Page:MaryHelpOfChristians.djvu/35

 the saints  have  compassion  on  us,  that  they  wish our prayers  to  be  heard  and  bring  them  before the throne  of  God. "The saints,"  says  St.  Augustine, "being  secure  of  their  eternal  welfare,  are intent  upon  ours." Holy Scripture  establishes this beyond  doubt,  saying  that  the  saints  bring the prayers  of  the  faithful  before  the  throne  of God  (Apoc.  v.  8).

Or is  there  any  one  that  doubts  the  efficacy  of the  saints'  prayer  with  God? At any  rate,  we must  concede  that  their  prayer  is  more  effectual than ours;  for  they  are  confirmed  in  justice,  and therefore friends  and  favorites  of  God,  whilst  we are  sinners,  of  whom  Holy  Scripture  says,  "The Lord  is  far  from  the  wicked,  and  He  will  hear the  prayers  of  the  just"  (Prov.  xv.  29). On this subject, let  us  hear  St.  Basil  in  his  panegyric  on the  Forty  Martyrs:  "You  often  wanted  to  find  an intercessor:  here  you  have  forty  who  intercede unanimously  for  you.  Are  you  in  distress?  Have recourse  to  the  holy  martyrs.  Rejoicing,  do  the same.  The  former  that  you  may  find  relief,  the latter  that  you  may  continue  to  prosper.  These saints  hear  the  mother  praying  for  her  children, the  wife  invoking  aid  for  her  sick  or  absent  husband. O  brave  and  victorious  band,  protectors  of mankind,  generous  intercessors  when  invoked,  be our  advocates  with  God!"

There is  no  doubt,  then,  that  during  our  earthly