497 CLOSE TO SAINTS IN PRAYER

YOUCAT Lesson 497

YOUCAT the catechism for Catholic youth

497  Why does it help to turn to the saints when we pray?

Saints are people who are aflame with the Holy Spirit; they keep God’s fire burning in the Church.  Even during their earthly life, the saints prayed ardently, in a way that was contagious.  When we are close to them, it is easy to pray.  Of course, we never worship saints; we are allowed, though, to call on them in heaven, so that they may present petitions for us at the throne of God.  [2683-2684]

The final miracle leading to the canonization of Pope St. John Paul II was granted to Florabeth Mora (left) of Costa Rica . …..497

Partially paralysed, Florabeth was on pain medication and lying in bed at home on May 1, 2011, clutching a magazine with a front cover photograph of the former Polish pontiff, when he purportedly appeared before her in a vision. “Floribeth, get up, what are you doing here? Why don’t you go into the kitchen and see your husband?” the vision said to her.

 The late Pope’s hands seemed to reach out towards her from the cover of the magazine, she said.

“And I responded, now I feel fine, I’m going, I’m going,” the 50-year-old mother-of-four told Il Messagero, an Italian daily newspaper.

 Floribeth was suffering from a severe brain aneurysm.  Even her neurosurgeon seems to be convinced. "If I cannot explain it from a medical standpoint, something non-medical happened," said Alejandro Vargas Roman. "I can believe it was a miracle." –source Wikipedia

Around the great saints developed particular schools of spirituality, which like the colors if the spectrum all point to the pure light of God.  They all start with a fundamental element of the faith, so as to lead—in each case by a different gate—to the center of the faith and devotion to God.  Thus Franciscan spirituality starts with poverty of spirit, Benedictine spirituality with the praise of God, and Ignatian spirituality with discernment and vocation.  A spirituality to which someone feels attracted, depending on his personal character, is always a school of prayer.

“If you are seeking God but do not know how you should begin, learn to pray and make the effort to pray every day.”  Blessed Teresa of Calcutta (1910-19970

“The more generous you are toward God, the more generous you will find that he is toward you.”  St. Ignatius Loyola (1491-1556)

“Not all saints have the same sort of holiness.  There are those who could never have lived with other saints.  Not all have the same path.  But all arrive at God.”  St. John Vianney  (1786-1859)

Spirituality:  Forms of piety in the Church, which in many cases developed out of the Spirit-filled way of life of the saints.  Thus we speak about Benedictine, Franciscan, or Dominican spirituality.

 [2683-2684]

GUIDES FOR PRAYER

A cloud of witnesses

2683 The witnesses who have preceded us into the kingdom,( Compare Hebrews 12:1.)⁴¹ especially those whom the Church recognizes as saints, share in the living tradition of prayer by the example of their lives, the transmission of their writings, and their prayer today. They contemplate God, praise him and constantly care for those whom they have left on earth. When they entered into the joy of their Master, they were "put in charge of many things."( Compare Matthew 25:21.)⁴² Their intercession is their most exalted service to God's plan. We can and should ask them to intercede for us and for the whole world. –Catechism of the Catholic Church, Second Edition

2684 In the communion of saints, many and varied spiritualities have been developed throughout the history of the churches. The personal charism of some witnesses to God's love for men has been handed on, like "the spirit" of Elijah to Elisha and John the Baptist, so that their followers may have a share in this spirit.( Compare 2 Kings 2:9; Luke 1:1; Perfectae Caritatis 2.)⁴³ A distinct spirituality can also arise at the point of convergence of liturgical and theological currents, bearing witness to the integration of the faith into a particular human environment and its history. The different schools of Christian spirituality share in the living tradition of prayer and are essential guides for the faithful. In their rich diversity they are refractions of the one pure light of the Holy Spirit. --CCC

 The Spirit is truly the dwelling of the saints and the saints are for the Spirit a place where he dwells as in his own home since they offer themselves as a dwelling place for God and are called his temple.( St. Basil, De Spiritu Sancto, 26,62:Patrologia Graeca 32,184.

)⁴⁴ --CCC