Editing Intercession of saints (section)

===Intercession of the dead for the living===
Early Christians derived some of their views from Judaism. "[A]t least some Jews in the first century believed that the angels in heaven were praying for those on earth and presenting their prayers to God. Those in heaven—Onias, Jeremiah, and the angels—were intimately involved in what was happening on earth."<ref name="Farley">{{Cite web |last=Farley |first=Fr Lawrence |title=Praying to the Saints |url=https://www.oca.org/reflections/fr.-lawrence-farley/praying-to-the-saints |access-date=2023-04-27 |website=www.oca.org}}</ref> In Luke 15:7 Jesus says that those in heaven rejoice when a sinner repents. In Hebrews 12:1, the author refers to them as a "cloud of witnesses". According to Fr. Lawrence, "It was part of the Church's faith in the first century that those in heaven interceded for those on earth."<ref name=Farley/>

[[Thomas Aquinas]] quotes Revelation 8:4: "And the smoke of the incense of the prayers of the saints ascended up before God from the hand of the angel."<ref name=scannell />

Both those for and against the intercession of saints quote [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Job+5:1 Job 5:1]: "Call if you will, but who will answer you? To which of the holy ones will you turn?"

Christ's parable of [[the rich man and Lazarus]] in [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+16:19-31 Luke 16:19–31] indicates the ability of the dead to pray for the living.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.ncregister.com/blog/darmstrong/4-biblical-proofs-for-prayers-to-saints-and-for-the-dead|title=4 Biblical Proofs for Prayers to Saints and for the Dead|website=National Catholic Register|access-date=2020-02-16}}</ref>

The intercession of the dead for the living is shown in [[Chapters of 2 Maccabees|2 Maccabees 15:14–17]]; an intercession on behalf of Israel by the late high priest [[Onias III]] plus that of [[Jeremiah]], the prophet who died almost 400 years earlier. "And Onias spoke, saying, 'This is a man who loves the brethren and prays much for the people and the holy city, Jeremiah, the prophet of God.{{'"}}<ref>{{Cite web |title=Intercession of the Saints—Revealed |url=https://www.catholic.com/magazine/online-edition/intercession-of-the-saints-revealed |access-date=2023-09-09 |website=[[Catholic Answers]]}}</ref>