The Communion of Saints
by Rita Allen, ocds
It is always good for us to review some very
basic tenets of our faith from time
to time
and one of the very beautiful doctrines
of
our faith contained in the Creed is
the communion
of saints.
Sometimes we forget when we are immersed
in our own petty problems that we are
not
alone but are a part of a larger whole
-
the Mystical Body of Christ.
Yes, we of the Mystical Body of Christ
are
saints or potential saints. The three
realms
this embraces are the Church Triumphant
including
the Head of the Mystical Body, Christ
himself
and all the saints in heaven, the Church
Militant, all the baptized souls on
earth
and the Church Suffering, the souls
in Purgatory.
Our means of communication are our
prayers
and sufferings intended for each other.
Perhaps
our prayers can be called our cell
phones.
At any time of the day or night we
can communicate
with any one in all three realms. To
contact
most effectively we ask someone in
Heaven
to aid either a soul in Purgatory or
on earth.
Our sufferings also can be used to
help ourselves
or someone else.
This does not mean we change God's
Will.
No, God's Will is immutable, but He
will
often be open to changing an outcome,
depending
on our prayers. Supposing St. Monica,
St.
Augustine's mother did not offer up
so many
prayers for her son. Suppose she got
tired
of praying and gave up, St. Augustine
would
never be converted or perhaps converted
only
half-heartedly, and we would never
have such
a great saint in the Church with all
the
fruits of his conversion. Although
God's
Will is that we all become saints,
He will
often condition our conversion or sanctification
on someone's prayers.
The one thing that is important to
remember
is that the Mystical Body of Christ
is bound
together by charity and it is prayer
and
offering of suffering that is the glue
that
unites us. It is Christ's love for
His Bride
the Church together with the outpourings
of His Church that keeps us together
as one
body, one Church.
When we gather together to pray, we
are sharing
in the spiritual riches of each other.
This
is why it is important to pray together
at
times for "where two or more are
gathered
together in my name, there am I in
their
midst". The spiritual goods of
all in
the group are shared in their prayer
and
Christ himself intercedes for us. The
Communion
of Spiritual Goods also includes the
Sacraments
and most especially the Eucharist which
brings
about union with God.
The Catechism of the Catholic Church
in the
chapter on the Communion of Saints
also speaks
of the Blessed Virgin as Mother of
Christ
and Mother of the Church. Her role
in the
formation of the Church is emphasized,
for
without her, the Mystical Body would
be incomplete
at the very least. For after the Ascension
of her Son, she helped to build the
Church
and was instrumental in bringing the
Holy
Spirit to the Apostles and the young
Church
by her prayers.
It is in meditation on the Rosary that
Our
Lady leads us to reach contemplation
of the
Mystery of Christ and of the Mystical
Body
of the Church militant, suffering and
triumphant.
Jesus and Mary would have us enter
increasingly
more into the mystery of the communion
of
saints as we listen ever more closely
to
their teaching in the depth of our
hearts
and find there the desire for heaven,
the
glory of God and the salvation of souls.
Thus it would give us a love of the
cross
and strength to carry it and from time
to
time a foretaste of heaven. Finally
we would
rest on the Heart of Him who is the
way,
the truth and the life and find fulfillment
in our hope for eternity.
We cannot close without quoting St.
Therese
of Lisieux "Do not weep for I
shall
be more useful to you after my death
and
I shall help you then more effectively
than
during my life", and "I want
to
spend my heaven in doing good on earth".