Saints LightWhy Do Catholics Pray with the Saints and the Angels?
The saints in heaven and the angels are part of God's family and pray for us; we ask their help and honor them, but we worship God alone.
What this lesson teaches
- Asking saints to pray for us is like asking friends to pray, only they are closer to God.
- Christ is the one mediator; the saints' prayers share in his work, they do not rival it.
- We worship God alone and honor the saints.
- Each believer has a guardian angel who protects and guides.
Catechism paragraphs this lesson cites
- CCC 956-957
- CCC 2683
- CCC 334-336
CCC means the Catechism of the Catholic Church. Saints Light teaches it in its own words and never quotes it. Look up any paragraph in a printed copy or at vatican.va. See every lesson by paragraph in the Catechism index.
Scripture read in this lesson: Hebrews 12:1; Apocalypse 5:8 (Revelation 5:8); Matthew 18:10.
A sample question from this lesson
How does asking a saint to pray for you relate to Christ as the one mediator?
- It shares in Christ's mediation, like asking a friend to pray, without replacing it
- It replaces Christ with a closer, easier mediator
- It is forbidden by 1 Timothy 2:5
- It only works if the saint is also an angel
Show the answer
It shares in Christ's mediation, like asking a friend to pray, without replacing it. Paul names Christ the one mediator and in the same passage urges intercession for all. Intercession shares in Christ's work (CCC 956).
The lesson in the app has three questions, each with an explanation.
Words to know
- Communion of saints
- The union of all the faithful in Christ: on earth, in purgatory and in heaven.
- Intercession
- Praying to God on behalf of someone else.
More terms in the Catholic glossary. More passages in the Scripture index.
Read the full lesson in the app
"Why Do Catholics Pray with the Saints and the Angels?" is lesson 9 of Learning to Pray. In Saints Light you get the whole teaching, the Scripture quoted in full, all three questions and a step to live it this week.
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Related lessons
- The Communion of Saints: Why Ask Them to Pray for Us? (Mary and the Saints)
- Mary and the Saints: The Family of God (Start Here, free)
- the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints (The Creed, free)
- How Does Someone Become a Saint? (Mary and the Saints)