Are you in Communion with All the Saints today?

There is a part in the Credo, Apostle’s Creed, where Christians profess their belief in the “Communion of the Saints”.  However, this dogma has always been misunderstood if not misinterpreted as a physical act of receiving a host by the saints.  Quite funny.

First of all, please be reminded of a nature of a Church Dogma – it is an object of Faith and certainly not a product of rationality.  Thus, we shall never know or reason for or against one.  As Dr. Alfredo Co says, “When we know, we don’t believe; when we believe, we don’t know.” Thus, the Apostle’s Creed rightly starts with “I believe” and not “I know”.

The real meaning of the Communion of Saints is spiritual solidarity which binds together the faithful on earth, the souls in purgatory, and the saints in heaven in the organic unity of the same mystical body under Christ its head, and in a constant interchange of prayers and sacrifices.

Does this make sense?  Translated into a picture, it is -

 

Let us go back to the basics.  Like God, the Church has three forms. They are:

• THE CHURCH TRIUMPHANT, which speaks of the Saints in Heaven
• THE CHURCH MILITANT, which speaks of the Faithful on Earth
• THE CHURCH SUFFERING, which speaks of the Souls in Purgatory

These three forms are vivified by PRAYER and SACRIFICES and they become ONE CHURCH.  The Church Triumphant prays for the Faithful on Earth and the Souls in Purgatory.  The Church Militant prays to the Saints in Heaven, for one another and for the Souls in Purgatory.  The Church Suffering is prayed for by the Saints in Heaven and Faithful on Earth.

Thus, the definition above can already be 60% understood.

The real meaning of the Communion of Saints is spiritual solidarity which binds together the Faithful on Earth, the Souls in Purgatory, and the Saints in Heaven in the organic unity of the same mystical body under Christ its head, and in a constant interchange of Prayers and Sacrifices.

The only part left unexplained is the concept which tells us about Christ as Head.  We can all agree that the head of the ONE Church is Christ himself and the Pope is only a Vicar of Christ on Earth.  The most that we can know is that the Pope leads THE CHURCH MILITANT. 

In the concept of the Triune God, God, the Father, is the Judge while God, the Son, a.k.a. Jesus Christ, is the Savior.  The saving act of Christ did not end in his death on the cross.  It is continued through His ONE Church.  He leads this salvation-oriented Church towards the Father.  Salvation is achieved through Prayers and Sacrifices.  Basically, Christ wants us all to go to Heaven and be with Him.  This goal creates spiritually solidarity.

Yes, you got it right!  The moment we pray and sacrifice for others, living or dead, we become Saints and in communion with other Saints, we partake in this wonderfully mystical body of Christ called Church.

Do you belong?  It’s a good feeling to have that we can be Saints on Earth. 

Happy All Saints Day!

P.S. Membership out of fear that in the future you might need prayer and sacrifices is not advisable.  It debases the essence of selflessness for others.

Seven Last Words

The seven sayings form part of a Christian meditation that is often used during Lent, Holy Week and Good Friday.

I. Father forgive them, for they know not what they do (Luke 23:34).

The first saying of Jesus upon the cross was Jesus’ prayer for forgiveness for those who were crucifying him: the Roman soldiers, and apparently for all others who were involved in his crucifixion. This verse appears to reflect Jesus’ teaching of unqualified love and forgiveness for all, including those who might seem to oppose or even attack them.

II. Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise (Luke 23:43).

Jesus is crucified between two thieves. In Luke’s Gospel, one of them supports Jesus’ innocence and asks him to remember him when he comes into his kingdom. Jesus replies to him using his set formula for important sayings: “Truly, I say to you…”

III. Woman, behold your son: behold your mother (John 19:26-27).

Jesus entrusts Mary, his mother, into the care of a disciple. Traditionally, this is thought to be John the Evangelist, but he is only referred to as the beloved disciple. The Catholic Church interprets this phrase beyond just the disciple, saying that Jesus was giving his mother to all of the church, and consequently all of the church to her. The Catholic Church also uses this saying as a proof that Mary did not have any other children, because if she did have other sons who could have taken care of her, Jesus would not have needed to give her over to his beloved disciple — indeed, had Mary had other sons, such a transfer would have been incredibly insulting to them in the context of 1st-century Jewish culture.

IV. Eli Eli lama sabachthani? (“My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?“, Matthew 27:46 and Mark 15:34).

Some theologians claim the Father seems to have deserted the Son but saves him ultimately and with him those who seek him in all the nations. This “gulf of separation” that occurs between God the Father and God the Son, in the death of the latter, has been described by the theologian Jürgen Moltmann as ‘death in God’.

V. I thirst (John 19:28).

This saying perhaps represents the total humanity of Jesus, and the thirst for God of those who are put far from him.

VI. It is finished (John 19:30).

Jesus announces that his work, atonement, is completed. Sometimes the meaning, ‘the debt is written off’, is read into this verse.This is often seen as a theological statement (that the debt of humanity to God is cancelled, that Jesus had finished his mission).

VII. Father, into your hands I commit my spirit (Luke 23:46).

This saying is based on Psalm 31:5. Because of this, it is unlikely that ‘my spirit’ refers to a disembodied soul, but simply to one’s self: I put myself in your hands now.

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