Why do We Pray to Saints?

Question:

Why do we pray to saints?

Answer:

Have you ever heard jokes about Catholics and big families? Well, our family is much, much bigger than most of us can imagine! Our family transcends the here and now. It includes heaven! Your great, great grandmother may have passed away, but does that make her any less your family? Of course not! We have a similar perspective when it comes to our baptized Christian community. We are brothers and sisters in Christ and that extends beyond the grave.

The saints are women and men who have led such exemplary lives on earth we can be certain that they’re in heaven. That means their focus is on worshipping God and loving all that God loves, including us. When we pray to saints, we’re actually asking for their prayers. If something challenging was going on in your life, you might consider asking someone close to you for their prayers. When we ask for the intercession of saints, we’re inviting them into our needs and concerns. I hope we’re ready to help a loved one who needs it. The saints are ready to pray for us, so we can grow in relationship with God, love our neighbor, and join them in heaven one day!

©LPi