Communion Of Saints

[StColette]

The question of the meaning of saints in the Bible came up in the Paltalk room tonight so I went through and gathered some info about it.

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I. We are One Family in Christ in Heaven and on Earth

Eph. 3:14-15- we are all one family ("Catholic") in heaven and on earth, united together, as children of the Father, through Jesus Christ. Our brothers and sisters who have gone to heaven before us are not a different family. We are one and the same family. This is why, in the Apostles Creed, we profess a belief in the "communion of saints." There cannot be a "communion" if there is no union.

Eph. 1:22-23; 5:23-32; Col. 1:18,24 - this family is in Jesus Christ, the head of the body, which is the Church.

1 Cor. 12:12,27; Rom. 12:5; Col. 3:15; Eph. 4:4 - we are the members of the one body of Christ, supernaturally linked together by our partaking of the Eucharist.

Rom. 8:35-39 - therefore, death does not separate the family of God and the love of Christ. We are still united with each other, even beyond death.

Matt. 17:3; Mark 9:4; Luke 9:30 - Jesus converses with "deceased" Moses and Elijah. They are more alive than the saints on earth.

Matt. 22:32; Mark 12:27; Luke 20:38 - God is the God of the living not the dead. The living on earth and in heaven are one family.

John 15:1-6 - Jesus is the vine and we are the branches. The good branches are not cut off at death. They are alive in heaven.

1 Cor. 12:26- when one member suffers, all suffer. When one is honored, all rejoice. We are in this together as one family.

1 Cor 13:12; 1 John 3:2 - now we see in a mirror dimly, but in heaven we see face to face. The saints are more alive than we are!

Heb. 12:1 - we are surrounded by a great glory cloud (shekinah) of witnesses, our family in heaven. We are not separated.

1 Peter 2:9; Rev. 20:6 - we are a royal family of priests by virtue of baptism. We as priests intercede on behalf of each other.

2 Peter 1:4 - since God is the eternal family and we are His children, we are partakers of His divine nature as a united family.

1 Cor. 1:2; Rom. 1:7 - we are called to be saints. Saints refer to both those on earth and in heaven who are in Christ. Proof:

Acts 9:13,32,41; 26:10; 1 Cor. 6:1-2; 14:33; 2 Cor. 1:1; 8:4; 9:1-2; 13:13; Rom. 8:27; 12:23; 15:25,26, 31; 16:2,15; Eph. 1:1,15,18; 3:8; 5:3; 6:18; Phil. 1:1; 4:22; Col 1:2,4,26; 1 Tm 5:10; Philemon 1:5,7; Heb. 6:10; 13:24; Jude 1:3; Rev. 11:18; 13:7; 14:12; 16:6; 17:6;18:20,24; Rev 19:8; 20:9 - in these verses, we see that Christians still living on earth are called "saints."

Matt. 27:52; Eph. 2:19; 3:18; Col. 1:12; 2 Thess. 1:10; Rev. 5:8; 8:3-4; 11:18; 13:10 - in these verses, we also see that "saints" also refer to those in heaven who united with us.

[url="http://www.scripturecatholic.com/saints.html"]http://www.scripturecatholic.com/saints.html[/url]

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Catholic Catechism
Communion of Saints: 946-959

946
After confessing "the holy catholic Church," the Apostles' Creed adds "the communion of saints." In a certain sense this article is a further explanation of the preceding: "What is the Church if not the assembly of the saints?" The communion of saints is the Church.

947
"Since all the faithful form one body, the good of each is communicated to the others... We must therefore believe that there exists a communion of goods in the Church. But the most important member is Christ, since he is the head.... Therefore, the riches of Christ are communicated to all the members, through the sacraments." "As this Church is governed by one and the same Spirit, all the goods she has received necessarily become a common fund."

948
The term "communion of saints" therefore has two closely linked meanings: communion "in holy things (sancta)" and "among holy persons (sancti)."

Sancta sanctis! (Gods holy gifts for Gods holy people) is proclaimed by the celebrant in most Eastern liturgies during the elevation of the holy Gifts before the distribution of communion. The faithful (sancti) are fed by Christs holy body and blood (sancta) to grow in the communion of the Holy Spirit (koinonia) and to communicate it to the world.

I. Communion in Spiritual Goods

949
In the primitive community of Jerusalem, the disciples "devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of the bread and the prayers."

Communion in the faith. The faith of the faithful is the faith of the Church, received from the apostles. Faith is a treasure of life which is enriched by being shared.

950
Communion of the sacraments. "The fruit of all the sacraments belongs to all the faithful. All the sacraments are sacred links uniting the faithful with one another and bringing them to Jesus Christ, and above all Baptism, the gate by which we enter into the Church. The communion of saints must be understood as the communion of the sacraments.... The name 'communion' can be applied to all of them, for they unite us to God.... But this name is better suited to the Eucharist than to any other, because it is primarily the Eucharist that brings this communion about."

