Aren’t statues of saints idols?

One of my uncles was traveling by boat after WWII with his fellow soldiers. The long journey allowed the soldiers time to rest and share their life philosophies with one another. My uncle told me that one day he and his buddy were discussing religion when his friend proposed the topic of idol worship. The claim was that Catholics worship idols because of their statues and paintings of saints. His friend believed Catholics ought to get rid of such idols. My uncle nodded his head, not in agreement but as if to contemplate the statement of his friend. He then asked his friend if he had any photos of his loved ones and if he could see them. Enthusiastically his friend brings out his photo of his wife and children and hands them to my uncle. With photos in hand, my uncle asks for permission to tear up these photos since they are just idols. You can imagine the response from his friend.

Many believe that praying with saints or angels is a type of idolatry, as if we are stealing power and authority from Jesus, the Son of God. But Jesus Christ enjoys sharing his power and authority. In the Gospel of Matthew, “[Jesus] summoned his twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits to drive them out and to cure every disease and every illness” (Matt. 10:1). Later he says, “‘Amen, I say to you that you who have followed me, in the new age, when the Son of Man is seated on his throne of glory, will yourselves sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel’” (Matt. 19:28).

I wonder if a person who is not open to praying with the saints really believes in eternal life and the resurrection of Jesus Christ. When a person passes on from this life, they have the potential to be an even stronger prayer partner once they enter eternal life in Christ. We regularly offer to pray for each other, or we ask others to pray for us. As Jesus says, “For where two or three are gathered in my name, there I am in the midst of them” (Matt. 18:20).

The reality is that we are always in communion with our brothers and sisters whether here on earth or in eternal life. So let us join them in prayer for ourselves and our sisters and brothers throughout the world.