How to Pray Article Series - Should I Pray to Saints?

There are a lot of questions that people havemany individuals asking St. Joseph to find them a
regarding prayer and how to pray effectively. One ofgood husband, or sell their house, or send them
these questions is if we should pray to saints. Somemoney to lighten their financial burden, or restore
people question the practice of praying to saints,their relationship with their husband or wife, etc. And
while some practice it and become devotees ofthen, their prayer requests will end with a 'thank you'
some saints.to St. Joseph for granting their prayers.
Should we pray to saints?This may just be a matter of semantics; perhaps
Praying to the saints means asking our departedthey meant to thank St. Joseph in advance for
brothers and sisters in Christ for their intercession.interceding for them but I thought I'd mention this
While a lot of people question the "rightness" of ourhere just to be sure that we're on the same page.
practice of praying to the saints, I do pray to themAgain, it is God who grants our prayers, the saints
and everybody who knows me know that I am apray and intercede for us so that our prayers will be
devotee of Saint Joseph.granted.
I believe the saints hear our prayers and intercedePraying to the saints in heaven is like asking fellow
for us before God, as implied from the followingChristians to pray for us. From this perspective, I
verses from Revelation.don't think this runs in conflict with praying to God
When he had taken the scroll, the four livingdirectly. Yes, we should pray to God directly for all
creatures and the 24 elders fell before the Lamb,our needs but this doesn't mean that we cannot ask
each holding a harp and golden bowls full of incense,our fellow Christians in heaven to intercede for us.
which are the prayers of the saints. Revelation 5:8Praying for each other is simply part of what we do
NRSVas Christians. St. Paul in his writings encouraged
Another angel with a golden censer came and stoodChristians to pray for one another.
at the altar; he was given a great quantity of incenseThe saints are already free from the temptations
to offer with the prayers of all the saints on theand distractions of this earthly life. They have already
golden altar that is before the throne. And thebeen made perfect otherwise they wouldn't be with
smoke of the incense, with the prayers of the saints,God. Hence, their prayers are efficacious. As James
rose before God from the hand of the angel.said:
Revelation 8: 3-4 NRSVTherefore, confess your sins to one another and
But let me emphasize that when I pray to the saints,pray for one another, so that you may be healed.
I ask for their intercession, that is, I ask them toThe prayer of the righteous is powerful and
pray for my prayer intentions. I do not pray thateffective.
they grant my prayer rather, I ask them to pray toElijah was a human being like us, and he prayed
God that my prayer be granted. So when I pray tofervently that it might not rain, and for three years
them, I don't say, for example, "St. Joseph, pleaseand six months did not rain on the earth. Then he
send me the money I need so that my house won'tprayed again, and the heaven gave rain and the
be foreclosed." Instead, I pray, "St. Joseph, pleaseearth yielded its harvest.
pray for me, please pray to God that I will have theJames 5: 16-18
money I need to pay the bank so that my houseThe saints are certainly righteous and surely, their
won't be foreclosed." It is God who grants ourprayers are powerful and effective. It just makes
prayers, not the saints.sense to ask for their intercession. But don't forget
This seems to be a simple matter but I haveto pray to God first and then ask the saints for their
received emails containing prayer requests fromintercession.