Praying to the saints?

Question

Why do Catholics pray to saints, many wonder

In the Catholic understanding, prayer is a "request". When we pray to those who have gone to heaven ahead of us, we are making a "request" of them. And what is that request? It is that THEY pray for US. Protestants do it all the time, but they limit themselves to making this request only of people still on earth. In this, the protestant view of the Church is very narrow. You see, Romans 8: 38-39 says: "neither death nor life... ...neither the present nor the future.. ..neither height nor depth, nor anything else.. ..will be able to separate us". The Family of God transcends death. We ALL LIVE IN CHRIST.

It is important to note that praying to saints is not a requirement of Catholics, just an option: Just as a protestant doesnt HAVE to ask a friend to pray for them, but they can

Heb 12: 22-24 says that as we approach God, Jesus and the angels, we also approach "the spirits of righteous men made perfect". In other words, THE SAINTS

BUT, can they Hear Us? Scripture indicates, those in heaven are aware of the prayers of those on earth. For example, in Revelation 5:8, John depicts the saints in heaven offering our prayers to God under the form of "golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints." But if the saints in heaven are offering our prayers to God, then they must be aware of our prayers. They are aware of our petitions and present them to God by interceding for us.

Oh, the intercession of fellow Christians in heaven also clearly does not interfere with Christ’s unique mediatorship because in the four verses immediately preceding 1 Timothy 2:5, Paul says that Christians should interceed: "First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all men, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life, godly and respectful in every way. This is good, and pleasing to God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth" (1 Tim. 2:1–4). Clearly, intercessory prayers offered by Christians on behalf of others is something "good and pleasing to God"

I invite people to read this information:
http://www.catholic.com/library/Praying_to_the_Saints.asp

(sorry that was so long)
Ooops, forgot to ask a question:

Comments anyone?

To "Sunset": Yes, the Catholic understanding lines up to what
thus saith the Lord

Answer 1

Correct mighty one

Answer 2

The error the Catholics make in this regard is that the dead saints they say they are praying to are DEAD; and they don't believe the Word of God that declares that the "dead know nothing" (Ecclesiastes 9:5); they neither know God, nor praise him, but are silent, unthinking, undoing (Psalm 6:5, 115:17, Ecclesiastes 9:10, Isaiah 38:18). Or, if you prefer, they are asleep (John 11:11-14, 1 Corinthians 15:51-52, 1 Thessalonians 4:14, etc.). How much of your request can a dead or sleeping person hear? How much work does a dead or sleeping person do?

And that included the saints. As Peter said, as recorded in Acts 2:29, after Christ had arisen, after he had ascended into heaven, after the holy spirit was given, the dead saints were STILL DEAD AND IN THEIR GRAVES!!!

Acts 2:29 -- "Men and brethren, let me speak freely to you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his tomb is with us to this day.

And Catholics disobey the teachings of Christ who said to direct our prayers to God the Father! NEVER, anywhere in the entirety of Holy Scriptures is there any teaching to pray to the dead; rather, it explicitly teaches NOT to (Isaiah 8:19, 1 Timothy 2:5)!

Isaiah 8:19 -- And when they say to you, "Seek those who are mediums and wizards, who whisper and mutter," should not a people seek their God? Should they seek the dead on behalf of the living?

1 Timothy 2:5 -- For there is one God and ONE MEDIATOR BETWEEN GOD AND MEN, the Man Christ Jesus

There is "ONE MEDIATOR," not a multiplicity or hierarchy of mediators.

Nor do you understand Scripture, which also nowhere says that people go to heaven when they die, no matter how good or holy they were.

And I've noticed how you have perverted the Scripture to make it seem to say what you want. Romans 8:38-39 says that there is nothing that can separate us from the LOVE OF GOD, not keep us physically together.

Romans 8:38 -- For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

And since the saints who have died are not alive at this time are unconscious of there state, your abuse of Hebrews 12:22-24 is also meaningless.