951
Communion of charisms. Within the communion of the Church, the Holy Spirit, "distributes special graces among the faithful of every rank" for the building up of the Church. Now, "to each is given the manifestations of the Spirit for the common good."

952
"They had everything in common." "Everything the true Christian has is to be regarded as a good possessed in common with everyone else. All Christians should be ready and eager to come to the help of the needy...and of their neighbors in want." A Christian is a steward of the Lords goods.

953
Communion of charity. In the sanctorum communio, "None of us lives to himself, and none of us dies to himself." "If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together. Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it." "Charity does not insist on its own way." In this solidarity with all men, living or dead, which is founded on the communion of saints, the least of out acts done in charity redounds to the profit of all. Every sin harms this communion.
II. The Communion of the Church of Heaven and Earth

954
The three states of the Church. "When the Lord comes in glory, and all his angels with him, death will be no more and all things will be subject to him. But as the present time some of this disciples are pilgrims on earth. Others have died and are being purified, while still others are in glory, contemplating in full light, God himself triune and one, exactly as he is'":

All of us, however, in varying degrees and in different ways share in the same charity towards God and our neighbours, and we all sing the one hymn of glory to our God. All, indeed, who are of Christ and who have this Spirit form one Church and in Christ cleave together.

955
"So it is that the union of the wayfarers with the brethren who sleep in the peace of Christ is in no way interrupted, but on the contrary, according to the constant faith of the Church, this union is reinforced by an exchange of spiritual goods."

956
The intercession of the saints. "Being more closely united to Christ, those who dwell in heaven fix the whole Church moire firmly in holiness.... [T]hey do not cease to intercede with the Father for us, as they proffer the merits which they acquired on earth through the one mediator between God and men, Christ Jesus.... So by their fraternal concern is our weakness greatly helped."

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.

I want to spend my heaven in doing good on earth.

957
Communion with the saints. "It is not merely by the title of example that we cherish the memory of those in heaven; we see, rather, that by this devotion to the exercise of fraternal charity the union of the whole Church in the Spirit may be strengthened. Exactly as Christian communion among our fellow pilgrims beings us closer to Christ, so our communion with the saints joins us to Christ from whom as from its fountain and head issues all grace, and the life of the People of God itself":

We worship Christ as Gods Son; we love the martyrs as the Lords disciples and imitators, and rightly so because of their matchless devotion towards their king and master. May we also be their companions and fellow disciples!

958
Communion with the dead. "In full consciousness of the communion of the whole Mystical Body of Jesus Christ, the Church in its pilgrim members, from the very earliest days of the Christian religion, has honored with great respect the memory of the dead; and because it is a holy and a wholesome thought to pray for the dead that they may be loosed from their sins she offers her suffrages for them." Our prayer for them is capable not only of helping them, but also of making their intercession for us effective.

959
In the one family of God. "For if we continue to love one another and to join in praising the Most Holy Trinity - all of us who are sons of God and form one family in Christ - we will be faithful to the deepest vocation of the Church."

[url="http://www.scborromeo.org/ccc/p123a9p5.htm"]http://www.scborromeo.org/ccc/p123a9p5.htm[/url]

[StColette]

[url="http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/04171a.htm"]Communion of Saints[/url]

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A Biblical Portrait of Saint

The word in the Bible for "saint" or "saints" is the word (hagios) also translated "sanctified" or "holy ones." The root word hazo, means "to venerate." Hagios means to be separated from sin and therefore consecrated to God.
Hagios is used of God (Lk 1:49; Acts 3:14; Mt 1:18, etc.). It is a word used of men and things (1 Tim 1:9; 1 Pet 2:5,9, etc.)
When Paul uses the word "saint" in the singular, he refers to a state into which God calls men with His grace.

Phil 4:21
Give my greetings to every holy one (hagion) in Christ Jesus.
In its plural form, Paul uses the word to refer to all believers. For Paul, the word is not applied only to persons of exceptional holiness, nor to those having died characterized by an exceptional life of saintliness.

Eph 2:19
So then you are no longer strangers and sojourners, but you are fellow citizens with the holy ones (hagios) and members of the household of God,

Rom 12:13
Contribute to the needs of the holy ones, exercise hospitality.

Rom 16:15
Greet Philologus, ... and all the holy ones who are with them.

1 Cor 16:1
Now in regard to the collection for the holy ones, you also should do as I ordered the churches of Galatia.

1 Cor 16:15
I urge you, brothers--you know that the household of Stephanas is the firstfruits of Achaia and that they have devoted themselves to the service of the holy ones--
It is Paul who calls all his fellow believers "saints," and not just the notably holy ones. Paul also uses the term for both those who are living and for those who are dead.

