Re: imagining saints ā
Some people who are very advanced in the spiritual life donāt visualize stuff or use devotional images (except at Mass), just like they tend to stick to mental prayer (except at Mass, or while praying the Office, Rosary, etc.). However, most of us arenāt that advanced, and donāt find visuals or words to be unnecessary or a hindrance. Just like itās stupid to try to teach kids to read whole words before they know letters and can sound out syllables, and just like itās stupid to try to teach kids to run before they can crawl, we shouldnāt jettison imagination when weāre still learning to get closer to God.
On the other hand, St. Ignatius of Loyola and many other saints particularly recommend using your imagination to āget intoā Scripture, prayers, etc. St. Ignatius of Loyolaās Spiritual Exercises specifically instruct people to use their imagination of scenes using all five senses to get closer to Jesus. Anything that helps you think of Jesus and the saints as real people whom you care about, is usually going to be helpful.
Re: pray to saints ā
If you can talk to a living Christian here on earth, you can talk to a living Christian in heaven. They are our brothers and sisters who are parts of Christās Body and filled with His Life, not strangers dwelling outside Christās Body. There isnāt any other way they can hear us except by Christās joyful permission. The Book of Revelation goes into great detail, showing that the saints and angels hear our prayers and present them to God, thus joining their prayers to ours.
And you may remember that we talk to the saints at Mass every Sunday. Not only does the priest ask for the saintsā help during the Eucharistic Prayers, but we all ask for their help during one of the versions of the Penitential Rite:
āAnd I ask blessed Mary, ever-virgin,
And all the angels and saints,
To pray for me to the Lord our God.ā
Hope this helps!
Is this acceptable?
Iām venerating them.
