Day 131: The Communion of the Church

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 at the present time, some of his 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 neighbors, and we all sing the one hymn of glory to our God. All, indeed, who are of Christ and who have his Spirit form one Church and in Christ cleave together. CCC 954

In today's reading, the Catechism covers the Communion of Saints more. The Catechism Compendium expands the meaning of this communion as follows:

This expression also refers to the communion between holy persons (sancti); that is, between those who by grace are united to the dead and risen Christ. Some are pilgrims on the earth; others, having passed from this life, are undergoing purification and are helped also by our prayers. Others already enjoy the glory of God and intercede for us. All of these together form in Christ one family, the Church, to the praise and glory of the Trinity. (#195)

This "great cloud of witnesses" (Heb 12:1) that is "closely united to Christ," (CCC 956) intercedes for us and the Church. In our weakness, the saints intercede for us and uphold the holiness of the Church. They are the Church Triumphant in glory with God in heaven, while we are the Church Militant struggling with sin and trying to be like Christ. There is also the Church Penitent, those who are saved, but being purified before entering glory. It is this last group that we can assist with our prayers. The Catechism Companion, Vol II notes:

The memory of saints and devotion to them contribute to the strengthening of the Church. Praying for the dead is a holy practice, through which we can help them... The saints' love for God and others is perfect in heaven, and by their love, our weakness is greatly helped. Christian communion among fellow believers brings us closer to Christ, and communion with saints joins us to Christ. (p. 26)

Finally, the Catechism Companion recommends this video with Fr. Mike Schmitz to clear up any confusion on Catholic veneration of saints:

 

Day 130: The Communion of Saints

"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."478 "As this Church is governed by one and the same Spirit, all the goods she has received necessarily become a common fund." CCC 947

The Catechism covers the Communion of Saints in today's reading. This is more than that "great cloud of witnesses" St. Paul writes about; it also includes believers alive right now on earth within the Church. Both can, in their own way, work to "let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us" (Heb 12:1).

The Catechism Compendium summarizes what the Church means by the term "communion of saints" as follows:

This expression indicates first of all the common sharing of all the members of the Church in holy things (sancta): the faith, the sacraments, especially the Eucharist, the charisms, and the other spiritual gifts. At the root of this communion is love which “does not seek its own interests” (1 Corinthians 13:5) but leads the faithful to “hold everything in common” (Acts 4:32), even to put one’s own material goods at the service of the most poor. (#194)

This communion connects us here on earth with the saints who have reached glory with God, united together in the Body of Christ. It is one of the signs that we are not alone in our faith, but it is supposed to be shared with others. I like how the Catechism Companion, Vol II elaborates on this "solidarity and interconnectedness" through the Communion of Saints:

Even the smallest thing we do out of love benefits the entire communion of saints. Each sin hurts all the faithful...The communion of saints is nourished by unity in Faith, care for each other, the Eucharist, and prayer. The sacraments unite the faithful with one another and with Christ. (p. 24) 

Day 129: Many Vocations

Already destined for him through Baptism, the person who surrenders himself to the God he loves above all else thereby consecrates himself more intimately to God's service and to the good of the whole Church. CCC 945

Today's reading of the Catechism is strictly an "In Brief" section, giving "nuggets," as Fr. Mike Schmitz would call them, for what has been covered over the past few days. As such, there isn't much new to discuss here. I did, however, really like this from today's reading from the Catechism Companion, Vol II:

Those in the Church are part of the Communion of Saints, which is made up on the living faithful and those who have gone before us, both in Purgatory and in the beatific vision. The Communion of Saints surrounds us as a great cloud of witnesses and reminds us of the Church's mission to preach the Gospel and establish Christ's kingship. Baptism sets us apart and consecrates us for God's service. (p. 22)

I also enjoyed this brief video the Catechism Companion recommended, that's probably more useful to younger people but I still found to be interesting:

Each vocation calls us to holiness. Often it can be difficult to understand our vocation in the present moment. (p. 23)

 

