Apologetics dialogue on intercession of the saints

Tom walks into the coffee shop and sees his friend Jason

Tom: Sorry I’m late I Couldn’t Find my keys, 

Jason: Again? Dude, you are always losing your stuff Keys Phone, I swear you’d lose your head if it wasn't attached to you’re body 

Tom: I know I know, why do you think I wear this Saint Anthony Necklace, I’m always praying With with him to find my keys and things 

Jason: another Pagan Catholic activity. Why do you think these dead guys can hear you and help you? 

Tom: because they can Jason, for a multitude of reasons. 

Jason: But why? By Praying to the saints you are  Worshiping people who aren’t God that’s idolatry

Tom: It’s not though, Prayer isn’t the same as worship in fact in old English Prayer meant to ask someone for something, when I pray to a saint I am asking them to Pray with me to God, I am seeking their Intercession. This is not the same as the adoration in prayer we show God when we pray to him, I know Engish can make this distinction difficult so I try to say Prayer with the saints rather than Prayer to the saints, 

Jason: regardless of that distinction why not just ask God to help you find you’re Keys why ask some dead guy, talking to the dead seems like necromancy. 

Tom: well let's work this out, have you ever asked someone to pray for you? 

Jason: yes I have 

Tom: well why do that when you can just ask God yourself 

Jason: ok but when I ask others to Pray with me they are Alive, all your saints are dead 

Tom:  well In John 3:16  its says “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life” so those who are Christians and believe in him are not dead and are alive in Christ in heaven. 

Jason: But why pray with them when you can ask your friends and family to pray with you 

Tom: because they are Holier by the fact that they are in heaven, James 5:16 says that The prayers of a righteous person are powerful and effective, and in Revelation 21:27 it says nothing unclean can enter the kingdom of God, so the Saints are closer to God and Holier then we are and their prayers are powerful and effective. 

Jason: what makes you think they can hear your prayers? If they are in heaven and we are on earth what leads you to believe that they can hear you? God can hear us but that is because he is God, 

Tom: Because in Revelation 5:8 we see the Saints in Heaven taking our Prayers to God. 

Jason: I guess, but enough of this Let's order and talk about something else 

Tom: sure but can you buy it? I lost my wallet again.

By Caleb Brown