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?

Yes I did post it before. Now I'm posting it again. I want LOTS of answers. Is that okay with you?

To "Mike ~ The Defender of Myrth": Sorry, anyone who shows his butt crack has no credibility with me

Answer 1

Thanks for clearing this up, mate. I enjoy seeing Catholics making an effort to defend themselves against Fundy drivel like the whole worshiping Saints stereotype. There really aren't enough of you on here to do so.

Good to see you back in your helmet and surcoat, too! I was starting to miss it.

Answer 2

Simply placed sure you might be. The useless are useless and so they understand not anything. Ecc nine:five For the dwelling understand that they shall die: however the useless understand now not any factor, neither have they any longer a present; for the reminiscence of them is forgotten. Ecc nine:6 Also their love, and their hatred, and their envy, is now perished; neither have they any longer a component for ever in any factor that's performed underneath the solar. So if the useless understand not anything then why pray to them? If the useless even those so-referred to as saints understand not anything then who're you relatively praying to? Look at all of the pagan types of worship down via the a while, all of them worshipped and spoke with the useless however who wherein they relatively talking with? Well you set it directly devil. Private emails authorised David

Answer 3

You are so wrong. Prayers to God is not like a track relay race. We don't pray to the saints, who, in turn, pray to Mary, who, in turn, prays to Jesus, who, in turn, prays to the Father. NOWHERE in the Bible will you find that mentality.

In Jesus' own words, he said at Matt. 6:9: "You must pray, then, this way: “‘Our Father in the heavens, let your name be sanctified.'" Jesus did not instruct his followers to pray to anyone EXCEPT to the Father, whose name is Jehovah. Neither Mary, nor the saints, nor even Jesus are we to pray to. ONLY the Father.

Your avatar is insulting to those who were murdered at the hands of Catholic soldiers during the crusades. The Catholic Church is also an insult to all true Christians who refrain from killing for any reason.

You need a Bible study, instead of promoting an organization with such a bloody past like the Catholic Church. Don't you read history books?

Answer 4

Thanks for the clarification. Your point of praying to someone already in heaven, would seem to include 'saints' in the original form of faithful believers and not just those who have been officially been canonized.

Answer 5

The Bible says do not pray to the dead.
Pray to God.

Answer 6

Pray to none, except KING NEPTUNE
lest ye find your Toyota's part of a deep dive salvage operation, and not quite making it to your shores, you vile land lubber.

Answer 7

My comment? Stick to just asking questions...and why bother praying to the dead....they are after all...dead!

Answer 8

WHY WOULD U PRAY TO AH SAINT. WHAT DID THEY DO FOR US

IM AH CHIRTIAN AND BELIEVE U ONLY HAVE TO PRAY TO GOD/JESUS/THE HOLY SPIRIT!!!

WHY PRAY TO AH SAINT?

Answer 9

My comment is that you posted this before, verbatim.