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Question Title	Posted By	Question Date
Trinity questions	Matthew	Thursday, November 29, 2007
Question: Brother Ignatius, I'm really struggling with something and it has to do with the Holy Trinity. I'm constantly thinking to myself when i pray, who am i mainly supposed to pray to? The Father? The Son? The Holy Spirit? Is it wrong to pray to The Son instead of The Father? Jesus prayed to The Father, isn't this what we should do? Does The Father become upset when we neglect Him sometimes and only pray to Jesus? Then i start having these questions...Jesus never said to pray to Him particular in the Scriptures right? He always said to pray to The Father? Then the worst thoughts and fears of all come to my mind...Maybe Jesus isn't God? I know that can't be true since He makes reference to Himself being before Abraham as "I AM." But i still have those thoughts entering. Now i feel horrible and feel like God doesn't want anything to do with me because i've had these thoughts that i've mentioned above. I don't ever want to think that Jesus isn't God, but based on my thinking, my thoughts just gravitated to that question. Help me Brother Ignatius understand all of this, please. Is God upset at me now? Thanks much.
Question Answered by Bro. Ignatius Mary, OLSM Dear Matthew: There are prayers to the Father, prayers to the Son, and prayers to the Holy Spirit. It is all prayer to God. It is not possible to pray to the Son and thereby neglect the Father. God is ONE. The reason to focus a prayer toward one Person or the other of the Godhead depends on the purpose of the prayer. The Father is the creator and Father, the Son is our Savior and our King, the Holy Spirit is the comforter and inspiration of our Faith. You need to stop speculative thinking. Whenever a question comes up ALWAYS presume that the Church is correct and that your understanding is flawed. Avoid this downward spiral into doubt because of the question. Stop and say, "I KNOW THIS IS TRUE BECAUSE THE CHURCH SAYS SO (OR THE BIBLE SAYS SO). I am confused but I KNOW the Church is not confused. Thus, let me seek to understand, and not indulge in doubt." God Bless, Bro. Ignatius Mary Footer Notes: This forum is for general questions on the faith. See specific Topic Forums below: Spiritual Warfare, demons, the occult go to our Spiritul Warfare Q&S Forum. Liturgy Questions go to our Liturgy and Liturgical Law Q&A Forum Liturgy of the Hours (Divine Office) Questions go to our Divine Office Q&A Forum Defenfing the Faith Questions go to our Defending the Faith Q&A Forum Church History Questions go to our Church History Q&A Forum

Question Title

Posted By

Question Date

Trinity questions

Matthew

Thursday, November 29, 2007

Question:

Brother Ignatius,

I'm really struggling with something and it has to do with the Holy Trinity. I'm constantly thinking to myself when i pray, who am i mainly supposed to pray to? The Father? The Son? The Holy Spirit? Is it wrong to pray to The Son instead of The Father? Jesus prayed to The Father, isn't this what we should do? Does The Father become upset when we neglect Him sometimes and only pray to Jesus?

Then i start having these questions...Jesus never said to pray to Him particular in the Scriptures right? He always said to pray to The Father? Then the worst thoughts and fears of all come to my mind...Maybe Jesus isn't God? I know that can't be true since He makes reference to Himself being before Abraham as "I AM." But i still have those thoughts entering.

Now i feel horrible and feel like God doesn't want anything to do with me because i've had these thoughts that i've mentioned above. I don't ever want to think that Jesus isn't God, but based on my thinking, my thoughts just gravitated to that question. Help me Brother Ignatius understand all of this, please. Is God upset at me now? Thanks much.

Question Answered by Bro. Ignatius Mary, OLSM

Dear Matthew:

There are prayers to the Father, prayers to the Son, and prayers to the Holy Spirit. It is all prayer to God. It is not possible to pray to the Son and thereby neglect the Father. God is ONE.

The reason to focus a prayer toward one Person or the other of the Godhead depends on the purpose of the prayer. The Father is the creator and Father, the Son is our Savior and our King, the Holy Spirit is the comforter and inspiration of our Faith.

You need to stop speculative thinking. Whenever a question comes up ALWAYS presume that the Church is correct and that your understanding is flawed. Avoid this downward spiral into doubt because of the question. Stop and say, "I KNOW THIS IS TRUE BECAUSE THE CHURCH SAYS SO (OR THE BIBLE SAYS SO). I am confused but I KNOW the Church is not confused. Thus, let me seek to understand, and not indulge in doubt."

God Bless,
Bro. Ignatius Mary

Footer Notes: This forum is for general questions on the faith. See specific Topic Forums below:
Spiritual Warfare, demons, the occult go to our Spiritul Warfare Q&S Forum.
Liturgy Questions go to our Liturgy and Liturgical Law Q&A Forum
Liturgy of the Hours (Divine Office) Questions go to our Divine Office Q&A Forum
Defenfing the Faith Questions go to our Defending the Faith Q&A Forum
Church History Questions go to our Church History Q&A Forum