What is the purpose?

[Tinkerbell222222]

I posted this in the "Catholic Q& A" thread in the teens forum, but I think I shall post it here as well...

I understand that prayer to the saints is not wrong, but I don't see what good it does.

Prayer does not change God, does it? He is unchangable and immutable. In my understanding, we pray because (A) we were commanded to, and (B) it changes our hearts.
So why ask those in heaven to pray for us? Does God's plan change because of prayers? If that's the case, does that undermine soveriegnty? Or does the prayer of the saints produce some sort of change in their hearts as well?

 

[AMDG]

Just as we often turn to our human families and friends for help and prayers (and maybe even as examples) we can also turn to our brothers and sisters in Christ (who have already won their crowns of glory) for the very same things. Afterall, Christians are the Body of Christ and are bound in mutual love. Scripture often tells us to pray for each other. We already know that death cannot separate Christians from Christ so why do we think that it can separate the Body of Christ?

 

[Benedicta00]

We don't pray to change God's mind, we pray to conform our will to His. That is the essence of prayer and the saints pray for us, they pray for us to receive all the virtues necessary for our conformity to God's will and for our growth in holiness. They pray that God's will be done in our life.

 

[Carrye]

Prayer does not change God, does it? He is unchangable and immutable.

That's awfully good for a 16 year old! Most adults don't know "immutable". And you're right, God does not change.

Does God's plan change because of prayers? If that's the case, does that undermine soveriegnty?

Undermining soveriegnty would be if we forced God to change His will. If it's on his own accord, then He remains as He is.

However, God's Will is as it is. We don't change it. As others have said, we can ask for the graces to change ourself, and we can also contribute to His will. So what does that mean?

A professor once explained that God's act of Creation included all of what we view as time. In God there is no past or future - all is now (in philosophical terms, "actual"). As such, He knows all that we have done and will do all at once. Our prayers are heard and answered, but in what we understand as time. I'm not sure that I'm explaining it very well.

And then there was light! http://www.newadvent.org/summa/308302.htm