Is any saint mediator required to reach Jesus?

No saint is required to reach Jesus. “For there is one God. There is also one mediator between God and the human race, Christ Jesus, himself human, who gave himself as ransom for all” (1 Timothy 2:5-6). As Jesus himself says, he is the “gate for the sheep” (John 10:7) and “the way” (John 14:6) who leads us to the Father.

When we pray to saints, we are basically asking for their help, because by their holiness of life and presence in heaven they are much closer to God than we are here on earth. We don’t need the saint, but like any friend here on earth with us, they want to help bring us to God. This is called “intercession.”

This is especially true in the case of Mary, the Mother of God. She is the greatest of all creatures, because not only was she completely sinless, but she bore God himself in her womb. Her motherly intercession with the Lord is greater than the intercession of all the other angels and saints combined!

Mary is also sometimes referred to by the title “Mediatrix of all graces,” but that doesn’t mean that we must go through Mary to Jesus. Rather, it means that because Mary cooperated completely in the saving work of Christ, the Father is pleased to give her access to all the graces of heaven, which she can use to help anyone who comes to her. Of course, Mary leads anybody who comes to her straight to Jesus–so much so that St. Louis de Montfort said that Mary is the shortest, easiest, safest, and most perfect way to reach Jesus (a fact that many other saints and popes have affirmed).

So if you ever feel like it’s a little hard to reach out to God, just know you have plenty of friends in heaven ready to help you–and above all, our Blessed Mother!