How can saints hear our prayers?

[Naiveessence]

I don’t understand the whole interceding of saints, how are they able to listen to the prayers of the people if only God is omnipresent. Even the Angels, that are in heaven aren’t omnipresent, and we can say that they’re more powerful and hold higher ranks than us in heaven, example [2 peter 2:11]. How are saints who go to heaven giving the power to be omnipresent?

 

[JerryZ]

I don’t understand the whole interceding of saints, how are they able to listen to the prayers of the people if only God is omnipresent. Even the Angels, that are in heaven aren’t omnipresent, and we can say that they’re more powerful and hold higher ranks than us in heaven, example [2 peter 2:11]. How are saints who go to heaven giving the power to be omnipresent?

This has been responded quite often on the forum, look at Revelation of John Chapter 5

5:8 And when he had opened the book, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each having stringed instruments, as well as golden bowls full of fragrances, which are the prayers of the saints.

Then in Chapter 8 we read:

8:3 And another Angel approached, and he stood before the altar, holding a golden censer. And much incense was given to him, so that he might offer upon the golden altar, which is before the throne of God, the prayers of all the saints.
8:4 And the smoke of the incense of the prayers of the saints ascended, in the presence of God, from the hand of the Angel.

So you can see that the Apostle John saw elders (Saints) AND Angels in Heaven taking the prayers of the “saints” from earth.

HOW or WHY God allows this I don’t know, but I bet you HE has much better service than Verizon or AT&T to allow this for His Angels and Saints in Heaven.
(Not to be confused with saints here on earth striving to BECOME Saints).

There are many other places in the New Testament that attest to the fact that people in Heaven CAN hear our prayers and DO take them to GOD interceeding on our behalf.

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[Starrsmother]

I’ve always found the book of Revelations to be, shall we say, difficult at best. It’s almost like it was written by someone on LSD. Thus while I’m sure the above answer is theoretically correct, I tend to use simpler means of addressing things like how the saints can hear our prayers. We know that different rules apply in heaven than on earth. If we believe that God and Mary can hear our silent prayers, then it makes sense to think that in heaven, souls don’t depend on audible words to communicate. Can those in heaven read our minds? I don’t know if I’d call it that, but I do believe that they hear our prayers addressed to them—thus they must be able to communicate with us–both by hearing and even answering if they so choose and God allows it–without the benefit of speech which we use on earth.

 

[captainrick]

I don’t understand the whole interceding of saints, how are they able to listen to the prayers of the people if only God is omnipresent. Even the Angels, that are in heaven aren’t omnipresent, and we can say that they’re more powerful and hold higher ranks than us in heaven, example [2 peter 2:11]. How are saints who go to heaven giving the power to be omnipresent?

Other than just having faith, no one knows how this works. Just one of many mysteries.

 

[thistle]

I don’t understand the whole interceding of saints, how are they able to listen to the prayers of the people if only God is omnipresent. Even the Angels, that are in heaven aren’t omnipresent, and we can say that they’re more powerful and hold higher ranks than us in heaven, example [2 peter 2:11]. How are saints who go to heaven giving the power to be omnipresent?

CCC 2683 The witnesses who have preceded us into the kingdom, especially those whom the Church recognizes as saints, share in the living tradition of prayer by the example of their lives, the transmission of their writings, and their prayer today. They contemplate God, praise him and constantly care for those whom they have left on earth. When they entered into the joy of their Master, they were “put in charge of many things.” Their intercession is their most exalted service to God’s plan. We can and should ask them to intercede for us and for the whole world.

CCC 2684 In the communion of saints, many and varied spiritualities have been developed throughout the history of the churches. The personal charism of some witnesses to God’s love for men has been handed on, like “the spirit” of Elijah to Elisha and John the Baptist, so that their followers may have a share in this spirit. A distinct spirituality can also arise at the point of convergence of liturgical and theological currents, bearing witness to the integration of the faith into a particular human environment and its history. The different schools of Christian spirituality share in the living tradition of prayer and are essential guides for the faithful. In their rich diversity they are refractions of the one pure light of the Holy Spirit.