Hebrews 12:22-24 -- But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, to an innumerable company of angels, to the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are registered in heaven, to God the Judge of all, to the spirits of just men made perfect, to Jesus the Mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling that speaks better things than that of Abel.

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Relevant Scriptures:

Ecclesiastes 9:10 -- “Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might; for there is no work or device or knowledge or wisdom in the grave where you are going.”

Isaiah 38:18 -- “For Sheol cannot thank You, Death cannot praise You; Those who go down to the pit cannot hope for Your truth.”

Psalms 6:5 -- “For in death there is no remembrance of You; In the grave who will give You thanks?”

Psalms 115:17 -- “The dead do not praise the Lord, Nor any who go down into silence.”

John 11:11-14 -- These things He said, and after that He said to them, "Our friend Lazarus sleeps, but I go that I may wake him up." Then His disciples said, "Lord, if he sleeps he will get well." However, Jesus spoke of his death, but they thought that He was speaking about taking rest in sleep. Then Jesus said to them plainly, "Lazarus is dead.

1 Corinthians 15:51-52 -- Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed--in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.

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All this, and abuse of Yahoo! Answers policy as well. You didn't ask a question.

Answer 3

I am glad you mentioned Rom8:28-29, this verse says that neither death or nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither present nor the future, nor any powers,neither height nor depth,nor anything else in all creation, will separate us from the love of God that is Christ Jesus our Lord. so what I read is that this verse is talking about Jesus love not prayer.

I agree that we are to pray for others and have them pray for us but, I don't see any verse to back up the ones who have gone on can praying for us. I feel more comfortable knowing that my friends in Christ who are here praying for me. And of course the Holy Spirit intercedes for me Rom8:27

Have a Happy Thanksgiving!

Answer 4

Does the Catholic understanding line up to what
thus saith the Lord?

Answer 5

However, according to the same set of writings, God doesn't change. If prayers are made in order to adjure God to change a course of action, then it conflicts with the idea of a God that does not change. The whole set of writings is rife with the example of God setting things up to work the way it wants them to go. There is not a single passage you can point to that says that God changes its mind. Praying to the saints, even if were true, would not be helpful.

Answer 6

We are not praying to the Saints or Mary to worship them, as we do God. We are praying to have them intervene on our behalf with God. This is called intercessory prayer and is also done in the Christian community without anyone getting upset or calling them idol worshipers.

Answer 7

I like to look at it like this:

Jesus (my big brother) has a car. I wanna borrow this car to get to heaven. Well, I'm timmid ... so I ask Mom (Mother Mary) or another Saint (brother or sister too) if they'll give me advice and ask Jesus with me ... kinda holding my hand. This doesn't mean that Jesus will comply, but two of us are cutter than one.

Also, when we say "Pray for Me" to each other ... well, it's just like going to the Saints ... so I'm always confused why other Christain denominations accept asking each other to pray for them but refuse the Saints (who are in heaven with Jesus; and have great advice).

Answer 8

I used to pray to Joe Horn, but he got traded to the Chiefs. So now I pray to Drew Brees.

Answer 9

for some odd reason i have an urge to bow down unto you. but, seeing that your not a saint and i'm an atheist, hmmm, care to convert me baby? is friday good?? oh wait, you have to be a saint, hmmmm naw, forget it. besides death from above is wanting my attention now..lol

Answer 10

yah the bible says not to use [other] mediators, or seek spiritists. that is speaking with spirits.

Leviticus 19:31
" 'Do not turn to mediums or seek out spiritists, for you will be defiled by them. I am the LORD your God.

Leviticus 20:27
" 'A man or woman who is a medium or spiritist among you must be put to death. You are to stone them; their blood will be on their own heads.' "

1 Timothy 2:5
For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus,

i have yet to understand the purpose of praying (which is a form of worship - thus your idolizing them) to saints.
the bible says you can pray directly to god.