Do you ask angels and saints to pray for you?

[rinnie]

If you are a Christian have you ever asked your fellow believers to pray for a very ill friend or family member, aloud, as you meet together , or is this a problem for you?

As a Christian do you believe in heaven and hell? do you believe we no longer exist after death? , or do you believe that our souls live on because of the Power of Christ and that death no longer has power over us?

So, if we believe life continues after death, and we believe it is alright for people to pray together as a group in Church or wherever. Why would it not be right to ask the living AND the dead to pray for our intentions, our needs?:shrugax, Carlan

I DO!! I ask the Blessed Mother to pray for me and my family Each and every single day. I ask St Jude alot, St Joseph alot. And I ask St Michael to help keep the devil away from my kids so they never get tempted with drugs.

I ask my Dad and Brother to pray for me alot. they are with God now. And I also pray for them just in case they are in need of prayers. I also ask my Mom and friends to pray for me also, they are here with me in this world.

I do not believe in eternal death. Only physical death. I believe that Jesus took away death when he died on the Cross so we could all live together forever in the better life, the eternal life with him!

 

[Izdaari]

When I need prayer, I ask the living to pray for me, both at my church and on the Christian forums I frequent. Why not ask the dead saints and the angels to pray for me? No reason why not, except I don’t know that they’ve been granted the ability to hear my prayers. I know God can hear my prayers. I don’t know that they can… and even if they can, all they can do is relay it. Why not go direct to the Father, in the name of Jesus?

 

[rinnie]

When I need prayer, I ask the living to pray for me, both at my church and on the Christian forums I frequent. Why not ask the dead saints and the angels to pray for me? No reason why not, except I don’t know that they’ve been granted the ability to hear my prayers. I know God can hear my prayers. I don’t know that they can… and even if they can, all they can do is relay it. Why not go direct to the Father, in the name of Jesus?

No offense but if thats the way you feel why ask the living to pray for you then? I mean if you feel go Directly to the Father what is the difference between asking our Brothers and Sisters in this world or in the next then?

The reason we as Catholic’s go to the Living in this world, and the living in the next is because they can see God face to face. And not that we do not pray to the Father directly and we do also do that, but the reason is Jesus likes it when we pray for eachother. He is the one who tells us to do it.

It is actually by his example that we learned to do it. Peter I prayed for you! Remember that scripture?

 

[wmscott]

Here is an article discussing this issue taken from a (non-Catholic) Christian site and it sums up my thoughts on the matter.
gotquestions.org/prayer-saints-Mary.html

I don’t come to this page much anymore, so I apologize in advance if I don’t get around to reading/replying…but am posting in the event anyone wants to better understand the different perspective.

Catholics argue that praying to Mary and the saints is no different than asking someone here on earth to pray for you. Let us examine that claim. (1) The Apostle Paul asks other Christians to pray for him in Ephesians 6:19. Many Scriptures describe believers praying for one another (2 Corinthians 1:11; Ephesians 1:16; Philippians 1:19; 2 Timothy 1:3). The Bible nowhere mentions anyone asking for someone in Heaven to pray for them. The Bible nowhere describes anyone in Heaven praying for anyone on earth. (2) The Bible gives absolutely no indication that Mary or the saints can hear our prayers. Mary and the saints are not omniscient. Even glorified in Heaven, they are still finite beings with limitations. How could they possibly hear the prayers of millions of people? Whenever the Bible mentions praying to or speaking with the dead, it is in the context of sorcery, witchcraft, necromancy, and divination - activities the Bible strongly condemns (Leviticus 20:27; Deuteronomy 18:10-13). The one instance when a “saint” is spoken to, Samuel in 1 Samuel 28:7-19, Samuel was not exactly happy to be disturbed. It is plainly clear that praying to Mary or the saints is completely different from asking someone here on earth to pray for you. One has a strong Biblical basis, the other has no Biblical basis whatsoever.

God does not answer prayers based on who is praying. God answers prayers based on whether they are asked according to His will (1 John 5:14-15). There is absolutely no basis or need to pray to anyone other than God alone. There is no basis for asking those who are in Heaven to pray for us. Only God can hear our prayers. Only God can answer our prayers. No one in Heaven has any greater access to God’s throne that we do through prayer (Hebrews 4:16).

