The faith of our fathers - Carmel Apologetics

"""190 THE FAITH OF OUR FATHERS.St. John, in his Revelation, describes the saintsbefore the throne of God praying for their earthlybrethren : The four and twenty ancients fell downbefore the Lamb, having every one of them harps,and golden vials full of odors, which are the prayersof the saints." lThe prophet Zachariah records a prayer that wasoffered by the angel for the people of God, and thefavorable answer which came from heaven : Howlong, O Lord, wilt Thou not have mercy on Jerusalem, and on the cities of Juda, with which Thouhast been angry? .... And the Lord answeredthe angel .... good words, comfortable words."*Nor can we be surprised to learn that the angelslabor for our salvation, since we are told by St.Peter that the Devil goeth about like a roaringlion, seeking whom he "may devour ; for, if hateimpels the demons to ruin us, surely love must inspire the angels to help us in securing the crown ofglory. And if the angels are so mindful of us,though of a different nature from ours, how muchmore interest do the saints manifest in our welfare,who are bone of our bone and flesh of our flesh ?To ask the prayers of our brethren in heaven isnot only conformable to Holy Scripture, but isprompted by the instincts of our nature. TheCatholic doctrine of the Communion of Saints robsdeath of its terrors; while the Reformers of thesixteenth century, in denying1Bevel, v. 8.the Communion of2 Zach. i. 12, 13. ~