toldailytopic: Praying to the Saints. Do you pray to a Saint? If so, which ones and w

[Ask Mr. Religion]

If you have the belief that she hears you, is it not also possible for you to believe the saints can hear you too?

I like to believe that Mom is listening occasionally. I have no Scriptural warrants for this, so it is mere fallible whimsy on my part. I am not praying to Mom. Prayer is an act of worshipful communion with God in adoration, contrition, supplication, and thanksgiving. I do not worship any other than God.

Prayer is a means by which we draw nearer to God. God states that we should pray for the following reasons:

1. That the Lord God Himself should be honored through worship. (Isaiah 57:15; Jonah 2:9)
2. For our spiritual blessing, as a means for our growth in grace. (Psalms 116:1)
3. For our seeking from Him the things which we are in need. (James 4:2)

For these reasons, praying to "saints" that is, those who have survived the RCC processes to be declared as venerated, or those that are recognized as acclaimed, is a concept that I find to be an act of denial of who God is and who Jesus Christ is--the two most important questions in any person's life.

AMR

 

[Refractive]

toldailytopic: Praying to the Saints. Do you pray to a Saint? If so, which ones and why?

Sure I do. I need someone to help me find my car keys, so I ask Saint Anthony. Who's going to watch over my daughter in another state but her heavenly Mom, Mary? Who's going to help me pray for all these atheists and the loved ones in the afterlife of those here who don't pray for them, but Mother Teresa and Sister Faustina?

Who'll defend me in spiritual battle but Saint Michael?

Who can best mentor me in becoming a disciple of Jesus but Magdalene? I mean, what a fool I'd be to have all these wonderful people - and an angel - ready to offer assistance and then not ask?

The fact is, our prayers turn the physical into spiritual "energy" that they use to accomplish God's purpose here, and that Divine energy can also be sent to heal the sick or comfort the bereaved in some land I'll never go to or even hear of. God knows what's needed, and they all are closer to Him and understand His directives better than anyone here.

We in Time and they in Eternity are a partnership, all together working toward the perfect union of all souls with our Creator. They are the Church Triumphant and this relationship we, the Church Militant, has with them, this Communion of Saints, is how God's Eternal purpose is accomplished.

They mentor us in Love and Grace and friendship.

Penance, fasting, and prayer in faith is our job. Especially Prayer. And more prayer. Prayer is the most powerful tool at the disposal of any human being.

 

[One Eyed Jack]

It's just God for me.

 

[bucksplasher]

I ask

I ask

St. Michael for help and wear his medal to remind me that even Protestants can't deny that he is in heaven fighting the battle against the devil.

tWINs

St. Michael the Archangel
Defend us in the Battle
Be our protection against
The wickedness and snares
Of the devil
May God rebuke him we humbly pray
And do thou O Prince, by the power of God
Cast into hell
Satan and all evil spirits
Who prowl about the world
Seeking the ruin of souls

AMEN

 

[Frank Ernest]

Matthew 6:9-13 (KJV), Revelation 19:10 (KJV)

 

[annabenedetti]

I like to believe that Mom is listening occasionally. I have no Scriptural warrants for this, so it is mere fallible whimsy on my part. I am not praying to Mom. Prayer is an act of worshipful communion with God in adoration, contrition, supplication, and thanksgiving. I do not worship any other than God.


For these reasons, praying to "saints" that is, those who have survived the RCC processes to be declared as venerated, or those that are recognized as acclaimed, is a concept that I find to be an act of denial of who God is and who Jesus Christ is--the two most important questions in any person's life.

Long ago I learned to remember the four purposes of prayer by the acronym ACTS.

One of the hardest things to communicate to a non-Catholic is the idea that communion with the saints isn't adoration, which is rightly and justly reserved for God alone, and that they don't in any remote measure replace the mediation of Jesus Christ. It's more that we are all, by membership in the mystical body, united in a way that's beyond our human ability to comprehend, but we sense that community of souls in a way that gives a foretaste of the heavenly communion to come. In that sense, as all being brothers and sisters in Christ, we can intercede for each other.

