The sole purpose of prayer is to bring us closer to God. Sometimes we need others to help us in this endeavor. We can look to the Saints and their works as a model and guide on our spiritual journey. Therefore, we can bring spiritually uplifting texts and call upon the Saints when we enter into prayer.
Saints are people that we know are in heaven. Thus it is fitting to ask for their help when we find it difficult to serve God in our daily lives. They made it to heaven, they've gone through much of the same anxieties and fears we have. Pope Francis tells us that no Saint was born perfect. Each Saint had a conversion, a struggle, and a need for Jesus to redeem them and grant them salvation. If we do not need Jesus to save us, then there is no hope for us to be a saint. We can invite the Saints into our prayer by asking them to pray for us, or learn about them to help us grow closer to God. We can ask for a specific Saint's intercession. If there is a Saint that you feel especially close to, you can always call on them to help you in your spiritual journey. You can also ask specific Saints to help with particular things on your heart. Many people ask for Saint Anthony of Padua's intercession when they have lost something. Others ask Saint Christopher to protect them when they travel. There is a patron Saint for any circumstance that is weighing on your heart. We can also spend some time to read a work by or about a Saint. These works, while they are not sacred scripture can direct us to God's truth and how to live it out. We can also look to people on earth who serve as models or guides for following Christ, either in their written works, or arts, or communications. The most common of these works to bring to prayer is a spiritually uplifting text. We see this in daily devotionals, commentaries on sacred scripture, and even examinations of the lives of the Saints. All of these works show us how to understand God's word and how to live out His will. Taking some time to meditate on these works helps us grow closer to God by participating in the greater Body of Christ that we as Christians are all members of. Here are some sources to explore if you wish to learn about a Saint or start praying with text. https://www.catholic.org/saints/ The Story of a Soul: The Autobiography of Saint Therese of Lisieux Joan of Arc by Mark Twain The Song of Bernadette by Franz Werfel St. John Paul the Great: His Five Loves by Jason Evert Rediscover Jesus and Rediscover the Saints by Matthew Kelly Comments are closed.
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