Too much praise given to a saint?

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I found this small booklet titled “Prayer to the Shadow of Sir Saint Peter” and I read it. I’ve never heard such praise given to a saint before (well, except Mary). Is it too much? Here it is. (It’s in Spanish, i’m translating it so some parts might sound awkward):

Free me, Divine Peter
by your charity and love.
Today I go out on the road
Great Apostle of the Lord.
I ask you, Sacred Apostle
that only by invoking you
when I am troubled
You’ll always be on my side.
In whatever danger
In whatever tribulation,
Wherever I go
Peter, be there your protection.
From an assault on the road
From a disastrous hour
cover me, Divine Peter
With your shadow so sacred.
When I go out on the road
And the evildoer assaults me
There your shadow will aid me,
In the name of the Lord.
You, by God, were chosen to be secretary,
Apostle Sir Saint Peter,
Serve me from reliquary. (I have no idea lol orig. Spanish.: sirveme de relicario)
In the mansion of the Earth
In whatever situation or danger
In persecution and war,
Save me, Divine Peter.
Let me make you joyful in heaven ( Orig.: haz que te goce en el cielo)
For/by you all good is reached.
Open for me the doors, Peter,
Of blessedness.
You are my guardian and guide
Wherever I go
Day and night
Peter, your shadow will help me.
I ask you with effectiveness,
Prince, Sacred Apostle,
That I may not die in sin
that I may not lose grace.
Through that great sorrow
At the time of your repentance,
Peter, Apostle of the Lord,
Free me every moment!
When my soul is pardoned from mortal fault
Do not deny me the entrance
Into the celestial homeland.
Pray to the Lord for us
Favor your devotees who make petition to you,
Who have your devotion.

Divine Apostle, clement Peter,
Do not apart from me your protection,
I reverently welcome you
And humbly elevate this petition.
Cover me, Shadow of the most sublime of pastors, have mercy
Always separate from my destiny
All misery and infirmity.
Daily hardships you will part from me,
Bless, Peter, my road
And do not ever let me grieve.
Amen.
 
Gotta love those intense Spanish prayers with their florid language and long entreaties. 😃

No, it’s not too much praise, although it’s a bit over the top for less romantically inclined ears. There’s nothing in it that is contrary to faith and morals. Peter can be called divine in that he was divinely appointed and is a great saint embued with the divine life and a co-worker with Christ in our salvation.

If this kind of devotion isn’t your cup of tea you don’t have to make use of it. Perhaps this might be more beneficial for you: catholic.org/prayers/prayer.php?p=186.
 
At first I thought it was “too much” but after the second reading I got used to it 🙂 and yes Spanish prayers are a lot of times long and more romancey 😛
 
Peter was many things, but surely not “divine.” It’s one thing to be florid, but I’d hate to defend this prayer against the charge that we “worship saints.”
 
Huh. I didn’t even think it was that effusive. Maybe after reading St. Louis Marie de Montfort’s stuff, everything seems like plain language. 😃
 
wild_thing said:
Huh. I didn’t even think it was that effusive. Maybe after reading St. Louis Marie de Montfort’s stuff, everything seems like plain language. 😃
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Yeah, that’s what I was thinking.
@ OP:
With the zillions of prayers out there, pick another one if it’s not your cup of tea. 🤷
 
Tarpeian_Rock said:
Peter was many things, but surely not “divine.” It’s one thing to be florid, but I’d hate to defend this prayer against the charge that we “worship saints.”
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Saints are divine in a secondary and derivative sense. The deification of man, in Christ, is the fulfillment of the Incarnation…Christ assumed our human nature so that we could share in His divine nature. It is very telling that Christ rose from the dead and ascended into Heaven in His humanity. As we sometimes pray in the Divine Office “Where the head has gone so must the body follow” (I’m paraphrasing from memory). Some Scripture verses and CCC reference below:

2 Peter 1:4
By whom he hath given us most great and precious promises: that by these you may be made partakers of the divine nature: flying the corruption of that concupiscence which is in the world.
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Romans 8:17
And if sons, heirs also; heirs indeed of God, and joint heirs with Christ: yet so, if we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified with him.
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CCC 460
The Word became flesh to make us “partakers of the divine nature”:“For this is why the Word became man, and the Son of God became the Son of man: so that man, by entering into communion with the Word and thus receiving divine sonship, might become a son of God.” “For the Son of God became man so that we might become God.” “The only-begotten Son of God, wanting to make us sharers in his divinity, assumed our nature, so that he, made man, might make men gods.”
78 2 Pt 1:4.
79 St. Irenaeus, Adv. haeres. 3, 19, 1: PG 7/1, 939.
80 St. Athanasius, De inc. 54, 3: PG 25, 192B.
81 St. Thomas Aquinas, Opusc. 57, 1-4.
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Maybe what bothers you is to call S. Peter “divine” and such. But never forget that OnlyGod is divine, and you are ok. 🙂 Hyperbole is ok, when you know it is one.
Moreover, such honorific titles or adjecives which may sound too much can be used when we remember that the Saints are great friends of God, so they share even now His very Love, not by their merit, but because of God.
Think of the Litanies, in which Mary is called Cause of our Joy, Mother of the Creatoror, Morning Star, a shelter for sinners; or the Salve Regina, where we call her our life and our hope. This is because the identification with God was so great, especially Mary, that some titles are often used because of this.
 
DustinQuick said:
This prayer ties into a thread I made today.

I hear apologists, all the time, say saints only “help” us by their prayers. However, prayers like these, and others, indicate that saints intercede and intervene, both by the power and grace of God.

forums.catholic-questions.org/showthread.php?t=966555
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Yes. Everything that saints do is for the glory of God. Even if we don’t say to a saint “pray for us” but instead say “protect me as I go to…” it’s nothing more than Saints helping, and saints helping us is nothing more than good ole charity:D
All prayers are ultimately answered by God. And if what we ask for isn’t in His Will for us, then I believe that the saints pray will pray for us to accept that Will. The Bible commands me to help others so why can’t saints help us?
 
Trying2overcome said:
Yes. Everything that saints do is for the glory of God. Even if we don’t say to a saint “pray for us” but instead say “protect me as I go to…” it’s nothing more than Saints helping, and saints helping us is nothing more than good ole charity:D
All prayers are ultimately answered by God. And if what we ask for isn’t in His Will for us, then I believe that the saints pray will pray for us to accept that Will. The Bible commands me to help others so why can’t saints help us?
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Right on. 🙂
 
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