You state, “The Bible nowhere mentions anyone asking for someone in Heaven to pray for them. The Bible nowhere describes anyone in Heaven praying for anyone on earth. (2) The Bible gives absolutely no indication that Mary or the saints can hear our prayers. Mary and the saints are not omniscient. Even glorified in Heaven, they are still finite beings with limitations. How could they possibly hear the prayers of millions of people? Whenever the Bible mentions praying to or speaking with the dead, it is in the context of sorcery, witchcraft, necromancy, and divination - activities the Bible strongly condemns”

So just because the Bible does not describe anyone in Heaven praying for anyone on earth, does this mean it does not happen? Please show me the exact words that say pray only to God and not to the Blessed Mother, the Angels or Saints. Show me where they are specifically excluded in the NT, not some out of context OT passage. I am sure if this were a great sin against God, it would most certainly be recorded in the Gospels or one of the other NT books.

You are thinking with the finite limitations of a human mind and with obvious bias in line with your own personal beliefs and brand of theology. The prayers asking for the Blessed Mother, the Angels or Saints has been a part of the Church Christ established since the beginning. As side from the fact that the Bible is a product of the Church, if this type of prayer were “evil” and forbidden, then Christ’s Church would most certainly have ensured that it did not happen. On the other hand, are you of a belief that Christ’s Church is in a habit of going against God and his will?

I have more confidence in asking the Blessed Mother, all the Angels and Saints to pray for me than I would in asking you or most anyone else to pray for me. For all I know you and the others could be on a fast track to hell. I am not saying that you are, but I do not know the state of your soul and if you have mortal sin attached to it.

 

[wmscott]

You state, “The Bible nowhere mentions anyone asking for someone in Heaven to pray for them. The Bible nowhere describes anyone in Heaven praying for anyone on earth. (2) The Bible gives absolutely no indication that Mary or the saints can hear our prayers. Mary and the saints are not omniscient. Even glorified in Heaven, they are still finite beings with limitations. How could they possibly hear the prayers of millions of people? Whenever the Bible mentions praying to or speaking with the dead, it is in the context of sorcery, witchcraft, necromancy, and divination - activities the Bible strongly condemns”

So just because the Bible does not describe anyone in Heaven praying for anyone on earth, does this mean it does not happen? Please show me the exact words that say pray only to God and not to the Blessed Mother, the Angels or Saints. Show me where they are specifically excluded in the NT, not some out of context OT passage. I am sure if this were a great sin against God, it would most certainly be recorded in the Gospels or one of the other NT books.

You are thinking with the finite limitations of a human mind and with obvious bias in line with your own personal beliefs and brand of theology. The prayers asking for the Blessed Mother, the Angels or Saints has been a part of the Church Christ established since the beginning. As side from the fact that the Bible is a product of the Church, if this type of prayer were “evil” and forbidden, then Christ’s Church would most certainly have ensured that it did not happen. On the other hand, are you of a belief that Christ’s Church is in a habit of going against God and his will?

I have more confidence in asking the Blessed Mother, all the Angels and Saints to pray for me than I would in asking you or most anyone else to pray for me. For all I know you and the others could be on a fast track to hell. I am not saying that you are, but I do not know the state of your soul and if you have mortal sin attached to it.

imjustme, just curious if you are going to respond?

 

[Everett_Noble]

Thank you for all the good information and comments.

May God richly Bless and keep all of you,
Everett

p.s. Your welcome, an old soldier

 

[Marie5890]

The answer is yes, I have asked both the angels and a couple of saints to intercede on my behalf, as well as Our Blessed Lady.

And it has consistently been fruitful.

Others may doubt, they may criticize and be cynics. That is fine for that is certainly their choice to have such an attitude.

But that doesn’t change the reality that those of us who do have sincere devotions for the intercessions by these holy ones have been blessed in our faith.

Others lack of lack has no baring on my faith.

 

[CatholicFireman]

The answer is yes, I have asked both the angels and a couple of saints to intercede on my behalf, as well as Our Blessed Lady.

And it has consistently been fruitful.

Others may doubt, they may criticize and be cynics. That is fine for that is certainly their choice to have such an attitude.

But that doesn’t change the reality that those of us who do have sincere devotions for the intercessions by these holy ones have been blessed in our faith.

Others lack of lack has no baring on my faith.

Wow, I couldn’t have said it better myself. Bless you!

Pax†

 

[Cristian_B]

If you are a Christian have you ever asked your fellow believers to pray for a very ill friend or family member, aloud, as you meet together , or is this a problem for you?

Yes.

As a Christian do you believe in heaven and hell?

Yes.

do you believe we no longer exist after death?

We still exist in God after our deaths.

or do you believe that our souls live on because of the Power of Christ and that death no longer has power over us?

