09 DEVOTION AND PRAYERS TO THE SAINTS

❇️ WHAT IS IT?

DEVOTION AND PRAYERS TO THE SAINTS is a profound Catholic practice involving veneration, prayers, and seeking intercession from the saints.

It encourages the faithful to recognize the Communion of Saints, where those who have gone before us in faith continue to intercede for the living on earth

🌀 HISTORY

💡 Scriptural Foundation: Rooted in the Scriptural understanding of the Church as a communion of saints, found in passages like Hebrews 12:1: “Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses…”

This underscores the beautiful bond between the Church on earth and the saints in heaven.

💡 Early Christian Witness: From the early days of Christianity, there is evidence of believers seeking the intercession of martyrs and confessors, understanding them as powerful advocates before God.

💡 Development of Feasts: The celebration of feasts dedicated to specific Saints began in the early Church, fostering devotion and inspiring the faithful to follow their examples.

💡 Teachings of the Church Fathers: Church Fathers like St. Augustine and St. Jerome affirmed the practice of invoking the intercession of Saints as a sign of unity in the Body of Christ.

💡 Second Vatican Council: The Council reaffirmed the importance of devotion to the Saints, emphasizing that they share in the holiness of Christ and can be invoked for their intercession.

📜 LEARN FROM THE SAINTS

🔶 St. Francis de Sales: “Have patience with all things but, first of all with yourself.”

🔶 St. Francis of Assisi: “Start by doing what’s necessary; then do what’s possible, and suddenly you are doing the impossible.”

🔶 St. Augustine: “You have made us for yourself, O Lord, and our heart is restless until it rests in you.”

🔶 St. Thomas Aquinas: “To love God is something greater than to know Him.”

🔶 St. Thérèse of Lisieux (Little Flower): “Miss no single opportunity of making some small sacrifice, here by a smiling look, there by a kindly word; always doing the smallest right and doing it all for love.”

🔶 St. Vincent de Paul: “Go to the poor: you will find God.”

🔶 Pope St. John Paul II: “Do not be afraid. Do not be satisfied with mediocrity. Put out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.”

🙏🏻 SPIRITUAL SIGNIFICANCE

🔷 Communion of Saints: The practice emphasizes the unity between the Church on earth (Church Militant), in purgatory (Church Suffering), and in heaven (Church Triumphant), recognizing the unity and relationship of the entire Body of Christ.

The “Communion of Saints” teaches that believers, whether in heaven, on earth, or in purgatory, are united in Christ and are called to support each other through their prayers.

🔷 Inspiration and Intercession: Devotion to the saints serves as a source of inspiration, learning from their virtues, and seeking their intercession in times of need.

Reading the life and learning from the saints becomes a way to understand the practical application of Christian virtues.

🔷 Models of Holiness: The saints, as models of holiness, showcase the transformative power of God’s Grace and inspire believers to strive for sanctity in their own lives.

These extraordinary examples demonstrate that holiness is achievable for ordinary people.

🔷 Intercessors in Heaven: Believers turn to the saints, asking for their prayers and intercession, trusting in their closeness to God and their intercession to present petitions before Him.

This practice reflects the Church’s belief in the “intercessory power” of the saints.

🔷 Universal Church: Devotion to the saints fosters a sense of unity within the universal Church, transcending time and space as believers invoke the intercession of saints from various eras and places.

🌐 PRACTICAL TIPS

💠 Prayer to Patron Saints: Identify patron saints associated with various aspects of life, seeking their intercession in specific circumstances or challenges.

💠 Learning from Saints: Explore the lives and writings of saints, discovering their unique journeys of faith, and drawing inspiration for one’s spiritual growth.

Recognize that saints were ordinary people who responded to God’s Grace in extraordinary ways.

💠 Liturgical Feasts: Participate in Liturgical celebrations of saints’ feasts, deepening the connection with the Communion of Saints within the Church’s liturgical calendar.

Celebrate these Feasts at home/communities, just like we do at Christmas or Easter.

💠 Family Saints: Encourage families to have patron saints, fostering an environment where children learn about and seek the intercession of their heavenly companions.

May Devotion and Prayers to the Saints be a path of inspiration, intercession, and unity within the rich Communion of Saints, as we respond to the call of the Lord “to be holy and to be a Saint!”

❇️ Keep the faith!
✅ Live in love!
✳️ Deepen your hope!

God Bless! Live Jesus!

– Fr Jijo Jose Manjackal MSFS
Bengaluru, India
reflectioncapsules@gmail.com

“What we need to contemplate is the totality of their life, their entire journey of growth in holiness, the reflection of Jesus Christ that emerges when we grasp their overall meaning as a person.”

– Pope Francis