Prayers & Relics: Varying degrees of power

[seeking_perfection]

Hi All, Just wanted to start this by saying I'm asking this genuinely, not trying to pick holes or be annoying

In the Catholic church there is a strong belief that relics are holy and powerful and that the intercessions of saints are useful. From my perspective, this automatically sets up an idea of 'more powerful' sources of aid and 'less powerful' sources of aid, with saints prayers providing more (or addiotional) use to us than our own and saints' bodies being more holy than 'normal' bodies.

Can someone explain the theology behind this? If this is the case, how does it work theologically? If its not the case, how else can the practises be interpreted, as the implications seem pretty clear to me.

I understand the idea of the Communion of Saints and know that saints pray with us to God (just to head off some initial comments about not directing prayer to saints, but with saints to God). However, if this is the case, why and how would this help more than our lone prayers? If I'm, not careful, I begin to imagine a points total with my prayers plus saintly prayers reaching the required limit I assume this is not the case. Would God act differently if I prayed alone?

Thanks again!

 

[Michie]

I'll be waiting with you. I don't know mch about relics but I always thought they were simply inspiration. Kind of gory in some cases but inspiration nonetheless. *shrug*

 

[Ave Maria]

Well, the Bible does say that the prayer of a righteous person is very powerful. Therefore, I trust more in the prayers of the saints than I do in my own prayers. However, I still pray my own prayers to God every day.

 

[seeking_perfection]

Thanks for your replies. If the prayers of saints are more powerful, why?

Assuming they are, why would God act differently to them than to us?

Is not the right response from God always the same, regardless of how the prayer is put? Or does God react differently to different forms of prayer and to more holy people?

If so, why are people constantly told that unanswered prayer does not mean they do not have enough faith or are not holy enough?

Really interested in the response to this as I genuinely can't see an answer that would explain it all at the moment.

 

[seeking_perfection]

No answers to this?

 

[Michie]

I've wondered the same things. Along with being created in the image of God & chopping bodies up.

I found these that might help.

Relics
Is veneration of relics condemned by the Bible?
Saints

 

[Chrystal-J]

I recently started a thread asking about info on relics. Here's the link if it helps:
http://www.christianforums.com/t7650418/

I'm not that knowledgeable regarding relics, but working on learning more.