My elderly mom loves Jesus, doesn’t believe in Saints

[MarthaSo]

Hi everyone,
I’ll try to be brief. My mother LOVES Jesus, she’s almost 80 and when I visited her the other day we were talking about how sad it is that children are in hospitals, sick and dying. Then, out of the blue, she said something like ‘some people believe saints can heal if they pray to Jesus to heal’, (and as a Catholic I know saints have certainly been called upon in intercession prayer for a person) but then why don’t they heal all those kids dying in the hospital? Must they be prayed to first? Cannot God heal dying children without a saint in heaven interceding? Certainly He can so what is the point?

Eep. I promise my momma is the sweeetest little lady ever but that genuine, hurt, innocent question…I did not have an answer…and truthfully it’s such a logical question I was sad to admit I agree with her.

Thanks for any thoughts you’d like to share.

This may sound crazy but her being 80 and my dad almost 90, they love God but not the Catholic faith. And because I love both , it hurt that my parents don’t share it. Another thought was, how can someone who’s 90, all those years not love the Catholic church. Surely in their golden years they will know the truth. It’s very sad, sad because I feel like after all they’ve gone through why hasn’t our precious Lord granted them that beautiful faith in our Church, it’s confounding to me, especially because they love God!

 

[Lee1]

The Saints intercede and ask God to alter some part of His divine plan.

 

[ChristMyLife]

This may sound crazy but her being 80 and my dad almost 90, they love God but not the Catholic faith. And because I love both , it hurt that my parents don’t share it. Another thought was, how can someone who’s 90, all those years not love the Catholic church. It’s very sad, sad because I feel like after all they’ve gone through why hasn’t our precious Lord granted them that beautiful faith in our Church, it’s confounding to

Be glad that you have a sweet loving mother.

Be grateful God has given her so many years on earth and pray for more for her.

Be grateful she believes in God and loves Jesus.

Trust that Jesus will not forsake those who love and worship him in spirit and truth.

Believe that God is the Just Judge who doesn’t seek to condemn man but to save him.

Be an example of a living Saint and show her the grace that flows through the Catholic Church, and if she brings up the topic share the bountiful beauty of the Catholic faith you profess.

 

[MarthaSo]

Thank you, I do plan on doing that but I wish I could understand the actual answer to that question.

 

[Rayne2Step]

At the moment the only answer I can offer is the “canned” answer that a greater good may come from the suffering. I know to think about that in that way takes a tremendously good prayer life and I certainly hope that if I am ever faced with such a challenge that I would be able to live by that. Its also charitable to say I dont know. That is genuine. Peace be with you

 

[ChristMyLife]

Thank you, I do plan on doing that but I wish I could understand the actual answer to that question.

God could heal every body on earth of their physical ills but he has something bigger in mind than this temporal life.

You’re viewing things from a finite, temporal perspective and imposing that view on God and his plan. He is guiding things from an infinite, eternal point of view.

Things which from your pov seem very evil or very bad, may very well be very good from God’s perspective.

 

[TheLittleLady]

Ask her, “Mom, do you pray for me? Do you pray for other people?”

"Okay, so, you pray for and you love me and other people.

While I think you are the closest thing to a perfect mom, you likely do not think you are yet absolutely perfect, right?

Well, if you woke up tomorrow morning in heaven, standing there in front of God’s great throne, you would know that you were made perfect (because nothing imperfect can enter heaven). Would you stand there and ask God to help me and ask Him to help all of the people you love and all of the sick children in the world?

See, mom, that is what it means. Christians in heaven are Saints. They are perfect, they have perfect love for those of us on earth, so, they ask God to help us."

 

[Fauken]

some people believe saints can heal if they pray to Jesus to heal’, (and as a Catholic I know saints have certainly been called upon in intercession prayer for a person)

I wouldn’t say the Saints can heal no more than I’d say I can. Rather they ask God to heal someone through their prayers.

point

Of course He can. He doesn’t require the prayers of the Saints to do anything. But He is a Father, and always listens to our requests. She probably turns to the people she knows and trusts to pray often for her, why would the Saints not want to do the same thing for God’s beloved children when they are face to face with love Himself? Do you think it makes sense that the Saints be passive observers to such a love? Certainly not! If we saw what the Saints see for eternity in Heaven, we would be practically throwing ourselves at every opportunity to let others get closer to experiencing what we would be experiencing. That is the Communion of Saints.

