K
KJW
Guest
Catholic teaching does not allow members to either suppose or request anything from the saints in themselves. Saints have nothing to grant by their own power, but the Catholic Church teaches that the saints can offer their prayers for us. The Catholic Church also teaches that individuals can ask the saints to intercede for them, and through their own prayers, bring individuals requests to God.
Were Protestant accusations true, and if Catholics truly believed that the saints could grant our requests and only God can, then this would be a most unbiblical teaching. Paul writes to Timothy “there is one mediator between God and humankind, Jesus Christ…” (I Timothy 2:5). Both Catholics and Protestants affirm this, but because Protestantism believes it understands Catholicism better than Catholics do, they often cite the Catholics who ask the saints for prayers as being in violation with the words of Paul. Is this accusation legitimate?
The answer is No. Clearly Protestants do not believe that intercessory prayer is in violation with the words of Paul, for they often ask fellow believers to pray for their prayer requests. What look of shock they would give upon approaching someone with a legitimate request, if they were turned down and accused of setting up mediators other than Jesus. Yet though Protestants employ intercessory prayer, they then criticize it when they hear of Catholics asking the saints in heaven for prayer.
After getting past this final example of Protestant selectivism, it is worthy to differentiate between asking those alive for prayers, and asking those who have died for prayers. Both sides agree that to ask the living for prayer is appropriate, but Protestantism has distanced themselves from Rome’s practice asking the departed also for prayers. But when the Protestant Church recites the Apostles Creed, do they not realize the meaning of the words, ‘I believe in the communion of saints.’ Perhaps it is only members of the Catholic Church, which composed this prayer, who do realize the significance. The communion of the saints speaks of the believers who inhabit the earth. We believe that these believers can help each other, particularly by praying for each other. The Catholic Church calls these believers the ‘Church Militant,’ because it is these who are fighting the battle of life while placing their faith in the One who died to save them. But the communion of saints also speaks of the saints in heaven; those who have gained salvation by placing their faith in Jesus Christ. Because such a community refers to both those who are alive in Christ, and those who have died in his friendship, the Catholic Church does not view them as separate communities. Together they are the body of Christ. Why assume that those who pray for others while they are alive, will cease to do so after the have entered Heaven? Would it not be more reasonable to assume that once in heaven, and being more aware of the spiritual needs of those on earth, that the departed individual will more fervently pray? Jerome, long ago wrote, “If the apostles and martyrs while still in the flesh, and still needing to care for themselves, can pray for others, how much more will they after they have won their crowns, victories and triumphs? When they are with Christ, will they be less powerful?” (Adv. Vigil, 6).
Because no documentation can be offered against asking the saints for prayer, so do question is purpose. Many Protestants ask: Why request the prayers of saints, when God can already hear your request? Why not go straight to God, they ask, affirming that such a mediator is not needed (though the more appropriate term is intercessor). If asked in honesty, these are appropriate questions, but if they pose merely a last ditch attempt to show why Catholics are wrong, then the inconsistency of such questions can easily be made evident. The problems with such questions are that they both could be asked when an individual even asks a fellow believer for prayer. The questions remain worthy of examination, but are invalidated in this present case as a reason for not praying to the saints.
Lastly, and contrary to those who believe being anti-Catholic is honoring to God, Catholics do not only pray to the saints. The times that intercession is sought after, Christ is always the center of such prayers. One of the more famous intercessory prayers Hail Mary (Hail is an archaic word and does not denote worship to a particular deity) has Catholics clearly showing that they are asking nothing of Mary except for her prayers, for they say ‘pray for us sinners now, and at the hour of our death.’ Also the fact that Catholics clearly identify who the focus of their devotion is for in the same prayer, speaking to Mary, they say, ‘blessed is the fruit of your womb, Jesus.’
Kelly J. Wilson
Were Protestant accusations true, and if Catholics truly believed that the saints could grant our requests and only God can, then this would be a most unbiblical teaching. Paul writes to Timothy “there is one mediator between God and humankind, Jesus Christ…” (I Timothy 2:5). Both Catholics and Protestants affirm this, but because Protestantism believes it understands Catholicism better than Catholics do, they often cite the Catholics who ask the saints for prayers as being in violation with the words of Paul. Is this accusation legitimate?
The answer is No. Clearly Protestants do not believe that intercessory prayer is in violation with the words of Paul, for they often ask fellow believers to pray for their prayer requests. What look of shock they would give upon approaching someone with a legitimate request, if they were turned down and accused of setting up mediators other than Jesus. Yet though Protestants employ intercessory prayer, they then criticize it when they hear of Catholics asking the saints in heaven for prayer.
After getting past this final example of Protestant selectivism, it is worthy to differentiate between asking those alive for prayers, and asking those who have died for prayers. Both sides agree that to ask the living for prayer is appropriate, but Protestantism has distanced themselves from Rome’s practice asking the departed also for prayers. But when the Protestant Church recites the Apostles Creed, do they not realize the meaning of the words, ‘I believe in the communion of saints.’ Perhaps it is only members of the Catholic Church, which composed this prayer, who do realize the significance. The communion of the saints speaks of the believers who inhabit the earth. We believe that these believers can help each other, particularly by praying for each other. The Catholic Church calls these believers the ‘Church Militant,’ because it is these who are fighting the battle of life while placing their faith in the One who died to save them. But the communion of saints also speaks of the saints in heaven; those who have gained salvation by placing their faith in Jesus Christ. Because such a community refers to both those who are alive in Christ, and those who have died in his friendship, the Catholic Church does not view them as separate communities. Together they are the body of Christ. Why assume that those who pray for others while they are alive, will cease to do so after the have entered Heaven? Would it not be more reasonable to assume that once in heaven, and being more aware of the spiritual needs of those on earth, that the departed individual will more fervently pray? Jerome, long ago wrote, “If the apostles and martyrs while still in the flesh, and still needing to care for themselves, can pray for others, how much more will they after they have won their crowns, victories and triumphs? When they are with Christ, will they be less powerful?” (Adv. Vigil, 6).
Because no documentation can be offered against asking the saints for prayer, so do question is purpose. Many Protestants ask: Why request the prayers of saints, when God can already hear your request? Why not go straight to God, they ask, affirming that such a mediator is not needed (though the more appropriate term is intercessor). If asked in honesty, these are appropriate questions, but if they pose merely a last ditch attempt to show why Catholics are wrong, then the inconsistency of such questions can easily be made evident. The problems with such questions are that they both could be asked when an individual even asks a fellow believer for prayer. The questions remain worthy of examination, but are invalidated in this present case as a reason for not praying to the saints.
Lastly, and contrary to those who believe being anti-Catholic is honoring to God, Catholics do not only pray to the saints. The times that intercession is sought after, Christ is always the center of such prayers. One of the more famous intercessory prayers Hail Mary (Hail is an archaic word and does not denote worship to a particular deity) has Catholics clearly showing that they are asking nothing of Mary except for her prayers, for they say ‘pray for us sinners now, and at the hour of our death.’ Also the fact that Catholics clearly identify who the focus of their devotion is for in the same prayer, speaking to Mary, they say, ‘blessed is the fruit of your womb, Jesus.’
Kelly J. Wilson
