What is the Communion of Saints?

[Caedmon]

Please don't start a debate in this thread. I really want to know what it means.

What does the Communion of Saints mean? I get extremely lonely sometimes, and sometimes I can't go to sleep because of it. But VOW and other people say I'm never alone, the Saints somehow are with me. How does that work? How can they be here when they're supposed to be in Heaven? Could somebody please tell me where the Communion of Saints is in the Bible, and could you explain it to me?

 

[isshinwhat]

The Spirit of God that dwells within you, dwells within them, too. Without mortal flesh to hold the Spirit back, who knows what is possible, Joe. What we do know is we are surrounded by a cloud of witnesses (Hebrews 12) who have reached the Heavenly Jerusalem, and we are one body, with them, in Christ.

Imagine it like this. Have you ever felt the love of friendship? Have you ever felt the need to pray for someone? Now imagine that all the hindrances to that love are taken away, and you love all of your brothers and sisters in Christ just as God wants you to love them. That is how the Saints in Heaven live. Though they aren't always physically present to us, they are fully present through the Spirit. How much better a reality is that.

 

[ZooMom]

Very well put, Neal.

I made a post a looooooooooong time ago about the Communion of Saints...I'll see if I can dig it up.

 

[ZiSunka]

Communion literally means, "With unity." So communion of the saints means "the people of God (saints) living in unity."

 

[ZooMom]

I found it! Hope the Scripture refs help.

Catholics believe that the saints who have died before us are alive in Heaven and with our Lord.

2 Corinthians 5:8 We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord.

Matthew 25:46 Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.

John 3:15 ...that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life.

John 3:16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

We believe that the Body of Christ is WHOLE. That includes the saints on earth and the Saints in Heaven.

Romans 12:5 so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others.

1 Corinthians 12:12 The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ.

1 Corinthians 12:27 Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.

We believe that asking for intercessory prayer from our brothers and sisters in Christ is entirely Scriptural and extremely profitable.

Matthew 21:22 If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer."

Romans 15:30 I urge you, brothers, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit, to join me in my struggle by praying to God for me.

2 Corinthians 1:11 as you help us by your prayers. Then many will give thanks on our behalf for the gracious favor granted us in answer to the prayers of many.

Ephesians 6:18 And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.

1 Timothy 2:1 I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone--

James 5:16 Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.

 

[Caedmon]

Thanks for the info guys! But I'm still not quite getting what I'm looking for. How can the saints in Heaven be with me here, on Earth? How can they be with me in my room at my bedside with me? I want to think that they are, esp Mary, but how does that work? And what's the Scripture that backs this up?

 

[ZooMom]

They are with you in Spirit, Joe. 'Cloud of witnesses', remember?

 

[Caedmon]

So are the Saints' souls physically in the room with me?

And if so, how can their souls be in Heaven and on Earth in my room?

 

[ZooMom]

Originally posted by humblejoe
So are the Saints' souls physically in the room with me?

And if so, how can their souls be in Heaven and on Earth in my room?

No. The Saints are connected to us through faith in Christ. They are not like angels who are God's messengers. The Saints are in Heaven, with God. But we are still One Body. The Holy Spirit connects us, unifies us, into a single WHOLE unit.


Better?

 

[Caedmon]

What I don't understand is how close I feel to Mary. How is it I feel so close to her, and she's in a whole other place? I can literally imagine myself crawling into her arms for comfort when I'm hurting, but that just seems kind of weird to me, her being in Heaven and me being on Earth. But people tell me it's ok to be close to her like that. I just want to make sure. I really wish I understood this stuff better.

 

[isshinwhat]

What I don't understand is how close I feel to Mary. How is it I feel so close to her, and she's in a whole other place?

Love.

 

[panterapat]

As a community of believers, we are community for eternity. There are three distinct groups in this community.
The Church Trimphant are those who already reside in Heaven.
The Church Suffering are those who are in Purgatory.
The Church Militant are those of us still on earth fighting for the Kingdom of God.

We are all one, and we pray for and rely on each other. Those in Heaven pray for us. We pray for those in Purgatory (that they will soon be released into Heaven) and they pray for us.

In praying for a saints intervention, God allows them to hear our prayers. They then pray to God on our behalf. Saints are not omnipotent as is God. But God will permit those in Heaven and Purgatory to hear our prayers. The same goes for Mary. God allows her to hear our prayers to her and she, the greatest intercessor for Christ, prays for us to her Son. We say "Hail Mary" and she says "Hail Jesus".

The saints are not with us and cannot see what we are doing. It is only through the power God that we can communicate with our entire Community of belivers.

In Christ, Patrick

 

[Caedmon]

Originally posted by panterapat
The saints are not with us and cannot see what we are doing. It is only through the power God that we can communicate with our entire Community of belivers.

If that's true, then why am I allowed to imagine that Mary is right here, holding me in her arms? Is that an incorrect action on my part?

 

[panterapat]

HumbleJoe,

Mary will hold you spiritually.

There is an entire spiritual world that we do not see. The angels are among us protecting us from harm. The power of prayer through God's grace is all around us just as the air we breathe is all around us. Imagine that you are a sponge with grace flowing through you like the ocean flowing through that sponge.

To be with someone spiritually is perhaps more real than a physical presence. For the physical world will one day end but the spiritual world will continue for eternity.

Don't get hung up on who is here or there. In the Middle Ages, theologians would argue about how many angels could fit onto the head of a pin. Silly stuff really.

The reality is that we are part of a wonderful community (Triamphant, Suffering, and Militant) which will support us through prayer. We do not understand how it all works but accept it on faith.

In Christ, Patrick

 

[Caedmon]

All I know is that it makes me feel very good when I am close to Mary. I have a hard time with getting anxious and nervous and depressed sometimes, and it feels like she helps me. If I did not have her, I would feel very sad sometimes and get very down. I'm just glad that she helps calm me down when I am really upset.

 

[panterapat]

Ask her to wrap you in her mantle.

 

[ZooMom]

Thought you might like this, Joe.

Hail Mary, hello, how are you?
I greet you with love,
And I thank you for being available.
Deeply, I breathe your roses,
The twelve fresh roses you place in my spirit
Every morning when I say hello to you.

Full of grace are you,
Grace spilling over Heaven's boundaries
Into my world, living water, bread and wine,
The unmerited favor of God
That you come carrying to me,
Your arms always full of gifts.

The Lord is with thee,
Jesus Christ the Messiah is with you,
And you teach me how to recognize
That the Lord is with me.

Blessed art thou amoung women,
Glowing with love for Jesus,
Pure blessedness never tainted
But alive with holy beauty.

And blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus,
The most blessed of humanity,
Delivered through you, Virgin Mary.
Jesus, the most cursed of humanity,
Who became a curse for me
So that I might be blessed
With his resurrection life.

Holy Mary, Mother of God,
Teach me to value motherhood,
Help me pray for mothers and fathers
To love and support each other.
Show me how God loves you.

Pray for us sinners now
And at the hour of our death.
Pray that I can live each moment
Consecrated to love, to Christ,
That I recognize each now
As the moment of salvation
So that I die prepared for eternal life.
Pray that I can crucify my passions,
Those passions that make me a sinner,
And that I can die to sin on the cross with Jesus
As you look on weeping and praying
But joyous, knowing that resurrection follows.

Hail Mary, full of grace,
The Lord is with thee.
Blessed art thou among women
And blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.
Holy Mary, Mother of God,
Pray for us sinners
Now and at the hour of our death. Amen.

 

[Caedmon]

Awww ZooMommy...

Thank you so much. That was wonderful.

 

[ZooMom]

You're welcome.