 

[MarthaSo]

Thanks all, I forgot to mention she doesn’t believe in saints, she says Jesus is the only saint in Heaven. I don’t think I can sway her to a different viewpoint, I felt prompted only to continue to pray for my family.

 

[PennyinCanada]

she doesn’t believe in saints, she says Jesus is the only saint in Heaven.

Well then. She’ll have a delightful surprise when she gets there!

God does heal every sick child when he receives them into his arms in heaven.

 

[ChristMyLife]

she says Jesus is the only saint in Heaven.

So she professes the doctrine of “soul sleep?”

Meaning she believes everybody is unconscious when they die until the General Resurrection?

Is she an Adventist?

Interesting tidbit: there was a Pope in the middle ages who personally believed in this doctrine, Pope John XXII. His successor, Pope Benedict XII, promulgated the encyclical “Benedictus Deus” expounding the doctrine of the Beatific Vision to correct the erroneous opinion held by his predecessor. (Note: John XXII held the erroneous view as a personal theological opinion, he never formally promulgated heresy.)

 

[JimR-OCDS]

Show him the Bible verse

John sees that “the twenty-four elders [the leaders of the people of God in heaven] fell down before the Lamb, each holding a harp, and with golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints” (Rev. 5:8)

Jim

 

[TheLittleLady]

Thanks all, I forgot to mention she doesn’t believe in saints, she says Jesus is the only saint in Heaven.

Ahhh, “soul sleep” is a non-Christian doctrine. At age 80, conversion is purely in God’s hands!

 

[MarthaSo]

Thanks everyone, I don’t think she adheres to any doctrine, she wouldn’t know what “soul sleep” or Adventist is to be honest. All I know is she got us all baptized into the Catholic church as babies and took us to Mass and always spoke of her love of Jesus to us as kids showing us her goosebumps and still to this day loves Jesus. She just holds on to certain beliefs. My prayer for her will be the same as it is for me and my children, that God may please have mercy on our soul.

Does anyone else who loves our Church so dearly have parents who don’t believe the Catholic Church is the one true church? And especially have you ever had to have a faith conversation. Gosh those are hurtful.
Thank you

 

[SarahKate]

Does anyone else who loves our Church so dearly have parents who don’t believe the Catholic Church is the one true church? And especially have you ever had to have a faith conversation. Gosh those are hurtful.

I’m in RCIA and hope to be received into the Church next year on Easter Vigil. My parents are very anti-Catholic. They don’t spew hate, but they definitely think Catholics are idol worshippers, etc. They do not understand how and why at 40 years old I’m on the path to converting. My dad pretty much refuses to talk about it. Once he asked questions and I answered back honestly about the faith and he refused to listen. Nearlybto the point of covering his ears with his hands.

It is hard, but in the end, it’s their choice to accept or not. All we can do is be a light and speak the truth in love and gentleness.
Blessings.

 

[Fauken]

Does anyone else who loves our Church so dearly have parents who don’t believe the Catholic Church is the one true church? And especially have you ever had to have a faith conversation. Gosh those are hurtful.
Thank you

My parents gave me their blessing when I became Catholic, but I’m sure they wish I never did so. Both sides of my family (though it happened quite some time ago) have been hurt by over zealous Catholics within the family. There have been some very painful moments. It hurts because I do love the Church so much, but I simply no longer wish to discuss matters regarding the Catholic Church with them. Of course I’ll answer a question if asked directly, but I don’t talk about my Faith to them, and I don’t tell them all that I do with and in it.

 

[Roseeurekacross]

It’s quite common for people to love God but not the church. We don’t know if they have had bad experiences etc. we should just be there to listen to them.

God heals, not the Saints. Is that your mums point? Then she wonders why not everyone gets healed, and that is a classic question, the problem of evil in the world.

It’s wonderfu you and your mum can discuss God. Rejoice in that , rather then differences. Keep talking about a God

 

[Roseeurekacross]

That’s a question people down through the ages have tried to understand. And will still wonder about for generations to come.

 

[MarthaSo]

Thank you for that lovely response.

 

[Dan_Defender]

Why do innocent children suffer? In the end, it is a mystery. We can’t know the mind of God. We must humbly accept that and pray, especially for the saints’ intercession.