Why did I become a Catholic? The Longer Version Part 4 From Methodist to Catholic - What about Mary and the Saints? Cont'd #3

The standard and ancient prayer asking Mary to pray for us is the Hail Mary.  The first half of the prayer is a combination of the angel Gabriel's and Mary's cousin Elizabeth's greetings to Mary in Luke 1.  It goes like this.

Hail Mary, full of grace.  The Lord is with you.

Blessed are you among women and blessed is the fruit of your womb, Jesus.

Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death.

 

That's it.  We are asking her to pray for us now and at the hour of our death.  And she does because we are her offspring ,who are being pursued by the dragon (Satan) who tried to destroy her and her son.

 

As I am sharing these things, I am just covering the surface, there is much more I could share but I won't now for the sake of time.

 

What about the saints?  I have talked about them somewhat but I will say a little more.

 

First of all, all members of the household of God, the Body of Christ, are saints.  But the term is also used of Christians who have gone before us into heaven, who lived lives of heroic faith and virtue while on the earth and who the Church has formally declared to be Saints as examples to follow and ask for their intercessions.

 

When we talk of patron saints, we are often talking of saints who during their lives had particular experiences, interests and devotions and who therefore identify with us in praying for people in similar situations.  So Saint Patrick is the patron saint of Ireland.  Why?  Because he devoted his life to making God known among the Irish and serving them.  He still loves them dearly even though he is now in heaven and he therefore prays for them.

 

Before I became a Catholic, I asked for Saint Jude's intercessions for my family members and for me.  He is the patron saint of desperate causes.  And those of you who know my and my family's history can probably imagine why.  I also chose him as my patron saint when I became a Catholic.

 

When we say the Apostles Creed, we say we believe in the communion of saints and it is a communion that is not broken by our earthly death since the saints are very much alive on the other side.  There is a solidarity among us, kind of like the motto of the Musketeers, One for all and all for one.

 

Well, Howard, can you give an example from the Bible of a conversation of someone on earth with someone who has departed?  Yes, the Transfiguration where Jesus talks with Moses and Elijah on the mountain.

 

Remember God is not the God of the dead but of the living.  He said I am the God of Abraham and Isaac and Jacob when He spoke to Moses in the burning bush as Jesus pointed out.  And Jesus said to Martha when Lazarus died “I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live,..."

 

Now I also pray to God myself and I also ask my brothers and sisters on earth to pray for me.  And the Bible is filled with people praying and being prayed for.

 

So that is all I am going to say for now on Mary and the Saints.  Upcoming topics will be the Church and Sacraments and sacramentals.