The Spirit is truly the dwelling of the saints and the saints are for the Spirit a place where he dwells as in his own home since they offer themselves as a dwelling place for God and are called his temple.

CCC 336 From its beginning until death, human life is surrounded by their watchful care and intercession. “Beside each believer stands an angel as protector and shepherd leading him to life.” Already here on earth the Christian life shares by faith in the blessed company of angels and men united in God.

CCC 329 St. Augustine says: “‘Angel’ is the name of their office, not of their nature. If you seek the name of their nature, it is ‘spirit’; if you seek the name of their office, it is ‘angel’: from what they are, ‘spirit’, from what they do, ‘angel.’” With their whole beings the angels are servants and messengers of God. Because they “always behold the face of my Father who is in heaven” they are the “mighty ones who do his word, hearkening to the voice of his word”.

CCC 331 Christ is the center of the angelic world. They are his angels: "When the Son of man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him. . " They belong to him because they were created through and for him: "for in him all things were created in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or authorities - all things were created through him and for him."They belong to him still more because he has made them messengers of his saving plan: “Are they not all ministering spirits sent forth to serve, for the sake of those who are to obtain salvation?”

 

[fred_conty]

I don’t understand the whole interceding of saints, how are they able to listen to the prayers of the people if only God is omnipresent. Even the Angels, that are in heaven aren’t omnipresent, and we can say that they’re more powerful and hold higher ranks than us in heaven, example [2 peter 2:11]. How are saints who go to heaven giving the power to be omnipresent?

Saints having died, the body has been consigned to the earth, but their soul, being spirit,
is with the all knowing God.

Spirits communicate differently than we do since they do not have ears. Angels and people in heaven communicate immediately, mind to mind, thru an instant sharing of knowledge when so willed. It would be something like telepathy on earth, a knowledge communicated by human minds by pure thought.

Jesus said in Mt. 18,10, “See that you do not despise one of these little ones. For I say to you that their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father who is in heaven.”
So the angels know what is going on down here by being in contact with the little ones’ Father in heaven. And through the all knowing Father, their angels know what is going on with the little ones.

Saints know your thoughts, when directed to them, as any spirit does, even the devil who
also is a spirit. Talking in the spirit world means directing thoughts. And we know thru
revelation that we can communicate to the devil when exorcism is performed when the devil is ordered to depart.

Mary talked to angel Gabriel at the Annunciation. These are spirits who heard people.

And the spirits(souls) in purgatory we may communicate with them, as well as help them in their progress to heaven thru our prayers of petition.

Catholics believe that everyone in sanctifying grace, that is, with the life of God in their soul, is in some way a part of the mystical body of Christ. So those in heaven, under heaven, and on earth form one body of Christ, as in “I am the vine, you are the branches.”

Speaking of this body, St. Paul says in 1 Cor. 12;26, “If one part is hurt, all parts are hurt with it.” So that we have a very real tie with one another, and thru charity, an eternal virtue, we care about the needs of one another. This charity would also take the form of praying for the needs of each other. Would it be charity to see a brother in need and refuse them our prayers? So also with our brothers/sisters in heaven.

“…the heartfelt prayer of a good man works very powerfully.”…James 4:16-17
“…dear to him is the prayer of honest men.”… Proverbs 15:8
“…but he listens to the prayers of the virtuous.”… Proverbs 15:29

Now who is more good, honest, virtuous, and caring, than those in heaven?
Especially Holy Mary, who gave birth to Jesus.
So their prayers for us are especially effective.

May God bless and keep you. May God’s face shine on you. May God be kind to you and give you peace.

