👉🏾👉🏾👉🏾What Does #Intercession Mean?
(Part 1)
Beloved in Christ, peace to your souls. Today we turn our minds to a word vast in meaning: intercession. It is a bridge between weakness and mercy, a sacred act by which the frailty of man seeks the favor of God through the help of the righteous.
The Meaning of Intercession
The word intercessor is derived from gë`ëz the verb "malede", which means “to beg” or “to pray.”
Intercession means to plead or to reconcile, and an intercessor is one who performs this sacred act. The act itself is called intercession.
Intercession is the act of appealing to someone who has the power to do what another cannot. The intercessor does not fulfill the request by his own strength or will, but stands before the one who has authority pleading on behalf of the person in need. The success of intercession depends on the will of the one being asked and the closeness of the intercessor to that person. At times, intercession may not be granted, not because the intercessor lacks favor, but because of the sinfulness or hardness of heart of the one seeking help.
The one who seeks intercession must have faith and reverence toward the intercessor. The saints are honored not only because they are righteous, but because they offered their very lives in faith. They pray before the Creator, and He hears them. Yet there were kings such as Pharaoh and Diocletian whose hearts were hardened and could not be saved. This was not because the intercession of the saints was rejected or that God lacked mercy, but because of the stubbornness and wickedness of those who refused to repent.
As the Lord declared through the prophet Jeremiah:
“Even if Moses and Samuel stood before Me, My heart would not be toward this people; let them go out of My sight.” (Jeremiah 15:1)
Through this, we understand that intercession is powerful, yet it bears fruit only when the heart of the one seeking mercy is humble and repentant before God.
The Place of Intercession in the Church
✍🏾Intercession is one of the sacred parts of prayer in our Holy Church. The Church, guided by the Holy Spirit, offers different kinds of prayer, among which are:
👉🏾Prayer of Thanksgiving
👉🏾 Prayer of Intercession
She offers these prayers through readings, spoken words, and songs of praise.
👉🏾As it is written:
“The Lord is near. In everything, by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God.” (Philippians 4:6)
✍🏾Our Holy Church is herself an intercessor. Therefore, she includes prayers of intercession within her worship. For example, in the Liturgy we pray, “For rulers and all in authority, that they may be granted wisdom and the fear of God.” This prayer has a firm biblical foundation, for the Apostle Paul teaches:
👉🏾“I urge, then, that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people for kings and all who are in authority that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty.” (1 Timothy 2:1–2)
✍🏾A true Christian offers prayer and thanksgiving not only for himself but also for others. This is the harmony of personal supplication and intercession. Though they are distinct, they are like two sides of the same coin. Personal supplication expresses one’s own need before God, while intercession lifts up the needs of others. The Holy Church keeps both in balance.
✍🏾Thus, intercession means to reconcile, to present the needs of others before God, to seek peace and mercy, and to instruct the faithful in compassion and unity through prayer.
Continues 👇🏾