DAY 12: Praying to the Apostles and Saints.

     Much like praying to Mary, Catholics pray to the saints and the apostles because they were ideal Christians. Sure they had their lapses of faith- none of them were perfect, they're only human after all... but they all were strong enough to live their faith and perform miracles in Jesus' name. Another reason we pray to them is because they have a certain authority in heaven. They have known Jesus like no common Christian has for they have seen Him in all His glory. When we pray to them they intercede(or talk) to God on our behalf. 

     I have tried to explain this to a couple of people already but I think the best example I've found is this:
Have you ever asked someone to pray for you? (yes)
Well, do you ever talk to your dead grandparents in heaven (yes)
Okay... so think of it this way: the saints are my friends in heaven and when I pray to them I ask them to pray for me. That's all.

     Praying to the Saints has been part of Christianity since the early days of  our religion and is shared by 3/4 of Christians...( Catholics, Eastern Orthodox, the other Eastern Christians, and even some Anglicans) It first started being criticized during the Protestant Reformation... ( you know, this blog is really making me realize how big of an effect Martin Luther had on History and Religion...)
     Some say that the saints (and Mary) can't hear are prayers but John depicts the saints in heaven offering our prayers to God in the Bible (Rev 5:8) under the form of  "golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints." Therefore our prayers must be heard.
     Another argument (which I have had personally directed at me) is that "You don't need to pray to the saints to reach God. That link with God is already there." Amen I say to you who comes up with this argument. I wholly agree with you, but that is not what I'm saying. Yes, we do have that link to God, but praying to the saints doesn't change that. Jesus is the only one who can truly mediate between God and man (you must think I'm contradicting myself, but I'm not...) It's just that I am asking them (the saints) to pray for me.  "Paul says that Christians should intercede: "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)." ( http://www.catholic.com/library/Praying_to_the_Saints.asp)

I like this example I found on the above website:  Some ask, "Why not pray directly to Jesus?"  Catholics answer, "Of course one should pray directly to Jesus! But that does not mean it is not also a good thing to ask others to pray for one as well. Ultimately, the 'go-directly-to-Jesus' objection boomerangs back on the one who makes it: Why should we ask any Christian, in heaven or on earth, to pray for us when we can ask Jesus directly?"

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