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StephenL
Guest
Why do Catholics pray to the Saints?
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dixieagle
Guest
One of the Sisters who taught me explained it simply this way; praying to a saint is much like asking someone to put in a good word for you with a close friend of theirs. As we believe that canonized saints are, indeed, very close to God, it makes sense to ask for them to intervene when we have a special request.
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StephenL
Guest
I don’t have a problem with that. I have a problem with the word Prayer in it. I would think Praying is something for God.
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grandfather
Guest
The meanings of words can change. In English the term pray once commonly was used to mean I ask you. You are confusing it with the word worship.
People make supplications to other people all the time. We request help from one another. We even plead with one another.
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Zincman
Guest
The prayer itself aims god, at least in it essence.
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Razanir
Guest
Really, there are two reasons the word “pray” gets applied.
- It’s accurate by older definitions. (Fun fact: In the KJV, humans get prayed to as early as Genesis)
- The saints are in Heaven. So even in the modern definition where God is implied, the word gets used by analogy for communicating with anyone in Heaven.
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oldgraymare2
Guest
Hi Stephen,
We ask them to intercede for us; to help us.
They can intercede before God on our behalf, for our needs.
In the Apostle’s Creed we believe in the forgiveness of sins, the communion of saints, etc.
This article from the Catechism of the Catholic Church explains things better than I can about the communion of the saints:
vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p123a9p5.htm
We ask them to intercede for us; to help us.
They can intercede before God on our behalf, for our needs.
In the Apostle’s Creed we believe in the forgiveness of sins, the communion of saints, etc.
This article from the Catechism of the Catholic Church explains things better than I can about the communion of the saints:
vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p123a9p5.htm
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grandfather
Guest
Really, there are two reasons the word “pray” gets applied.
The point is, semantics aside, we’re really just asking them for intercession. The only difference (besides word choice) is that they’re already in Heaven. Otherwise, it’s little different than asking a friend down the street.
- It’s accurate by older definitions. (Fun fact: In the KJV, humans get prayed to as early as Genesis)
- The saints are in Heaven. So even in the modern definition where God is implied, the word gets used by analogy for communicating with anyone in Heaven.
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grandfather
Guest
No, there is one meaning, not two. It means to request something of someone, period. It does not matter their location. I pray you, means, I ask you. Please do this for me.
Really, there are two reasons the word “pray” gets applied.
The point is, semantics aside, we’re really just asking them for intercession. The only difference (besides word choice) is that they’re already in Heaven. Otherwise, it’s little different than asking a friend down the street.
- It’s accurate by older definitions. (Fun fact: In the KJV, humans get prayed to as early as Genesis)
- The saints are in Heaven. So even in the modern definition where God is implied, the word gets used by analogy for communicating with anyone in Heaven.
Non-Catholic Christians ask their friends here on earth to pray for certain intentions all the time. They have trouble asking the departed for he same help, because of Luther.
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smetobo
Guest
And I think a verse or two will do well to confirm that indeed we Christians have approached a whole ‘city’ of the living God,a ‘cloud of witnesses’ all around us to motivate us in the race.These spirits of the ‘just men made perfect’ are the saints in heaven and are not far from our spiritual needs.The Church is one from Christ the head,down to Christians in heaven and on earth.Read Hebrews12 in a whole bt here’s an extract
Heb12:
21
Indeed, so fearful was the spectacle
that Moses said, “I am terrified and
trembling.”
22.
No, you have approached Mount
Zion and the city of the living God,
the heavenly Jerusalem, and
countless angels in festal gathering,
23.
and the assembly of the firstborn
enrolled in heaven, and God the
judge of all, and the spirits of the
just made perfect,
24.
and Jesus, the mediator of a new
covenant, and the sprinkled blood
that speaks more eloquently than
that of Abel.
Heb12:
21
Indeed, so fearful was the spectacle
that Moses said, “I am terrified and
trembling.”
22.
No, you have approached Mount
Zion and the city of the living God,
the heavenly Jerusalem, and
countless angels in festal gathering,
23.
and the assembly of the firstborn
enrolled in heaven, and God the
judge of all, and the spirits of the
just made perfect,
24.
and Jesus, the mediator of a new
covenant, and the sprinkled blood
that speaks more eloquently than
that of Abel.
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GaryTaylor
Guest
Intercession, its Biblical, and as far back as Abraham.
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GaryTaylor
Guest
Why did anyone pay attention to Gods prophets?
ven·er·ate
vénnə ràyt ]
1.respect somebody: to regard somebody with profound respect or reverence
2.honor somebody or something: to honor somebody or something as sacred or special
They earned the respect. Can’t see how its to be understood any other way from reading OT-NT. I can’t phantom how you would come to another conclusion that we wouldn’t pay special attention to these holy people.
ven·er·ate
vénnə ràyt ]
1.respect somebody: to regard somebody with profound respect or reverence
2.honor somebody or something: to honor somebody or something as sacred or special
They earned the respect. Can’t see how its to be understood any other way from reading OT-NT. I can’t phantom how you would come to another conclusion that we wouldn’t pay special attention to these holy people.
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PNEUMA
Guest
Don’t know about praying to them, but the new testament tells us that the Saints have healing power. Christians talk to them, just like Jesus talked to Moses and Elijah, they are all alive.
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Razanir
Guest
Correct. Except, in modern times, you don’t hear it used that way as often. In modern times, while it can still correctly be used to just mean “to ask” (such as how we Catholics will use it), many people use it to refer specifically to asking a higher power for something.
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grandfather
Guest
Yes and more specifically they think it means to worship.
Another word that has completely changed meaning is awful. Today we think it means something bad. It is never used in any other context. It used to mean what it literally sounds like, full of awe.
If someone said, “I went to Mass today and it was awful”, how would you take that?
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Todd977
Guest
You are only partly correct. Prayers typically fall into one of four categories: adoration, contrition, thanksgiving, or supplication. Only prayers of adoration are exclusively reserved for God.
Sacred Scripture actually contains a couple short prayers of supplication addressed to angels:
Bless the LORD, O you his angels,
you mighty ones who do his word,
obeying the voice of his word!
Bless the LORD, all his hosts,
his ministers, who do his will! (Psalm 103:20-21)
Praise the LORD!
Praise the LORD from the heavens;
praise him in the heights!
Praise him, all his angels;
praise him, all his hosts! (Psalm 148:1-2)
The deuterocanonical verses of Daniel, verses found in Catholic Bibles but typically not found in Jewish or Protestant Bibles, even contain a short prayer of supplication addressed to the saints:
Spirits and souls of the just, bless the Lord;
praise and exalt him above all forever (Daniel 3:86)
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Razanir
Guest
That section (The Song of the Three Children) is actually one of my favorite parts of the Bible. It, Tobit, and Job.
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