What about the shotgun approach to prayer and the Communion of Saints?

[bjcab]

Hello again. I have often wondered whether it is more beneficial to pray for the interecession of multiple saints for a particular need or intention, or whether one should focus one’s prayers through particular saints for particular needs. In other words, one intention or request per saint. I have heard from an investigator involved with the cause for canonization of a certain Blessed that some of the difficulty they encounter in confirming reported miracles is that Catholics frequently take the shotgun approach and pray for the intercession of multtiple saints regarding any given intention. This in turn makes it extremely difficult, if not impossible, to determine which saint’s intercession a miracle can be attributed to. Of course, the other side of this is the notion that a chorus of intercessory prayer from the entire Communion of Saints, or a good bit of it anyway, is more powerful than the intercession of a single saint. Which also makes me wonder whether all saints possess the same intercessory power. For example, Jesus is our sole intercessor with the Father. Mary is the greatest intercessor with Jesus. Second to Mary, no saint is greater than Joseph. It just makes me wonder whether there is a benefit to seeking the intercession of other saints or whether one should focus instead on Jesus, Mary, and Joseph. Any thoughts? Thanks and God Bless.

 

[Fr.Vincent_Serpa]

Hi,

The use of the word “shotgun” paints a picture of prayer as utility quite well. It has little to do with the communion of saints, however. The communion of saints is a communion of love. The prayer of petiton does not involve choossing which spiritual vending machine (or machines) works best.The prayer of petition must come from a heart that is in union with the crucified Savior and desirous that His will prevail in every way. What He wants for us becomes more important to us than our petition. Our petitions are expressions of our needs in the face of our trust in His love and perfect judgment regarding us.

So the more people we unite ourselves with in this, the better. The aim, however, is not success in getting what we want, but in aligning our wills with His according to His judgment. This does not rule out our identifcation with a particular saint whose life resonates with us in a particular way. It is most natural to become friends and to ask for prayers from such a person.

Fr. Vincent Serpa, O.P.