- Sep 10, 2018
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I've basically adopted an Orthodox view of intercessory prayer.
My wife lost her dad last year (a Christian) and seeing how different people reacted to that has made me appreciate the practice as something almost critical to Christian life. Without it we lose sight of the great cloud of witnesses that surround us, lose sight of the timeless nature of our faith and worship, and adopt an unhealthy view of dying.
St. John Chrysostom's sermon "The Blessings of Death" found here:
The Blessings of Death by Saint John Chrysostom. Continental Europe (380-1906). Vol. VII. Bryan, William Jennings, ed. 1906. The World's Famous Orations
has helped me put all this in perspective and what I pointed her to as a healthy framework with which to approach things:
"We differ from unbelievers in our estimate of things. The unbeliever surveys the heavens and worships it because he thinks it a divinity; he looks to the earth and makes himself a servant to it, and longs for the things of sense. But not so with us. We survey the Heaven, and admire Him that made it; for we believe it not to be a god, but a work of God. I look on the whole creation and am led by it to the Creator. He looks on wealth and longs for it with earnest desire; I look on wealth and contemn it. He sees poverty and laments; I see poverty and rejoice. I see things in one light; he in another. Just so in regard to death. He sees a corpse and thinks of it as a corpse; I see a corpse and behold sleep rather than death. And as in regard to books, both learned persons and unlearned see them with the same eyes, but not with the same understanding—for to the unlearned the mere shapes of letters appear, while the learned discover the sense that lies within those letters; so in respect to affairs in general, we all see what takes place with the same eyes, but not with the same understanding and judgment. Since, therefore, in all other things we differ from them, shall we agree with them in our sentiments respecting death? Consider to whom the departed has gone and take comfort. He has gone where Paul is, and Peter; and the whole company of the saints. Consider how he shall arise, and with what glory and splendor!"
She did have a question though for which I didn't really have an answer. In light of the concept of requesting intercessory prayer from and talking to departed saints, is it also permissible to request intercessory prayer from/talk to departed family members who were Christians?
I'm never one to wing it when it comes to doctrine or answer such questions from a position of ignorance so I figured I'd get the input of those who were more familiar with this practice than I am.
My wife lost her dad last year (a Christian) and seeing how different people reacted to that has made me appreciate the practice as something almost critical to Christian life. Without it we lose sight of the great cloud of witnesses that surround us, lose sight of the timeless nature of our faith and worship, and adopt an unhealthy view of dying.
St. John Chrysostom's sermon "The Blessings of Death" found here:
The Blessings of Death by Saint John Chrysostom. Continental Europe (380-1906). Vol. VII. Bryan, William Jennings, ed. 1906. The World's Famous Orations
has helped me put all this in perspective and what I pointed her to as a healthy framework with which to approach things:
"We differ from unbelievers in our estimate of things. The unbeliever surveys the heavens and worships it because he thinks it a divinity; he looks to the earth and makes himself a servant to it, and longs for the things of sense. But not so with us. We survey the Heaven, and admire Him that made it; for we believe it not to be a god, but a work of God. I look on the whole creation and am led by it to the Creator. He looks on wealth and longs for it with earnest desire; I look on wealth and contemn it. He sees poverty and laments; I see poverty and rejoice. I see things in one light; he in another. Just so in regard to death. He sees a corpse and thinks of it as a corpse; I see a corpse and behold sleep rather than death. And as in regard to books, both learned persons and unlearned see them with the same eyes, but not with the same understanding—for to the unlearned the mere shapes of letters appear, while the learned discover the sense that lies within those letters; so in respect to affairs in general, we all see what takes place with the same eyes, but not with the same understanding and judgment. Since, therefore, in all other things we differ from them, shall we agree with them in our sentiments respecting death? Consider to whom the departed has gone and take comfort. He has gone where Paul is, and Peter; and the whole company of the saints. Consider how he shall arise, and with what glory and splendor!"
She did have a question though for which I didn't really have an answer. In light of the concept of requesting intercessory prayer from and talking to departed saints, is it also permissible to request intercessory prayer from/talk to departed family members who were Christians?
I'm never one to wing it when it comes to doctrine or answer such questions from a position of ignorance so I figured I'd get the input of those who were more familiar with this practice than I am.
