Communion of Saints
November 1 is Solemnity of All Saints.
God’s family includes all members of the Church, on earth, in heaven, and in purgatory.
Since Jesus has only one body, and since death has no power to separate us from Christ, those who are in heaven or who, before entering heaven, are being purified in purgatory by God’s love are still part of the Body of Christ.
Jesus said the second greatest commandment is to "love your neighbor as yourself".
Those in heaven love us more intensely than they ever could have loved us while they were here on earth.
They pray for us constantly, and their prayers are powerful.
One of the most important activities is prayer.
Without it there can be no true spiritual life.
Through personal prayer and the communal prayer of the Church, especially the Mass, we worship and praise God, we express sorrow for our sins, and we intercede on behalf of others.
Through prayer we grow in our relationship with Christ and with members of God’s family.
Our prayers to the saints in heaven, asking for their prayers for us, and their intercession with the Father flow directly from Christ’s role as sole Mediator.
In asking saints in heaven to pray for us we follow Saint Paul’s instructions: "I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for everyone," for "this is good and pleasing to God our Savior".
All members of the Body of Christ are called to help one another through prayer.
Mary’s prayers are especially effective on our behalf because of her special, unique and privileged relationship with her Son.
God gave Mary a special role.
He saved her from all sin, made her uniquely blessed among all women, and made her a model for all Christians.
At the end of her life he took her, body and soul, into heaven, a revelation of our own resurrection at the end of the world.
God’s family includes all members of the Church, on earth, in heaven, and in purgatory.
Since Jesus has only one body, and since death has no power to separate us from Christ, those who are in heaven or who, before entering heaven, are being purified in purgatory by God’s love are still part of the Body of Christ.
Jesus said the second greatest commandment is to "love your neighbor as yourself".
Those in heaven love us more intensely than they ever could have loved us while they were here on earth.
They pray for us constantly, and their prayers are powerful.
One of the most important activities is prayer.
Without it there can be no true spiritual life.
Through personal prayer and the communal prayer of the Church, especially the Mass, we worship and praise God, we express sorrow for our sins, and we intercede on behalf of others.
Through prayer we grow in our relationship with Christ and with members of God’s family.
Our prayers to the saints in heaven, asking for their prayers for us, and their intercession with the Father flow directly from Christ’s role as sole Mediator.
In asking saints in heaven to pray for us we follow Saint Paul’s instructions: "I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for everyone," for "this is good and pleasing to God our Savior".
All members of the Body of Christ are called to help one another through prayer.
Mary’s prayers are especially effective on our behalf because of her special, unique and privileged relationship with her Son.
God gave Mary a special role.
He saved her from all sin, made her uniquely blessed among all women, and made her a model for all Christians.
At the end of her life he took her, body and soul, into heaven, a revelation of our own resurrection at the end of the world.