointment, the tumor was gone.-- We really need to be open to the miracle of intercessory prayer, both in our lives, and in the lives of those we are praying for." 

In addition to the Saints, we too can be intercessors for others. Intercessory prayer is found in both the Old Testament and the New Testament. It calls us grow in our love of God and our love of neighbor. We know that God truly hears our prayers, and through intercessory prayer, we can help others by praying for their needs. When we pray a prayer of intercession, we are uniting our love with God’s love and asking that whom or what we are praying for may also enter into that same love relationship.  Intercessory prayer can also be offered through the celebration of Mass, offering the Rosary, holy hours, Divine Chaplet, vocal prayer from the heart, fasting, abstinence, and time we offer of ourselves for another. 

Part of the gift of intercessory prayer is that it moves us from focus on ourselves to focus on God and on others. It draws us into selflessness and out of selfishness.  I know for myself, I am very grateful when people tell me they are praying for me, and I am often stirred to pray for others. Mindful of the power of intercessory prayer, I am praying for you that the love of Jesus Christ may truly be yours and that you will be lifted up in the love of God and be truly blessed by your love of neighbor.