Praying to the Saints with Aquinas
Throughout his theological career, Saint Thomas Aquinas named six reasons why people should pray to “lesser saints.” These six reasons can help strengthen our devotions to the saints and pray to them better.
To begin, we should explain what Aquinas means by a “lesser saint.” A “lesser saint” is not a derogatory term. Instead, it is just a note that, in heaven, some of the saints are better than others. Some saints are holier than others – some share in God’s inner life more than others. This does not leave the “lesser saints” lacking. St. Theresa of Lisieux famously explained this mystery in her autobiography by using the image of two cups, a small cup and a large cup. If you fill both with water, they are equally full, but one (the large cup) holds more water. All the saints are completely happy and fulfilled, but some are more blessed than others.
The first reason Aquinas gives is that the biggest factor in our prayer being answered is the strength of our devotion to the saint whom we pray to. Aquinas writes, “First, from the fact that at times someone has a greater devotion to a lesser saint than to a greater one, and the effect of prayer depends mostly on devotion” (In IV Sent. d. 45, q. 3, a. 2, ad 2). Aquinas says this is more important than the third reason he mentions (some saints are patrons of certain causes). So, although some saints have great power in particular cases, we should pray to the saint towards whom we have the greater devotion, since that is the greatest factor in our prayers being answered. Also, if we want our prayers answered, we should strengthen our devotions.
The second reason to pray to lesser saints, “to take away boredom” is funny and insightful (In IV Sent. d. 45, q. 3, a. 2, ad 2). It shows that St. Thomas was not a dry, logic machine – as sometimes people think based on his precise theology. Instead, like most of us, he had trouble focusing during prayer. Also, it is a helpful solution to our lack of focus during prayer – pray differently. Praying differently takes us out of comfortable habits and rekindles our attention.
