This article is meant to help those better understand The Communion of Saints and why we need them; it was God’s intention.
Let me first provide a definition of the Communion of Saints –
What is meant by the Communion of Saints?
The Communion of Saints (In Latin, Communio Sanctorum), when referred to persons, is the spiritual union of the members of The Christian Church, living and the dead, those on earth, in heaven, and, in purgatory, those who are in that state of purification.
I will provide an analogy between the Communion of Saints and Football.
Football has been a part of my life since as long as I can remember. I was blessed to play the game for 15 years and coach it for another 9 years and I have been a lifelong fan and remain a longtime season ticket holder to my beloved Philadelphia Eagles NFL Football club. Faith and Football are in my blood and always will be.
I learned much about life and faith from football and here is what I mean and how both are related.
In the sport of football, in my opinion the ultimate team game, you cannot attain the victory or cross the goal alone. No way, no how! Impossible. The team needs to be a well oiled machine consisting of and with all parts working together including coaches, players, trainers, managers and it certainly helps and inspires the players to have cheerleaders and fans urging them on. Each of the eleven players on the field must be one in body, mind and soul to matriculate that ball down the field past the defense and cross the goal into the end zone and win the game. No one player can do it on his own without his teammates help and proper coaching and motivation and inspiration. A player needs to memorize his playbook and study his weekly game plan or he will be lost during the game and have no chance to defeat the defense he faces and cross the goal.
What does football have to do with our faith?
A Lot!!!
Jesus called himself the gate. We need to enter through the gate (Jesus) to get to Heaven to be with Him. So, think of Jesus as the end zone, the goal, our final destination which is where an offense in football is headed; the end zone, the goal is the final destination. I explained above what it takes for the offense in football to get into the end zone and cross the goal.
How do we get to Jesus, the Goal or the end zone. Well, God Himself gave us teammates to do it. We can’t do it alone. Don’t kid yourself. Just like no one player can get into that goal or end zone without the help of his teammates, no way can we get into the goal of Jesus without the help of our teammates and it starts with Our Blessed Mother, ever Virgin, Immaculate Mary! Make no mistake about this she is our biggest Cheerleader or fan, but so much more! Go to her! Next we have the man who taught Jesus how to be a man; The carpenter, St. Joseph. Mary and Joseph are like the owners of the team. God used them to give us Jesus (Yes, Joseph was not the biological father of Jesus, but he was his father and taught Him how to be man as well as instructed Him in the faith as well as life).
Let’s think of St. Peter as our head coach (Jesus appointed him). Currently Pope Francis represents the See of St. Peter and is the vicar of Christ on earth. The rest of the Apostles are the assistant coaches and our current bishops today represent them. All your teammates including the fans in the stadium along with Mary, Joseph, Peter and the rest of the Apostles are the communion of saints down through the ages and even up to today playing next to us and /or cheering us on. Get in the game by using the Communion of Saints and the Church and all it’s sacraments to get that ball past the defense and all it’s wily wickedness so you can cross the goal and enter the end zone and pass through the gate to enter into the Kingdom of Jesus!
In addition to relying on the help of your teammates (The Communion of Saints) don’t forget to memorize your playbook (The Bible) and study your weekly game plan (The Cathechism of The Catholic Church), otherwise that wily wicked defense will overcome you and swarm you and stop you from crossing the goal and entering the end zone into the Kingdom of Jesus Christ!
God bless you and never stop walking and training and worshiping God with your friends The Communion of Saints (read the lives of the Saints) and never cease praying and practicing the Sacraments and memorizing your play book (The Bible) and studying your weekly game plan (The Cathechism of The Catholic Church).
Through your perseverance you will win the Victory!!!
Charles DeFeo: Catholic Blogger and Useless Servant of Christ 