Invocation
Charles Buck Theological Dictionary [1]
A calling upon God in prayer. It is generally considered as the first part of that necessary duty, and includes,
1. A making mention of one or more of the names or titles of God, indicative of the object to who we pray.
2. A declaration of our desire and design to worship him. And,
3. A desire of his assistance and acceptance, under a sense of our own unworthiness. In the church of Rome, invocation also signifies adoration of, and prayers to the saints. The council of Trent expressly teaches, that the saints who reign with Jesus Christ offer up their prayers to God for men, and condemn those who maintain the contrary doctrine. The Protestants censure and reject this opinion, as contrary to Scripture; deny the truth of the fact; and think it highly unreasonable to suppose that a limited, finite being, should be in a manner omnipresent, and, at one and the same time, hear and attend to the prayers that are offered up to him in England, China, and Peru; and from hence infer, that, if the saints cannot hear their request, it is inconsistent with common sense to address any kind of prayer to them.
Webster's Dictionary [2]
(1): ( n.) A call or summons; especially, a judicial call, demand, or order; as, the invocation of papers or evidence into court.
(2): ( n.) The act or form of calling for the assistance or presence of some superior being; earnest and solemn entreaty; esp., prayer offered to a divine being.