 

[Naiveessence]

Also when we enter heaven I assume God will make us worry free, because in heaven there isn’t going to be stress, sickness , sin. We’re only going to feel the love. So It strikes me odd that God will allow us to know what’s going on at earth and being able listen to prayers. Just imagine you’re in heaven , but back on earth you had a love one who always denied Christ , he/she was always in sin, and you knew one day if he would to pass away he wouldn’t enter the kingdom of God. How would you bear with that? Knowing you’re in paradise and knowing you’re love is at the other place being tormented. I don’t believe God will allow that. For that reason I believe God wouldn’t allow saints to know what’s going at earth or even allow saints to intercede? Imagine they’re interceding for somebody, and that person towards the end of his life falls to temptation and sins, he loses his faith, and dies in sin. We all know that’s possible because walking with Christ is a battle because were fighting our flesh that wants worldly pleasure. Now imagine that saint In heaven knows that the person he use to intercede for fell to temptation and died in sin. How would he bear the thought of that. He wouldn’t be able to enjoy heaven knowing his friend is being tormented in hell. For that reason I don’t believe God will allow us know what’s going on at earth or intercede for us.

 

[JerryZ]

Also when we enter heaven I assume God will make us worry free, because in heaven there isn’t going to be stress, sickness , sin. We’re only going to feel the love. So It strikes me odd that God will allow us to know what’s going on at earth and being able listen to prayers. Just imagine you’re in heaven , but back on earth you had a love one who always denied Christ , he/she was always in sin, and you knew one day if he would to pass away he wouldn’t enter the kingdom of God. How would you bear with that? Knowing you’re in paradise and knowing you’re love is at the other place being tormented. I don’t believe God will allow that. For that reason I believe God wouldn’t allow saints to know what’s going at earth or even allow saints to intercede? Imagine they’re interceding for somebody, and that person towards the end of his life falls to temptation and sins, he loses his faith, and dies in sin. We all know that’s possible because walking with Christ is a battle because were fighting our flesh that wants worldly pleasure. Now imagine that saint In heaven knows that the person he use to intercede for fell to temptation and died in sin. How would he bear the thought of that. He wouldn’t be able to enjoy heaven knowing his friend is being tormented in hell. For that reason I don’t believe God will allow us know what’s going on at earth or intercede for us.

Worry free? that does not sound very Christian to me. On the contrary seems very selfish “I made it guys” I don’t care about the rest of you!

Nope does not sound very Christian to me.

Also we are not omniscient and therefore cannot know what an intercession can accomplish in the life of the person it was asked for or for the descendants of that person.
If a person throws away GOD’s mercy and ends up in hell, the Saints in Heaven know that justice was served, doubt very much that this would somehow hinder the joy of being in the presence of the beatific vision.
I would leave all these stray thought out, just trusting that it is the will of GOD.

We have shown you that the Saints in Heaven CAN hear our prayers and this is Biblical.

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[MarcoPolo]

Even the Angels, that are in heaven aren’t omnipresent, and we can say that they’re more powerful and hold higher ranks than us in heaven, example [2 peter 2:11].

In addition to other good answers and Scripture…
Actually, God charged the angels who guard over us to watch over our every move:*Psalm 91:11 For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways.*This does not indicate that our requests for intercessory prayers should be excluded from the concern of angels.

Incidentally, you can see an episode in Zechariah 1:12-16 where an angel acts as a mediator between God and the Jews and God embraces the intercession of the angel!

As well, the angels are in another sense beneath man, because the angels are charged to serve man:Hebrews 1:14 Are not all angels ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation?

Likewise, Paul asks many other members of the body of Christ to intercede for him (e.g. Rom 15:30-32, Col. 4:3, 1 Thes 5:25, 2 Thes 3:1, 2 Cor. 1:11, Heb 13:18-19). This is something members of the body can do for each other. Paul shows that it’s okay to ask other members of the body for intercession. It is not Biblical to say that members who are in heaven, now closest to God, are suddenly off limits. On the contrary, the body of Christ is one: *Rom. 12:5 so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another.*To forbid intercessory union between members on earth and heaven is to attempt to drive a wedge in the body of Christ.