Death, by definition, is the end of life. You cannot be dead and alive at the same time, in the same way you cannot be and not be at the same time. It is contradictory and illogical. Life after death is an oxymoron. Since death is the end of life, how can there be life after the end of life?

Only the dead can be resurrected. Being resurrected means being brought back to life. If you already have life (you live somewhere else as a spirit in the universe) why would you have to be resurrected to receive something you already have (life)?

So no: when you die you are like in a coma or something. You don’t go with God and live with Him in Heaven but stay in the grave and await the resurrection when you will become alive, in a new body, and then you’ll be with the Lord forever, not before that. What did Jesus say? That He will bring us our reward when He comes. One of our gifts is eternal life. Eternal life will be given when we are resurrected, that is: when He comes.

So, if we believe life continues after death,

That’s contradictory, illogical and an oxymoron. Since death is the end of life, or absence of life, how can life continue after it’s end?

and we believe it is alright for people to pray together as a group in Church or wherever.

I do as well.

Why would it not be right to ask the living AND the dead to pray for our intentions, our needs?:shrugax, Carlan

Because the dead are dead, having no more life for the moment. Since they have no life within them until the resurrection, they cannot hear us.
Make no mistake friend. You seem to make death a friend. Make no mistake. Paul said that the last enemy that will be destroyed will be death. Death is our enemy, not our friend.

Also, life is what brings us closer to God, not death.

 

[Cristian_B]

Life definitely continues after death, our souls are immortal, our bodies only suffer death from the result of sin!

Our “souls” also suffer from sin, not only our bodies.
The soul that sinneth, it shall die.

~Ezequiel 18:20

 

[Marie5890]

Wow, I couldn’t have said it better myself. Bless you!

Pax†

Thank you. I have been.

I only came into full communion at the Vigil of '07. I have been so humbled at the wealth of support by the holy angels and saints and Our Blessed Lady (Esp by Her) in their interceding for me.

It’s been astonishing to say the very least. Although I certainly am fine that others chose not to look to them for their intercession, I do feel bad for others. They really have no idea of what they are denying themselves of.

But it’s fair to say I was skeptical at first too. Fortunately I decided to take that skepticism in one hand, faith in the other, and went forward to asked for their help.

My skepticism soon there after faded away.

 

[dianaiad]

/Thank you all for your response.
I was hoping to get responses from our separated friends, I have a dear fundamentalist neighbor whom I can’t seem to convince. Carlan

I look at it this way:

When I ask friends and family to pray for me (and I actually don’t do that all that often, come to think of it…) it is face to face, and generally in a place or at a time when falling on my knees isn’t really an option.

When I CAN do this, that is, physically pray for aid, I don’t see what is gained by asking a saint or someone to pray for me when I’m, hello…right there and can ask for myself.

To me, indeed, it seems like one of those situations that is so often portrayed for laughs in situation comedies; where characters are ‘not speaking’ to one another, so they involve third parties to relay messages even when they are standing literally nose to nose with each other. You know how it goes…:

“Harry, tell your father that I’m going to Myra’s house for the evening. He can get his own dinner…”
“Dad, Mom says that she’s going to Myra’s house and you have to cook…”
“Harry, never mind that. Tell your mother that if she goes over there I’ll order pizza and let the kids eat the chocolate cake…”
“Mom, Dad says…”
“Harry, tell your father that the cake is for the PTA sale and he’s not to touch it!”
“Dad, Mom says we can’t have the cake…”
"Harry, tell your mother that…

And so it goes. Mom and Dad should simply talk to each other.

Well, it’s a difference in paradigm, I guess. I have been taught, and I believe, that if you are on your knees praying, you should simply talk to the One Whose attention you are attempting to grab; don’t go through St. Harry. Harry has enough to do, anyway, and God won’t really be fooled here. You are who you are, no matter whose voice reaches His ears, and your petition is what it is, no matter who voices it. So…we should speak directly to Him, for ourselves (and yes, for others if they have asked us). Attempting to go through an intermediary at a time when God is RIGHT THERE, and we can speak directly to Him, seems a little, well…insulting. Like saying “Harry, you tell your Father that…” when Father is standing right here in front of you.

I know that this seems a little flippant. I don’t mean it to be…I understand, from some Catholic friends, that the idea is that it shows more respect, or reverence, to ask a Saint for intercession; it is more humble to ask someone else to pray for you than it is to approach God directly for all things. I understand the principle behind it, and in many ways I understand the humility going through intercessors shows–and I do not think that those who pray to Saints and to Mary are being disrespectful.

However, if * I* did, it would be real disrespect.

Diana