We can “pray” to saints. The caveat is knowing what is meant by the word “pray”. In old English, the word pray was simply a plea. For example, “I pray thee tell me what one is thinking.” This is how it is used in Catholic circles. Many non-Catholics consider “pray” equal to “worship”. In that case, we do NOT pray to saints. We simply ask them, as fellow members of the body of Christ, to pray for us. This is exactly like we do when we ask those here on earth to pray for us.
This is an extremely important point.
At it’s most basic level, the doctrine of the Communion of Saints acknowledges that all who have been baptized into the Body of Christ from the start of time to the present moment are members of one body, Christ’s body.
As fellow members of Christ’s Body here on earth, we have an obligation to pray for each other and to support each other mutually. That primary mechanism for support and prayer is the family and then the individual parish which is pastored by one or more priests. So we pray for each other and for ourselves, interceeding with God on behalf of each other regularly. But nownhere in the Bible, or anywherer else in Christianity for that matter, does it say that the spirits of those who have died are not able to percieve what is happening on earth or that they are unable to pray for us. Anyone who says so has simply made that up. In fact, since a person who has died and whose spirit is in Heaven beholds the face of God directly, they are in a better position to pray to God on my behalf than anyone on earth including myself.
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…for we do not know how to pray as we ought… (Romans 8:26) *
The Bible is full of spirits who are keenly aware of and interested in what is going on down here and who bring our prayers before God.
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I can now tell you that when you, Tobit, and Sarah prayed, it was I who presented and read the record of your prayer before the Glory of the Lord; and I did the same thing when you used to bury the dead. … I am Raphael, one of the seven angels who enter and serve before the Glory of the Lord." Stricken with fear, the two men fell to the ground. (Tobit 12:12-16)
In just the same way, I tell you, there will be rejoicing among the angels of God over one sinner who repents. (Luke 15:10)
I have not time to tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets, who by faith conquered kingdoms, did what was righteous, obtained the promises; they closed the mouths of lions, put out raging fires, escaped the devouring sword; … Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us rid ourselves of every burden and sin that clings to us and persevere in running the race that lies before us while keeping our eyes fixed on Jesus, the leader and perfecter of faith. (Hebrews 11:32-12:2)
When he took it, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb. Each of the elders held a harp and gold bowls filled with incense, which are the prayers of the holy ones. (Revelation 5:8)
Another angel came and stood at the altar, holding a gold censer. He was given a great quantity of incense to offer, along with the prayers of all the holy ones, on the gold altar that was before the throne. The smoke of the incense along with the prayers of the holy ones went up before God from the hand of the angel. (Revelation 8:3:4)*
So the spirit world and the created world do communicate. Angels and the spirits of the dead are aware of what happens and bring our prayers before God. It is right to ask the intercession of the Saints because they know what we go through, having gone through it themselves, and they have persevered so they know exactly what we need and can ask God for it on our behalf.
The Saints are an exremely powerful source of strength and help. I think Catholics have gotten away from using them. I pray for the intercession of the strong male saints of history, Joseph, Augustine, Bennedict, Francis, Ignatius, Josemaria and John Paul II, every day.
-Tim-