2 Thess 1:9-10
These (who do not acknowledge God nor heed the good news) will pay the penalty of eternal ruin, separated from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his power, when he comes to be glorified among his holy ones (hagiois) and to be marveled at on that day among all who have believed, for our testimony to you was believed.

Jude 14-15
Enoch, of the seventh generation from Adam, prophesied also about them when he said, "Behold, the Lord has come with his countless holy ones (hagiais) to execute judgment on all and to convict everyone for all the godless deeds that they committed ..."

This practice of Paul corresponds to one of the earliest creedal statements of Christian faith: The Apostles Creed: "I believe in the communion of saints." Communion of saints refers to the bond of unity among all believers, both living and dead, who are or have been committed followers of Jesus Christ. In the eyes of God, in eternity, the distinction between His People who are "living" or who are "dead" is not at all important.

Mk 9:4
Then Elijah appeared to them along with Moses, and they were conversing with Jesus.

Mk 12:26-27
"As for the dead being raised, have you not read in the Book of Moses, in the passage about the bush, how God told him, 'I am the God of Abraham, (the) God of Isaac, and (the) God of Jacob'? He is not God of the dead but of the living. You are greatly misled."

Lk 23:43
He replied to him (the crucified thief) "Amen, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise."

Rom 12:5
... so we, though many, are one body in Christ and individually parts of one another.

On the Church, No. 49, Vatican II
At the present time some of (Jesus') disciples are pilgrims on earth. Others have died and are being purified, while still others are in glory beholding "clearly God himself, three in one, as He is."

Catechism of the Catholic Church, Section 1474
The life of each of God's children is joined in Christ and through Christ in a wonderful way to the life of all the other Christian brethren in the supernatural unity of the Mystical Body of Christ, as in a single mystical person.

[url="http://www.catholicapologetics.org/ap070100.htm"]http://www.catholicapologetics.org/ap070100.htm[/url]

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Q: What is a saint?

A: The basic meaning of the term "saint" is "holy one" or "one who is sanctified."
Because of its unique development, during which the French-speaking Normans conquered the Germanic language speaking inhabitants of England, the English language has two different complexes of terms expressing this concept, the Germanic-derived "holy-" complex (giving us "holy," "holiness," etc.) and the Latin-derived "saint-" complex (giving us "saint," "sacred," "sainted," "sanctify," "sanctified," "sanctification," etc.), but the biblical languages (like almost all other languages) have only one complex of terms for these concepts. They are only different in English.

Thus the basic meaning of "saint" is "holy one." Anyone is a saint if he is in some sense holy or has in some sense been made holy (sanctified). Because of this, the term "saint" has a very broad usage in the Bible, even though this is sometimes masked in English translations which often translate the Greek or Hebrew terms for "saint" (hagios and qadosh, respectively) as "holy one."

In Scripture, angels are referred to as saints (Dan. 4:13, 23), Jews as a people are referred to as saints (Eph. 2:19; cf. 2:12), and Christians are referred to as saints (2 Cor. 1:1, Eph. 1:1, Phil. 1:1, Col. 1:2). Jesus is referred to as a saint ("the Holy One of God" or "the Saint of God," Mark 1:24, Luke 4:34, John 6:69), and even God the Father himself is ("the Holy One of Israel" or "the Saint of Israel," Ps. 71:22, 78:41, 89:18, Is. 1:4, Jer. 50:29).

The sense in which one may be called a saint varies with the amount of holiness or sanctification/sacredness a person has. Thus a Jew who does not follow God would be a saint in a minimal sense, in that he is a member of God's holy people, but he is not as much of a saint as if he were a Jew who devoutly followed God and possessed a greater degree of sanctification. In the same way, Christians here on earth are saints in that they have been partially sanctified already, but they are not saints in the same full sense as those who are in heaven, whose sanctification ("saintification") is now complete. Thus the term "saint" is used in the Bible both for Christians who are on earth (Col. 1:2) and in heaven (Rev. 18:20).

[url="http://www.cin.org/users/james/questions/q073.htm"]http://www.cin.org/users/james/questions/q073.htm[/url]

[MorphRC]

Great stuff Angelies Edited August 13, 2004 by MorphRC

[StColette]

lol ty Morph

[phatcatholic]

sorry if i didn't do it justice in the paltalk room....

[StColette]

you did a great job !! I needed to read up on it too so it's all good

Edited August 13, 2004 by StColette

[lifeteenchick527]

GREAT JOB JENNIE!!

[StColette]

ty Alena lol

[StColette]

[url="http://www.bringyou.to/apologetics/a96.htm"]Communion of Saints : Alive or Dead in Christ[/url]

I found this article today thought it was rather good.