Catholics get slammed with:

Catholics get slammed with the claim that "venerating saints" or asking for "intercession" is some pagan invention we just made up. People say it isn't in the Bible. But after a long journey of self-study and many conversations with many people I've been discussing things with many times has provoked me to think deeper into these matters, I’ve realized the truth is hidden in plain sight at the Gates of Bethlehem.

This image is the Rachel's Tomb taken in 1890.

I want to be clear, I am not a scholar in any of this. I am not a Hebrew speaking person. I am a regular lay man that has done my own studies on these things. I went to the sources, used the English translations on sites like Sefaria and Chabad to better grasp this whole thing, and did the work to really come to a better understanding of the roots of my beliefs. I've had many conversations with many people on Facebook groups, and this has provoked me to think deeper into my Faith. I’ve come to a better understanding that our tradition isn't a departure from the Bible; it’s a continuation of it.

To my Jewish friends, You can’t get away from it either! 😁 Some say "praying to others" was never a Jewish thing, but you'd be wrong, let's look at the Talmud (Sotah 34b). Caleb one of the original spies went to the graves of the Patriarchs in Hebron and cried out: "My fathers, pray for mercy for me!" He was seeking a Melitz Yosher (a spiritual advocate). When you go to Kever Rachel to lean on her Zechut Imahot (the merit of the matriarchs), you are doing exactly what Catholics do.

I even looked into the Gematria (Hebrew numerology). The name Ruth (רות) equals 606. When she stood at that gate, she added those 606 obligations to the seven laws of Noah she already had, totaling 613 the exact number of commandments in the Torah. This is why we read her story on Shavuot, the feast of the giving of the Law. She didn't just join a people; she accepted a "Torah of Hesed" (loving-kindness).

To my Protestant friends, We need to look at what "prayer" actually means. In the Bible, the Hebrew word for prayer (Lehitpalel) isn't about worship it's about self-judgment and connection. In Old English, the word "pray" simply meant "to ask." When I "pray" to a Saint, I am "asking" a family member who is alive in Christ to Paga (intercede/step in between) for me.

St. Paul proves this in Romans 8:38-39 he says death cannot separate us from the love of God. If death doesn't separate us from Him, it doesn't separate the family! If the Saints are alive in Christ, they are still part of the conversation. Look at Ruth 4:11 the elders at the gate used the names of Rachel and Leah to bless Ruth. That is the "Communion of Saints" in the Old Testament!

To my Catholic friends, We are following a path that started at the gates of Bethlehem. Whether it's the Zechut Avot (Merit of the Ancestors) or the Dulia (honor) we show the Saints, the message is the same, The family of God is a chain that doesn't break at the grave.

The Receipts:

Melitz Yosher (מליץ יושר): The Jewish term for a "defense attorney" or advocate in heaven.

Paga (פָּגַע): The biblical Hebrew word for intercession—literally "to step in between" (Jeremiah 7:16).

Zechut (זכות): The "merit" of a holy person that acts as a shield for their descendants.

Sotah 34b: The record of Caleb asking the dead to pray for him.

Romans 8:38-39: The promise that death cannot separate the body of Christ.

Ruth Rabbah 2:15: The Midrash confirming Ruth is the model for receiving the Torah through Hesed.

Here are my Sources for You to look at (English Translations):

Talmud (Caleb's Intercession): https://www.sefaria.org/Sotah.34b.7?lang=bi

Midrash (Rachel's Intercession): https://www.sefaria.org/Genesis_Rabbah.82.10?lang=bi

Ruth & Gematria (Chabad): https://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/5144365/jewish/10-Facts-About-Ruth-Every-Jew-Should-Know.htm

Midrash (Ruth & Torah): https://www.sefaria.org/Ruth_Rabbah.2.15?lang=bi

Bible (No Separation in Death): https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans+8%3A38-39&version=NRSVCE

You can go ahead and call me a liar, but I’ve just given you the Hebrew, the history, and the scripture. I didn't just stumble onto this; I studied it. I went to the sources and read the English translations for myself to grasp the truth. We aren't worshipping the Saints; we are honoring the fact that in God's eyes, nobody is truly "dead." If Caleb could ask the Patriarchs for help at the gates of Hebron, and St. Paul says death has no power to divide us, then I’m standing at the Gate with Rachel and Ruth. 

I'm up for a challenge, I've done my research, let's mingle if you want and see where it goes. I love doing this because it only strengthens my Faith. Nothing has been presented to me to walk away from all these Truths I have found. I accept the truth and when I'm wrong with something I correct myself or I try my best to correct myself, I know many Protestants (not just them but others as well) that do not like correcting themselves.