“There is only one God, and one mediator between God and
men, man Jesus Christ” (1 Tim. 2:5).
Then, why do we ask saints to intercede for us? Can they hear our
prayers? Are they alive there in heaven as Catholics believe or ‘sleeping’ here
in the dust, as anti-Catholics teach?
We all admit
the fact that Jesus is the only mediator; it doesn’t mean that we cannot or
should not ask our fellow Christians to pray with us and for us! In fact,
“Prayer of the righteous is very powerful” (James 5:16).
The saints
and martyrs of the Catholic Church are those who lived the Bible heroically.
(Not simply preachers). By declaring someone as saint, the Church proclaims
publicly that they practiced virtues in their lives as taught by Jesus and all
must try to imitate them.
In different
Christian groups great preachers are considered as most anointed, but Catholic
Church considers those who practice gospel values in their lives as most
anointed! They are those who interpreted the Bible not only in words, but in their
very lives! They are the heroes of the Church.
In AD 400
St. Augustine taught, worship is always given to God as it is expressed in the
Greek word ‘Latria.’ But the veneration of saints is considered ‘dulia’ which
is ‘honor’ that we give to saints and angels.
Bible Says Saints Are To Be Venerated
Saints are
venerated as they reflect the glory of God. John 17:22 – “The glory which you
have given me, I have given to them.” St. Paul says God honors those who are
righteous. Romans 2:4-11 – “For he will give every man according to his works.
Those patiently do good works, seek glory and honor and immortality, he will
give eternal life… glory and honor to everyone who does good.” Romans 13:1-7
instructs to “respect to whom respect is due, honor to whom honor is due.”
Saints Can Intercede For Us
The Greek word for witness is ‘martus’ as it is used in
the New Testament. In the Bible, we have the evidence that those who suffered
martyrdom, are helping us in our needs before God: “Therefore since we are
surrounded by so great a cloud of ‘witnesses’ let us also lay aside every
weight” (Heb. 12:1). We see the prayers
of saints are offered to God. (Revelation 5:8) – “And when he had taken the
scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before
the Lamb, each holding a harp and with golden bowls of incense which are the
prayers of the saints.” Saints are aware
about what is happening here on earth: Revelation 12:10-12 – Saints in heaven
say, “woe to you earth and sea, for the devil has come down to you in great
anger, he knows his time is short.”
Saints see what is happening here on earth. Jesus himself said the saints and angels in
heaven are watching us. “Despise not
these little ones because their angels are always seeing the face of the
heavenly father” (Mat. 18:10). “There
will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents” (Luke 15:7). It all shows the presence of saints and
angels in heaven.
Veneration of Relics of Saints
Do the relics of martyrs and saints
have any power from God? Why do we keep it and venerate it? Does the Bible
support this Catholic practice?
Throughout
the centuries it was a Christian practice to give reverence to the relics of
saints. It has a strong Biblical foundation.
2 Kings 2:14 – Then he took the mantle of Elijah and struck the water,
saying: “Where is the Lord, God of Elijah?”
When he had struck the water, the water has parted to the one side, and
to the other. And Elisha went over. -
The mantle of Elijah becomes an instrument of God’s miracle. Luke 8:43-47 – A woman suffering from flow of
blood for twelve years was healed when she touched the fringe of his
garment. Mark 6:56 – They might touch
even the fringe of his garment; and as many has touched it, all were made
well. Acts 5:15-16 – They carried the sick
to the streets as Peter came by so that at least his shadow might fall on some
of them…and they were all healed. Acts
19:11-12 – God did extraordinary miracles by the hands of Paul. Even
handkerchiefs and aprons he had used were taken
to the sick, and their diseases were driven away, and the evil spirits
would go out of them.
Incorruptibles