I Believe in the Communion of Saints
I remember quite vividly one night, early into my conversion to the Catholic Church, as I was getting ready for bed, I was thinking about Mary, St. Joseph and all the Saints, and it struck me, “I have a family in Heaven.” I was literally brought to tears in gratitude.
As we have just come out of the celebration of All Saints’ Day, I want to talk about the Saints, our “Heavenly Friends”, as I like to call them. I’ll share a bit of background to how this Dogma developed in the Church, as well as some of my personal experience with this sacred connection to our family in Heaven.
What is the Communion of Saints?
The Communion of Saints is a Dogma of the Catholic Church, a truth divinely revealed by God and therefore something we are bound to believe. The Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC 946-948) describes the Church as existing in three states: The faithful on earth (Church Militant … awesome name), the souls being purified in purgatory (Church Suffering), and the Saints in Heaven (Church Triumphant). This belief emphasizes that we are all in unity in the Mystical Body of Christ as one family of God.
What does this mean for us?
This means that all of those who have gone before us and “fought the good fight” are now perfected through Christ in the very presence and glory of God. They are sharing in the divine life and are therefore given a great ability to help us in our need. A common argument in defending the intercession of the Saints is the question, “Have you ever asked a friend to pray for you?” Most of us, even Protestants, would say ‘yes’ to this. If we ask those still on earth for our prayers in hopes that God will hear them, how much more will God listen to those who are now completely purified in His presence. As St. James tells us in his letter that “the prayer of a righteous man has much power” (James 5:16), here, we can place great confidence in their help.
Do we need the Saints? Can’t God just answer our prayers?
In short, no we don’t need the Saints. God is infinitely more capable of answering our prayers. However, God loves to use His creatures to do His will. It is His desire to share His kingdom with us. Think of His angels who are His messengers, or the Mother of the only begotten Son. Jesus could have come as an adult Man to earth, but He chose to have a Mother and a foster-father. He wanted to use His creatures to participate in His plan of Salvation.
Real-Life Superheroes
Something I love to do with my kids is learn about the Saints. Each one of them, at different times over the years, have been drawn to one Saint or another. What a wonderful example for children to look up to. They really are like real-life superheroes. But their example isn’t just for kids, it’s for people of all ages.
Personally, I have grown a lot in my devotion to the Saints, particularly St. Jospeh. As a father, husband, and woodworker, I have found him to be both an exemplary model and powerful intercessor. St. Teresa of Avila has also inspired me, both in her interior struggle with worldliness and in her deep desire for union with God. I also love her sense of humour. There is a story of her being thrown off a horse into the mud and she said to Jesus, “If this is how You treat your friends, it is no wonder You have so few!” While it always makes me laugh, it also reveals a beautiful and raw honesty in her relationship with the Lord.
And the list goes on. Over time, God has drawn me to many Saints, each one teaching me or encouraging me in a different way. What a treasury of grace and friendship they are!
Patron Saints & Tips for growing in devotion to the saints
There are an estimated 10,000 Saints and over 1600 that have been formally canonized, so there is no shortage of Saints to choose from. Every Saint is also a patron of something, meaning they are a special guardian of a group, place, activity, or even a thing (like St. Clare is the patron saint of TVs. Wild!).
Personally, I have found it overwhelming how many unbelievable stories there are of different Saints, as well as spiritual practices to glean from. However, I would recommend picking a few Saints that you feel connected to and learn about their lives: the way they prayed, how they lived, the challenges they faced, and how they overcame them.
If we are really open to seeing it, the truth is we don’t choose them, they choose us. God gives them to us to help us, encourage us, and guide us on this pilgrimage of life, as we “press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus” (Phil 3:14).
Amen.
Thank you for joining me in this reflection. If you found it encouraging please take a moment and subscribe to our newsletter and follow us on Instagram to stay in touch.
Peace in Christ,
Jesse Cameron
