November is a month when we think of our beloved dead. Although I am a convert to the Catholic faith, I have always loved the feast of All Saints and learning about the lives of the saints. Something about the reflection of Christlikeness in various times and places -- all of these colorful yet regular people who sought the will of God throughout the ages -- is captivating to me. In my work as a scholar, then, I have done some detailed research on the lives of early Christian saints, especially early Christian martyrs. In my work at a more popular level, I have read about and shared the lives of many saints (especially those of the early Church) on podcasts and in talks. I have also written a book on angels and saints, and the Catholic doctrines surrounding the saints, exploring the reasons we pray to the saints, canonize saints and so on. I have never regarded this work as especially apologetic, because I really believe exposure to the saints and Catholic teachings about them is so compelling on its own. Here are some of my favorite theological reasons for devotion to the saints:
1. Befriending a saint is one of the most striking examples of our faith in action. It is one thing to say we believe in “life everlasting”, it is another to talk to the dead in confidence of their continuing life in God.
2. The saints never forget to pray for us. We ask close friends and family to pray for us – and all the better if we know them to be holy and faithful people! How much more should we seek the help of the saints, who have none of their own troubles to distract them from interceding on our behalf.
3. We know God better by knowing his friends and family. When a dating relationship gets serious, we often experience the “big moment” of meeting our significant other’s family for the first time. If we develop a close relationship with another person’s family, and come to be friends with his or her friends, then our bond is deepened in a new way.
4. Coming to know saints strengthens our hope for our own holiness and gives us guides in our own spiritual journey. I can guarantee you will find a kindred spirit among the saints who has experienced similar difficulties in life and who can offer an example to follow, but also provide hope of heaven for every kind of person.
I hope you have enjoyed these brief reflections on devotion to the saints! If you are interested in more check out the Augustine Institute’s Catholic Saints podcast or my book on Angels and Saints. All holy men and women of God, pray for us!
