That All May Be One / Fr. Rick Ginther

Various faith traditions have a variety of intercessory practices

We celebrate this weekend the Solemnity of All Saints on Nov. 1. All saints—those declared and those not declared by the Church are honored on this day.

We believe in the communion of saints as we state in the Apostles Creed.

We do not worship saints; we honor them.

Part of our Catholic tradition in honoring the saints is to ask them to intercede for us, for another or for a particular need.

We witness during Mass in a collect prayer on the memorial or feast of a saint.

In the blessing of throats prayer on Feb. 3, we hear: “Through the intercession of St. Blase, bishop and martyr … .”

Just as we ask the saints for their intercession with the Lord, so we ask family, friends and the community of the Church to hold our needs before the Lord.

Not all Christians follow our practices, nor do all members of the other two Abrahamic faiths: Judaism and Islam.

But all have in common petitioning God in prayer.

Among Christians, there are a variety of intercessory practices. Many traditionally minded Anglicans and Episcopalians follow this Catholic practice, whereas Evangelical Christians only send petitions directly to God.

Lutherans see Christ as the sole mediator for petitionary prayer, finding no Scriptural mandate for sanctoral intercession. But they do honor saints, thank God for the lives of saints and ask for grace to follow their example. They see them as a source to strengthen faith and to imitate their virtuous lives. Traditional Lutheran Church calendars include feast days and commemorations.

Lutherans, as well as Episcopalians, hold Mary, the Mother of God, in deep honor and respect, but reject her role as an intercessor.

Orthodox Christians ask departed believers, “those alive in Christ,” to pray to God on their behalf. As with Catholics, they honor saints with images (icons) and other devotional practices.

Most other Christians, for example, Evangelicals, Baptists, Presbyterians and others, see Christ as the only mediator.

Abraham petitioned God on behalf of the just people of Sodom and Gomorrah. His practice, like that of Moses for the Hebrew people, was directed to God.

Through Jewish law, mainstream Judaism mandates that prayer goes straight to God. Praying to angels, saints or deceased people is viewed as a form of idolatry.

Even so, some traditional and Hasidic Jews visit the graves “of pious sages,” asking them to carry their petitions to God.

Muslims, no less than Christians and Jews, have a variety of intercessory practices.

Generally speaking, Muslims petition Allah directly. Tawhid (absolute monotheism) says that “Allah alone holds ultimate authority. No intercessor can change Allah’s will or act independently of him.”

Salafi and strict Sunni Muslims hold to this absolute.

Sufi and Shi’i Muslims believe that seeking help or blessings “through the Prophet Muhammad, Imams or Friends of God (Awliya/saints)—whether alive or deceased—is permissible.”

The Quran states that no one can petition God without his allowing it. That allowance depends upon Allah’s being “pleased with both the intercessor and the person being interceded for.”

Father, Son and Holy Spirit. God as understood by the Jewish people. Allah. Asking for what is needed or hoped for speaks to the divine nature.

Ask, seek, knock. Jesus urges this. Persevere in prayer.

As we celebrate All Saints and the Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed (All Souls), may we honor them and ask that all may one day join in the heavenly chorus!
 

(Father Rick Ginther is director of the archdiocesan Office of Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs. He is retired from full-time pastoral ministry, yet active as a priest of the archdiocese.) †