The concept of prayer or communciation with Deity has
been miscontrued in christendom by many religious adherents. I can recall that at Mount Sinai, Prophet Moses was summoned to receive the Golden Rules in tablets of stones for the guidance of the children of Israel. In the said rules and regulations, the first two commandments read thus: “Thou shalt have no other gods before me. Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath or that is in the water under the earth. Thou shalt not bow thyself to them, nor serve them … “ Exodus 20 vs 3-6 (KJV).
Since the rebellion of Lucifer (Satan) against the government of Jehovah in heaven which brought about the holy war (Rev. 12 vs 7 -9) fought by the disloyal angels with the angels that were loyal to God’s instruction, Satan has been relentless in seducing God’s children to always go the wrong way in stark disobedience and opposition to what God says.
The first deception of the first couple in the Garden of Eden is living evidence. Satan said that it did not matter for they would not surely die which was against the explicit instructions of the Creator of the entire universe as contained in Genesis 3 vs 1-4. This singular act of deception is ravaging the  inhabitants of the earth even in christendom, hence the belief of reincarnation and immortality of the soul that do not have any scriptural background should be discarded forthwith – Ecclesiastes 9 vs 5,10. Follow the right things always and give no room for satanic influences.
The Christian religion is about the life, teachings and practices of Jesus Christ as shown amongst the Bereans who searched the Scriptures daily in order to know and understand the truth of salvation. In Acts of the Apostles, the Bereans were highly commended for their zealousness to know the truth – Acts 17 v 11. Of course, Jesus Christ, whom every professed Christian tends to follow emphatically, asserted that nobody will be free except he or she knows the truth. Invariably, this is an indication that anybody without the full knowledge and understanding of the truth as contained in the Holy Scriptures is in darkness – see John 5 v 39 and 8 v 32 respectively.
It is true that a professing Christian would in no doubt live a prayerful lifestyle in order to survive the whirls of the devil as well as being in close communication and good relationship with God as outlined in 1 st Thessalonians 5 vs 17,19 which says “pray without ceasing … quench not the Spirit.” However, throughout the synoptic gospels, there is no single chapter or verse authorising that communication or prayer with God should be channeled through any other medium, be it prophets, angels, saints of any age, loved ones like the Virgin Mary (Jesus’ mother) or whoever than to pray directly to our Heavenly Father according  to the injunction in Mathew 6 v 9 which supports the first two commandments handed down to Prophet Moses at Mount Sinai as indicated above.
The fact is that the wonderful sacrifice of Jesus at the stake with His precious blood as well as being our High Priest in the Heavenly sanctuary, it is expedient that at the end of the Christian supplication or communion with the Father, it should only be terminated or concluded through Jesus Christ our Lord and Saviour to make it very authentic because He is pleading and interceding in our stead before His Father in the sanctuary pitched in Heaven and not earthly sanctuary which came to an end with the cruxifiction of Christ on the Cross of Calvary.
Jesus alone has the right and authority to scrutinize our prayers through the aid of the Holy Spirit to the throne of Grace and not through any mortal being, whether alive or dead. Jesus is God in human flesh while on earth (John 1 vs 1 & 14). He is the only medium of communication with heaven through the ministration of the Holy Spirit.
It is very curious to believe that the Mother of Jesus could be a medium of communication between mankind and God. At this juncture, one may posit: What is the role and function of our Saviour Jesus Christ in this context? In fact, the misconception of medium of appropriate communication with God is as a result of the scheming of the arch-deceiver (Satan the Devil) who is always thwarting the plans of God and does not want people to acquire the true knowledge of the word of God for appropriate and adequate enlightenment. No wonder, Prophet Hosea in his prophetic writings in Chapter 4 v 6, lamented that “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge; not necessarily that but rather they had rejected knowledge.”
Taking a retrospective view at  the sacrificial or Levitical era, there were channels of communication with God through ceremonial/sacrificial services before the first advent of the Messiah, the God-man who was born to chart a new course of doing things in His righteousness. Frankly speaking, before the Cross, the then religious leaders were focused and highly honoured as infallible as well as ex-cathedral (i.e. Vicar of Christ) on earth through whom the people would obtain repentance, forgiveness of sin by penance and prayers are channeled to. All these were handwriting of ordinances that was against Christian ethics which ended at the Cross with the sacrifice of Jesus as He lamented “It is finished.” Those ceremonial or sacrificial activities were brought to an end as you read in the book of Deuteronomy 31 v 26 and Colossians 2 v 14.
It has been advised that for proper understanding of the Scriptures, it should be compared precept by precept, line by line, to make a contrast for adequate knowledge of a particular issue because the Bible is its own interpreter, according to Isaiah 28 v 10 . During the consolation of Jesus to His beloved while He hung on the Cross of Calvary, He made a remarkable assertion as recorded by one of His erudite disciples in John 19 vs 26,27 thus: “Woman, behold thy son,” while to John, He said “Son behold thy mother.” How do you read, how do you understand.
Inasmuch as it is written “honour thy father and thy mother so that your days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee” as enshrined in the fifth commandment (Exodus 20 v 12), it does not portray or give notion of worshipping them in place of God which may tantamount to worshipping idols or having other gods before  the Almighty God.
Similarly, prayer should not be channeled to God through any other means except through Jesus only.
Apostle Paul cautioned his obedient servant (Timothy) in the Lord that time shall come when people would not endure sound doctrines, but shall follow after their own lusts and heap to themselves teachers with itching ears who will turn away their ears from the truth and rather turn unto fables or falsehood (2nd Timothy 4 vs 3, 4).
Those who erroneously pray through the Virgin Mary should desist from such practice(s) and do that which is right – 1st John 2 v 1. Jesus said “I am the way, the truth and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me (John 14 v 6). This statement was expatiated by Apostle Peter that there is no salvation in any other name beside the name of Jesus (Acts 4 v 12). Therefore, he who has ears let him/her adhere to the praying principles of the Master of all and not through any unathorised medium.

Ominyanwa is a public affairs analyst.

Goddey Ominyanwa