 

[zippy2006]

Prayer is an act of worshipful communion with God in adoration, contrition, supplication, and thanksgiving. I do not worship any other than God.

If that is the definition of prayer then it certainly can't be said that Catholics pray to saints. More technically it would be said that we ask saints to pray for us ("pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death, Amen"). Many here and elsewhere enjoy jumping on the vague language or explicitly changing it to "pray to the saints," but I don't think it is accurate to portray Catholics as worshiping Saints. :e4e:

 

[Ktoyou]

No, only to Jesus. Maybe cheer, root, for the Saints, same as The Berean. Is root the right word? racine, raíz :idunno:

 

[Ktoyou]

If that is the definition of prayer then it certainly can't be said that Catholics pray to saints. More technically it would be said that we ask saints to pray for us ("pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death, Amen"). Many here and elsewhere enjoy jumping on the vague language or explicitly changing it to "pray to the saints," but I don't think it is accurate to portray Catholics as worshiping Saints. :e4e:

Why ask them, when you may ask Christ? Is it a bureaucracy?

 

[Refractive]

Why ask them, when you may ask Christ? Is it a bureaucracy?

We pray for one another. I pray for the people on this forum. During Mass, we pray for each other, for the world. Why should the people who have passed not also pray with and for us?

Catholic Christians, in my experience, spend more time adoring Jesus than any other type of prayer. He is God, obviously we don't ask Him to pray for us, He'd be praying to Himself.

These "prayers" to the Saints, are just talking to them, like we talk to each other.

 

[zippy2006]

Why ask them, when you may ask Christ? Is it a bureaucracy?

It's a ...community :shocked:

 

[Ktoyou]

It's a ...community :shocked:

'Community of the Dead' Sounds like a horror picture?
What about 'root', is it a meaning, to root for someone, or is root the part of a plant in the ground?

 

[Refractive]

'Community of the Dead' Sounds like a horror picture?

They aren't dead. No one is ever dead. Bodies die, people pass on to the next state of being.

 

[john_aurelius]

I would like it if the souls of the departed were praying for me but I have no knowledge that this is the case.

I ask living saints to interceede for me.

 

[Dark Radiance]

There is also a huge difference between the terms venerate and worship. Catholics may venerate saints, but they only worship God.

 

[john_aurelius]

the difference is only recognised by Catholics. Everyone else sees through the semantics and recognises that praying to Mary as the queen of heaven and co-redemptrix, kissing her statue are forms of worship.

 

[Yazichestvo]

Not unless you count St.Elijah, under whose guise the worship of my main deity was continued in Eastern Europe :chuckle:

http://12121.hostinguk.com/elijah.htm

 

[Refractive]

the difference is only recognised by Catholics.

Well, we're the ones who know what we are doing, so our take on the matter is the only one with authority. We're not running around characterizing everyone else's worship.

Everyone else sees through the semantics and recognises that praying to Mary as the queen of heaven and co-redemptrix, kissing her statue are forms of worship.

The Vatican has never declared Mary "co-redemptrix." There was a movement amongst some to have this happen at one time.

I've never kissed her statue. If some people feel very close to her and want to express their affection in some way, and as she is not here in the flesh kiss her statue, I don't think it's my business.

I've actually never seen anyone do it, either, come to think of it. Might be a cultural thing.

 

[Cleekster]

nope...i don't do Saints.

 

[Ktoyou]

Their is also a huge difference between venerate and worship. Catholics may venerate saints, but they only worship God.

Yes there is and this is the best point yet, as an explanation. Iconoclasts, in the most narrow meaning, feared this because they did not understand the difference. Then we have Protestants here, who reject the deity of Christ and for this reason, they will pray to God in their prophets name. There is no reason not to pray to Jesus, for HE is the logos and praying is usually in a language. Understand?