 

[AvailableName]

I don’t understand the whole interceding of saints, how are they able to listen to the prayers of the people if only God is omnipresent.

First, let me try to explain my I am so personally grateful for the saints. I left the Church 45 years ago and went very far away. I have recently come to realize how wrong that is and I am making my way back. Remember how Adam and Eve tried to hide behind a bush from Almightly God? How stupid is that? Well, with as much sin as currently stains my soul, I can relate. I want to hide behind a bush too. Starting a conversation with God seemed way too daunting for me. Fortunately, He has a small legion of ambassadors available to act as go-betweens. Saint Benedict has been helping me find my way back. I now pray to God every day, but for awhile I needed the saints, because I was too ashamed to pray directly to God.

As for how it works, I don’t know, but here is one idea… The angels are supposed to be messengers. Maybe they can hear our prayers and relay them to the proper saint.

 

[pablope]

I don’t understand the whole interceding of saints, how are they able to listen to the prayers of the people if only God is omnipresent. Even the Angels, that are in heaven aren’t omnipresent, and we can say that they’re more powerful and hold higher ranks than us in heaven, example [2 peter 2:11]. How are saints who go to heaven giving the power to be omnipresent?

This should answer your question, extensively, I would say…calledtocommunion.com/2009/08/a-catholic-reflection-on-the-meaning-of-suffering/comment-page-1/#comment-7404

The saints in heaven can hear/see our requests to them, though not with physical ears/physical eyes (since they are not embodied, Mary excepted). In three places in the gospels, Jesus tells us that in the resurrection we will be like the angels. One of the ways in which we will be like the angels is that we will not marry. But another way is that we will know, not only by our physical senses, but in a supernatural way, i.e. a way that exceeds the capacity of our epistemic faculties. All the angels and saints presently enjoy the Beatific Vision. (See Benedictus Deus.)
When a person has the Beatific Vision, he not only knows God; he also knows what pertains to himself, through God. St. Thomas Aquinas explains:
The Divine essence is a sufficient medium for knowing all things, and this is evident from the fact that God, by seeing His essence, sees all things. But it does not follow that whoever sees God’s essence knows all things, but only those who comprehend the essence of God [Cf. I, 12, 7,8]: even as the knowledge of a principle does not involve the knowledge of all that follows from that principle unless the whole virtue of the principle be comprehended

 

[pablope]

Also when we enter heaven I assume God will make us worry free, because in heaven there isn’t going to be stress, sickness , sin.

. He wouldn’t be able to enjoy heaven knowing his friend is being tormented in hell. For that reason I don’t believe God will allow us know what’s going on at earth or intercede for us.

Actually…Luke 15 says…10 In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”

And those in heaven are like, the saints, are like angels…Matthew 22:30
30 For in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels[a] in heaven.

calledtocommunion.com/2009/08/a-catholic-reflection-on-the-meaning-of-suffering/comment-page-1/#comment-7404

*As St. Thomas explains, anyone who sees the face of God sees also in God all things pertaining to himself, through God. The petitions of the members of the Church militant, pertain to the saints in heaven. And for this reason they see these petitions supernaturally, through the Beatific Vision. Notice also in the selection from St. Thomas that he points out that “it pertains to their glory that they assist the needy for their salvation.” God doesn’t need the saints to intercede for us. He has given them a great gift, in allowing them to participate in this glorious way, in His work of redemption.
Because God is love, He does not do everything Himself. He created us, and gave us real causal powers. So, He doesn’t operate by the principle, “If I can do it, then there is no point in having anyone else do it.” He works by love, which is the very opposite of such egoism, because by love He gives to us the dignity of participation in His glorious activity. This is what we mean in speaking of His love as self-effusive. Strictly speaking, God did not need to give us causal powers of any sort. God could have done everything, entirely, Himself. He loves to give to us the opportunity to participate as real [secondary] causes in His work. That’s one of the gifts He has given to the saints in heaven, by allowing them to be genuine intercessors on our behalf.
*

