It's amazing to me that some people have a hard time accepting the idea of asking saints to pray for them. Many non-Catholics have the mistaken concept that that our prayers to Mary and the Saints are prayers of adoration or worship. The Catholic Church teaches and has always taught that Catholics are to worship God alone. Prayer of worship to other than Almighty God would be idolatry. Our prayers to Mary and the Saints are only prayers asking for their intercession on our behalf. Many say that any form of communication with the dead including prayer to the saints is condemned by the Bible. Quite often they quote:
Deuteronomy 18:10-12
There shall not be found among you any one that maketh his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, or that useth divination, or an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch, Or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer. For all that do these things are an abomination unto the LORD: and because of these abominations the LORD thy God doth drive them out from before thee.The practice of conjuring up spirits, and asking a servant of God to pray for you is quite different and this should be obvious to most people. Let me ask you a question. Do you think Jesus is an abomination to the Lord? Jesus conversed with the Dead. No I don’t mean instances when he raised Jairus’daughter from the dead by saying, “little girl arise.”(Mark 5:41) or when he raised his friend Lazarus from the dead by shouting “Lazarus come forth” (John 11:44). I’m talking about the time He chatted with Moses and Elias at the Transfiguration.
Mark 9:4
And there appeared unto them Elias with Moses: and they were talking with Jesus.
Elias is the Greek form of the name Elijah that translators used in the KJV of the New Testament if you aren’t sure who Elias is. The KJV of the Bible is the only version that uses Elias all others use Elijah. Now we know that according to Scripture Elijah was carried away in a fiery chariot. There is no evidence in scripture that tells us he died so we won’t even discuss him. But Scripture not only tells us that Moses died but we are even told his age at his death.Deuteronomy 34:5-7
So Moses the servant of the LORD died there in the land of Moab, according to the word of the LORD. And he buried him in a valley in the land of Moab, over against Bethpeor: but no man knoweth of his sepulchre unto this day. And Moses was an hundred and twenty years old when he died: his eye was not dim, nor his natural force abated.Catholics believe as do our non-Catholic Christian friends, that there is only one mediator between God and man and that mediator is Jesus Christ (1 Timothy 2:5). We do believe, however, that there is nothing wrong with having a member of our church pray for us. There are many examples of this in the Bible. Paul asking for prayer, Paul praying for others, and scriptures encouraging us to pray for each other.
2 Thessalonians 3:1
Finally, brethren, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may have free course, and be glorified, even as it is with you:
2 Thessalonians 1:11
Wherefore also we pray always for you, that our God would count you worthy of this calling, and fulfil all the good pleasure of his goodness, and the work of faith with power:
James 5:16
Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.
The above verses show that it was a common practice for Church members to pray for each other. I can’t see what difference it makes if the church member we ask to pray for us is no longer on earth if we honestly believe our God to be the God of the living?
Matthew 22:32
I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob? God is not the God of the dead, but of the living.As Catholics we believe that the Church is composed of three groups of believers. The first group is known as the Church Militant. This group is composed of human beings still on earth trying to complete the work that Jesus commissioned them to do and trying to conform themselves to His image. The second group is the Church Suffering. These are those who are in Purgatory being purged of the venial sins and imperfections they have not repented of. The third group of the Church is known as the Church Triumphant. These believers are the departed saints. Those humans who have completed the work that Jesus commissioned them to do and who have conformed themselves to His image. Together these three groups form what is known as the Communion of Saints. Distinct from each other but incorporated into one body by the Holy Spirit at Baptism.
1 Corinthians 12:12-13
For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ. For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.
Romans 12:4-5
For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office: So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another.
As members of Christ’s body, praying for each other is not only not condemned but encouraged.
1 Timothy 2:1-4
I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour; Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.Some non Catholics have asked me how Saints, being human, can understand prayers from many people speaking many different languages. Well one could bring out the fact that Saints will could have infused knowledge when in heaven and probably know all languages. We could also consider that since they aren’t limited by time and space many praying at once wouldn’t present a problem. You could also remember that even on earth people had and some still have the gift of interpreting tongues. It’s a charismatic gift of the Holy Spirit. Perhaps the best thing would be is to ask yourself, how would Jesus answer this question? Now in my mind I picture Jesus being asked this question and I see Him answering this question the same way He answered a question in Matthew 21:23. (Look it up.) Now this is how my imaginary situation would go. Jesus after being asked the above question responds. You ask, “How can a Saint in heaven understand prayers from many people from different nations?” I have a question for you. If you answer mine I will answer yours. “How could the many people from every nation under heaven understand the Apostles at Pentecost?”
Acts 2:5-11
And there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men, out of every nation under heaven. Now when this was noised abroad, the multitude came together, and were confounded, because that every man heard them speak in his own language. And they were all amazed and marvelled, saying one to another, Behold, are not all these which speak Galilaeans? And how hear we every man in our own tongue, wherein we were born? Parthians, and Medes, and Elamites, and the dwellers in Mesopotamia, and in Judaea, and Cappadocia, in Pontus, and Asia, Phrygia, and Pamphylia, in Egypt, and in the parts of Libya about Cyrene, and strangers of Rome, Jews and proselytes, Cretes and Arabians, we do hear them speak in our tongues the wonderful works of God.Finally on the subject of saints, let’s look at the following verse:
Revelation 5:8.
And when he had taken the book, the four beasts and four and twenty elders fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them harps, and golden vials full of odours, which are the prayers of saints.
Ask yourself and contemplate this question before ever dismissing the idea of having saints intercede for you. If the prayers offered to God were prayed directly to Him why did the saints have them in their possession? I will close with the following reflection. We are one body. We are the Body of Jesus Christ. Those in heaven, those in purgatory and those of us on earth work together and support each other just as each organ of a human body benefits the whole body. If something is wrong with one part of the body the rest of the body reacts. If you don’t believe this, ask yourself the following questions the next time you accidentally hit your thumb with a hammer. Why are my eyes tearing? Why has my respiration changed? Why do I feel nauseous? Do I look stupid sucking my thumb? Get the picture?