Do the Saints Pray for Us?

DEFENSE

We have evidence the saints pray for us, including Scripture.

First, we may infer from the fact that the saints are in heaven that they would pray for us. Being in heaven means being united with God, who is love (1 John 4:8–9, 16). When united with God, we will be transformed to be like him (Rom. 8:29; 1 Cor. 15:49–52; 2 Cor. 3:18; 2 Pet. 1:4; 1 John 3:2), for “nothing unclean shall enter” the heavenly city (Rev. 21:27).

Being thus transformed by the love of God, the saints are filled with love and so care about others. It is natural when you care about some- one to pray to God for that person. We can thus infer that, just as God loves us and provides for us, the saints love and pray for those on earth.

We also have direct evidence of their intercession in Scripture. Ju- dah Maccabee had a vision of two men who had died. The first was the former high priest Onias, and in the vision, “With outstretched arms Onias was praying for the entire Jewish nation” (2 Macc. 15:12). When he saw the second man, Judah was told, “This is God’s prophet Jeremiah, who loves the Jewish people and offers many prayers for us and for Jerusalem, the holy city” (2 Macc. 15:14).

2 Maccabees is not in the Protestant canon, but it is in the Catholic canon, so it is legitimate for Catholics to appeal to it to inform their faith. Even for Protestants, 2 Maccabees attests the pre-Christian Jew- ish belief in the intercession of the saints.

The book of Revelation, in the Protestant and Catholic canons, also shows the saints and angels interceding in heaven. In Revelation 5:8, we see the twenty-four elders, who appear to represent the leaders of the people of God in heaven, offering incense to God, which we are told represents the prayers of the saints. In Revelation 8:3–4, we see an angel offer incense to God, incense mingled “with the prayers of all the saints upon the golden altar” in heaven. Guardian angels also intercede (Matt. 18:10).