A century or so later, some of the martyrs were singled out and revered because of the extreme dedication they showed. After the persecutions died down others tried to copy their dedication by harming themselves in extreme ways to show their dedication.
In the middle ages some thought that these “saints” and others, like the apostles, and especially Mary, had more merits than they needed to get to heaven. By definition, they were already in heaven and their spare merits could be applied to others to make up for what they lacked. New criteria were gradually developed to work out if a certain person was a “saint” in this sense – miracles were one of the requirements.
Not only could the extra merits be applied (by the Pope) to others (especially to help them out from what in the eleventh century developed into the idea of purgatory), but these saints could also pray for you, it was alleged, since they were in heaven.
The Reformation rightly opposed these distortions of the gospel. Our Anglican Church regards such things as “a fond thing vainly invented”, and “repugnant to the Word of God” (Article 22).
In truth there are millions of saints alive on earth right now. Everyone who trusts in Jesus’ death as the means for their forgiveness, and thus their holiness, is a saint.
And these living saints can pray for you. Because they have direct access to God by the Holy Spirit. Not saints in heaven, but saints on earth.
How many do you know? Have you asked any of them to pray for you? Have you offered to pray for any of them? Probably yes.
Would you like to pray specifically for one or two other saints? Would you like to join with others to pray for each other’s needs and friends? Who knows what miracles might follow.
Dale