Here's another passage I find very interesting. In Luke 16 Jesus gives us the parable of the rich man and Lazarus. After both have died, the wealthy man asks Abraham to send Lazarus with a bit of cool water, and his request is denied. Then he asks Abraham to send Lazarus to his brothers to warn them. And again the request is denied.
Does Jesus command us to pray to saints in that parable? No, not from my vantage point. But does he indicate that intercession by heavenly beings is possible? Yes, it seems to me that he does. You, of course, are free to disagree :)
In closing, I'd like to reference one of my all-time favorite verses, Hebrews 12:22-24: "But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable angels in festal gathering, and to the assembly of the first-born who are enrolled in heaven, and to a judge who is God of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect, and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks more graciously than the blood of Abel."
I love that verse! For me it summarizes what we as Catholics believe takes place at every Mass when we join the Church in heaven to praise and adore our triune God. Mass is truly a meeting of heaven and earth. Now I understand you likely don't agree with that, but I hope that helps you understand that we Catholics don't view our deceased fellow Christians as dead but MORE fully alive in Christ in heaven than they were on earth.
To Salvation, thank you for the kind email but I am not permitted to respond due to being a noob. May the Peace of Christ be with you :)
“I hope that helps you understand that we Catholics don’t view our deceased fellow Christians as dead but MORE fully alive in Christ in heaven than they were on earth.”
I hope you realize that all Christians believe Christians who have passed away here are alive in heaven. :-)
I believe it too - but also that they have no “inside straight with God” that you yourself as a believer have to approach God’s throne in boldness because of Christ.
I find it amazing that God’s inspired and Holy Word never commands Christians to pray to departed Christians, nor encourages us to pray to departed Christians - nor angels. If this was important at all - or was a possible source of aid - God would have done so. He doesn’t.
Instead, we are commanded to pray ourselves and assured He will hear and answer. That is a blessing.
blessings to you.