Continued 👇🏾
The Intercession of the Saints in the New Testament
In the New Testament, the mystery of intercession shines with even greater glory, for it is perfected in Christ, our High Priest . Through Him, the saints received authority, grace, and power to stand as intercessors for the world. The Lord Himself bestowed upon His apostles and holy servants the divine gift of mediation between heaven and earth, that through their prayers, healing, forgiveness, and salvation might flow to all who believe.
✍🏾The Authority Given by Christ:
Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ declared to His disciples, “Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in Me will do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do” (John 14:12).
He further said, “Whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven” (Matthew 18:18). This was not a mere figure of speech but a true bestowal of heavenly authority. Through this power, the saints became bridges between heaven and earth, joining the prayers of men to the mercy of God. To Saint Peter, the Lord entrusted the keys of the kingdom of heaven (John 21:15–17), showing that the saints, through divine grace, hold spiritual authority to open the gates of life to those who repent.
✍🏾The Intercession of the Elders for the Centurion:
The Gospel gives us a vivid example of this intercessory power. A Roman centurion, whose beloved servant was near death, sent the elders of the Jews to Christ, asking them to plead on his behalf. They came to the Lord and said, “He is worthy for You to do this for him, for he loves our nation and has built us a synagogue” (Luke 7:1–10). Moved by their intercession, the Lord granted their request and healed the centurion’s servant. Even before His Passion and Resurrection, Christ honored the prayers of others offered in love and faith, teaching us that the intercession of the righteous is pleasing to God.
✍🏾 The Apostles’ Power of Intercession:
the apostles continued to manifest this same divine grace. When Saint Peter and Saint John went up to the temple at the ninth hour to pray, they met a man crippled from birth who begged at the gate called Beautiful. Peter said to him, “Silver and gold I have none, but what I have I give you: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk.” Instantly, the man leaped to his feet, walking and praising God (Acts 3:1–10). Through their prayer and faith, the power of Christ flowed, healing the afflicted .
✍🏾 The Power of Collective Prayer:
In another moment of divine power, when the apostles and believers prayed together, “the place where they were assembled was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit” (Acts 4:31). Their united intercession moved heaven and earth.
Continues 👇🏾