Why do we honor the Saints?
If they are in heaven, what difference does it make to them to have a special feast day or prayers or devotions on earth?
Bernard of Clairvaux gave a famous sermon that started with this question and reached the conclusion that we don’t honor the Saints in heaven for their sake but for ours.
Saints have it all: perfect happiness in heaven, the eternal enjoyment of the good things of God, and no more sufferings and challenges of earthly life. There is nothing we can do that adds anything to what they already possess. They have attained what we have not and long for, and the purpose of us remembering, honoring, and seeking help from the Saints is that we hope to share what they have.
Saints inspire us. They faced the challenges of broken families, hostile coworkers, immoral societies, corrupt government, sickness, poverty, and tragedies of every kind but persevered in loving God through it all. Martyrs are always honored first among the Saints because they conquer the world, facing death at the hands of those who hate them for their faith in Jesus Christ and loving him more dearly than life in this world. They do not need to hear about how important their example is, but we do.
Saints give us models. In every time, place, culture, and state in life, there are men and women who show us the way to holiness. Their stories are as diverse and unique as every one of ours, but they were so given to love of God that they changed the world. We have the same vocation to holiness and the same means of grace through the Sacraments of the Church, prayer, and self-offering. They show us the way to heaven and give us examples, advice, and help to follow them.
Saints are powerful helpers. They pray for us and share the superabundant merits of their holy lives. Patron Saints in particular are friends in high places to ask for favors as we face the challenges of making good choices, giving witness to the Gospel, and persevering in God’s grace.
Saints are signs of hope. Our hope is not merely to be like the Saints and to share their company, but to have what they have: the joy of eternal happiness in heaven, sharing the communion of the Most Holy Trinity to which God invites us. It is easy to give up on this hope in the struggle of daily life, which is why we ask the prayers of the Saints. What is beyond our power to obtain will be granted through their prayers for us.
-Fr. Nate