 

[twf]

I think in all of this it is important to remember that the saints in heaven participate in the divine life of the Trinity. Scripture says that through baptism we “put on Christ” (Gal. 3:27). St. Peter states that we have become partakers of the divine nature (2 Pet 1:4) - which Catholics believe is primarily by partaking of the Eucharist in which we truly receive Christ in his humanity and divinity. The Church, as the body of Christ, is the mystical continuation of the Incarnation - the marriage of God and man in the person of Christ Jesus. In Christ, through the incarnation, our human nature is raised up to share in Christ’s divine nature. St. Paul says that we are now “co-heirs with Christ” (Rom. 8:17). St. John states that we shall be “as Christ” when we see him face to face (1 John 3:2). Of course the saints in heaven are not God nor are they equal to God, but as adopted sons and daughters of God, and brothers and sisters of the Lord Jesus, they *share *in the divine nature. This is not something they earned…it is a gift…it is grace. Keeping all of this in mind, is it really difficult to imagine that the saints can hear our prayers?

 

[sennincatholic]

Well…I cant tell how exactly saints do it but i know for sure they do hear our prayers. St.Therese de Lisieux and St Joseph of Cupertino have already done so much in my life…iI dont even know how to express in words!

 

[porthos11]

Also when we enter heaven I assume God will make us worry free, because in heaven there isn’t going to be stress, sickness , sin. We’re only going to feel the love.

Yes, this is correct. And while it’s deficient because you’re expressing it in human terms, it will do for now. But you are working on an erroneous assumption, and that is in heaven, you will still love your family above God. That is false and that is what leads to problems.

So It strikes me odd that God will allow us to know what’s going on at earth and being able listen to prayers. Just imagine you’re in heaven , but back on earth you had a love one who always denied Christ , he/she was always in sin, and you knew one day if he would to pass away he wouldn’t enter the kingdom of God. How would you bear with that? Knowing you’re in paradise and knowing you’re love is at the other place being tormented. I don’t believe God will allow that.

Here you go off the rails. Because Scripture clearly states that the saints in heaven carry the prayers of the saints on earth to God, symbolized by incense, we must accept as truth that the saints in heaven do pray for those on earth.

For that reason I believe God wouldn’t allow saints to know what’s going at earth or even allow saints to intercede? Imagine they’re interceding for somebody, and that person towards the end of his life falls to temptation and sins, he loses his faith, and dies in sin. We all know that’s possible because walking with Christ is a battle because were fighting our flesh that wants worldly pleasure. Now imagine that saint In heaven knows that the person he use to intercede for fell to temptation and died in sin. How would he bear the thought of that. He wouldn’t be able to enjoy heaven knowing his friend is being tormented in hell. For that reason I don’t believe God will allow us know what’s going on at earth or intercede for us.

Well first of all, if God reveals to a saint in heaven that a loved one is sinning on earth, it’s for a particular purpose. That saint in heaven will intercede for that loved one’s conversion and salvation. Now God, being immutable, cannot change his mind, but in his grand plan of things, he could easily have ordained that he would grant the grace of salvation to that loved one because of the saint’s intercession, and they will glorify God for his mercy.

If, however, that loved one freely chooses to die unrepentant, then he will go to hell. So to your question of “how does the saint ‘bear’ it?” The answer is he doesn’t. Your question presupposes that the saint will actually love that loved one before God, which isn’t the case in heaven. In heaven, the saint is free from all earthly attachments, and loves God above all things, even above one’s own family on earth. If that loved one goes to hell, then the saints in heaven will not feel any pain over that loss, but rather, they will glorify God because of his justice.