[32] I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob? He is not the God of the dead, but of the living. [Matthew 22:32] From The Douay Catechism: Q. How prove you that the saints have any power to do us good? A. Out of Apoc. ii. 26, 27, where Christ hath promised them power over us: to him, said he, that shall overcome, and keep my works to the end, to him will I give power over nations, and he shall rule them with an iron rod. Q. How prove you that it is lawful to pray to angels? A. Out of Apoc. i. 4, where St. John did it: Grace (saith he) to you, and peace from him that is, that was, and that shall come, and from the seven spirits that are in the sight of his throne. Q. What other proof have you? A. Out of Apoc. viii. 4, where we read, that they present the church's prayers to God. The smoke of the incense of the prayers of the saints ascend from the hand of the angel before God. Q. How prove you that we may pray to saints? A. Out of Gen. xlvii, 16, where Jacob taught his children to do it, saying, And let my name be invocated upon them, the names also of my fathers, Abraham and Isaac. Q. How prove you that they pray for us? A. Out of Apoc. v. 8. The twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, having every one harps, and vials full of odours, which are the prayers of the saints. Q. Is it no dishonour to God, for us to pray to saints to pray for us? A. No, it is not, nor yet to beg it of men; for St. Paul did it: We hope (saith he) that God will deliver us, you also helping in prayer for us. 2 Cor. i. 11.