Source: Zenit
Through the communion of saints we experience a solidarity
between heaven and earth in our intercessory prayer. This was the central theme
of Pope Francis’ continuing catechesis on the Creed in the Year of Faith in
this morning’s General Audience. More than 80,000 people gathered in St.
Peter’s Square to listen to the Holy Father’s catechesis.
The Pope began his catechesis by explaining the meaning of
the expression of the “communion of saints”, saying that it relates both to the
communion with holy things and the communion among holy persons. Choosing to
reflect on the second aspect of this expression, the Holy Father stated that no
one is alone but, rather there exists a communion of life between all who
belong to Christ.
“A communion that is born of faith; in fact, the term
“saint” refers to those who believe in the Lord Jesus and are incorporated to
Him in the Church through Baptism,” the Pope said. Speaking on the Gospel of
John, which relates Jesus’ prayer that his disciples “may be one, just as you
are in me and I am in You”, the Pope said that Christ explains the profound
bond that exists between God and the Church.
“The Church, in its most profound truth, is a communion
with God,” the Pope explained. “This relation between Jesus and the Father is
the “matrix” of the bond between us Christians: if we are intimately inserted
in this “matrix”, in this fiery furnace of love that is the Trinity, then we
can become truly one heart and one soul, because the love of God purges our selfishness,
our prejudices, our internal and external divisions.”
The Holy Father went on to say that this fraternal
communion among Christians, rooted in the love of God, leads to the individual
communion with God. This second aspect of the communion of saints is
fundamental, the Pope stressed, saying that our faith needs the support of
others, particularly in life’s most difficult moments.
“How beautiful it is to sustain one another in the
wonderful adventure of the faith!” the Pope exclaimed. “I say this because the
tendency to close oneself in private has influenced even the religious sphere,
thus many times it is hard to seek spiritual help from those who share with us
the Christian experience.”
Pope Francis told the crowd that within the communion of saints
exists a great family where each one helps and sustains the other.
A final aspect of the communion of saints, he continued, is
the spiritual bond that exists between those who continue their pilgrimage on
earth and those who have passed the threshold of death into eternity.
“All who are baptized down
here on earth, the souls of Purgatory and all the blessed already in Paradise
form one big Family,” the Holy Father said. “This communion between heaven and
earth is realized especially through the intercessory prayer,” he concluded,
calling it the “highest form of solidarity,” as well as the foundation of the
liturgical celebrations of All Saints and All Souls, which the Church will
celebrate in the coming days.
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