The Communion of Saints
The Communion of Saints
The Communion of Saints
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Theme – The Communion of Saints

By virtue of baptism and the sacramental graces of marriage, the Christian family is built into a communion of saints. Holiness is a gift given to every baptized Christian that becomes a joyful task for the whole of life.

Meditation

From Pope Benedict XVI’s General Audience, April 13, 2011

Holiness, the fullness of Christian life, does not consist in carrying out extraordinary enterprises but in being united with Christ, in living his mysteries, in making our own his example, his thoughts, his behavior. The measure of holiness stems from the stature that Christ achieves in us, in as much as with the power of the Holy Spirit, we model our whole life on his. …

What is the soul of holiness? … What is the essential? The essential means never leaving a Sunday without an encounter with the Risen Christ in the Eucharist; this is not an additional burden but is light for the whole week. It means never beginning and never ending a day without at least a brief contact with God. And, on the path of our life it means following the “signposts” that God has communicated to us in the Ten Commandments, interpreted with Christ, which are merely the explanation of what love is in specific situations. …

We might ask ourselves: can we, with our limitations, with our weaknesses, aim so high? During the Liturgical Year, the Church invites us to commemorate a host of saints, the ones, that is, who lived charity to the full, who knew how to love and follow Christ in their daily lives. They tell us that it is possible for everyone to take this road. …

I would like to ask all to open themselves to the action of the Holy Spirit, who transforms our life, to be, we too, as small pieces in the great mosaic of holiness that God continues to create in history, so that the face of Christ may shine out in the fullness of its splendor. Let us not be afraid to aim high, for God’s heights.

  1. What is holiness?
  2. How can we live holiness in the family? How do we love God in the ordinary circumstances of life?
  3. How do the saints help us live out holiness?

Scripture Reading – Psalm 98:1-6

A prayer to welcome God’s rule over the earth

Sing a new song to the LORD,
   for he has done marvelous deeds.
His right hand and holy arm
   have won the victory.
The LORD has made his victory known;
   has revealed his triumph in the sight of the nations,
He has remembered his mercy and faithfulness
   toward the house of Israel.
All the ends of the earth have seen
   the victory of our God.
Shout with joy to the LORD, all the earth;
   break into song; sing praise.
Sing praise to the LORD with the lyre,
   with the lyre and melodious song.

Family Project

Select a few saints and learn about their time period and culture and why they are invoked for specific causes or intentions. Include a dish from their culture during one of your meals. Also, consider making a pilgrimage to a sacred place dedicated to a saint.