Day 128: Unique Calls to Holiness

All religious, whether exempt or not, take their place among the collaborators of the diocesan bishop in his pastoral duty. From the outset of the work of evangelization, the missionary "planting" and expansion of the Church require the presence of the religious life in all its forms. "History witnesses to the outstanding service rendered by religious families in the propagation of the faith and in the formation of new Churches: from the ancient monastic institutions to the medieval orders, all the way to the more recent congregations." CCC 926

In today's reading, the Catechism goes further into consecrated life, including secular groups. The Catechism Compendium summarizes the understanding of the Church on this life:

The consecrated life participates in the mission of the Church by means of a complete dedication to Christ and to one’s brothers and sisters witnessing to the hope of the heavenly Kingdom. (#193)

Those called monks, nuns, or hermits were covered more in-depth yesterday, so the focus now shifts to more secular ones, especially among the laity. The first are secular institutes like the Company of St. Ursula, Secular Institute of St. Angela Merici. The Catechism Companion, Vol II describes such groups as follows:

Secular institutes are communities dedicated to the evangelical counsels: poverty, chastity, and obedience. (p. 20)

The next are societies that bond together in faith for some mission in the Church. An example of these would be the Society of Saint Vincent de Paul. The Catechism Companion describes them as:

Societies of apostolic life are communities of men or women who do not take vows but who share a way of life in some form and work together for the good of the Church. (p. 20)

Finally, in the Catechism Companion, both of these types of groups are described as follows:

Consecrated individuals dedicate themselves to God's service in very specific ways, such as teaching or reaching out to the poor. They do not take public religious vows, but their first mission is to live out their consecration. All of these different paths are ways a person responds to the call of Jesus... Even those who are not religious sisters or brothers have been consecrated to be in service to God and his Church. (p. 20)

 I must confess though that I'm not certain which type the Knights of Columbus may fall under, as well as That Man Is You, both of which I myself am a member of. In the end, what's most important to understand is that we are all called to serve the Lord and live out the Gospel message regardless of what group we may join.

Adoration of the Trinity by Albrecht Dürer (1509-1511)

All the faithful, whether living or deceased, form "one family of God" in Christ (see CCC 959). This artwork by Albrecht Dürer shows countless saints and angels adoring God. (p. 21)

Day 127: Consecrated Life

From the very beginning of the Church there were men and women who set out to follow Christ with greater liberty, and to imitate him more closely, by practicing the evangelical counsels. They led lives dedicated to God, each in his own way. Many of them, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, became hermits or founded religious families. These the Church, by virtue of her authority, gladly accepted and approved. CCC 918

St. Anthony of the Desert, St. Francis of Assisi, St. Dominic, St. Benedict, St. Teresa of Calcutta, St. Edith Stein, St. Thomas Aquinas, St. Ignatius of Loyola, St. Teresa of Avila, etc. These and many more were holy Religious men and women consecrated to service for Jesus Christ. The consecrated life is today's subject for the Catechism. The Catechism Compendium summarizes today's reading as follows in defining what this is:

The consecrated life is a state of life recognized by the Church. It is a free response to a special call from Christ by which those consecrated give themselves completely to God and strive for the perfection of charity moved by the Holy Spirit. This consecration is characterized by the practice of the evangelical counsels. (#192)

Those in consecrated life share with the laity a calling to the "evangelical counsels," though in a different way. As the Catechism Companion, Vol II notes:

Consecrated life involves living the evangelical counsels: poverty, chastity, and obedience. Every Christian is called to live poverty, chastity, and obedience in some way. Those in consecrated life not only live these virtues, but also profess them. (p. 18)

It is to St. Anthony, known as the "Father of All Monks", that we owe the importance that grew in the Church for the consecrated life. From hermits, consecrated virgins & widows, to monks & nuns, St. Anthony and the Desert Fathers responded to the Holy Spirit in such a way that the Church has been blessed by their holy work for centuries which still continues to this day. I'm fortunate that Gospel Simplicity's ecumenical patristics group, which has many Catholics & Orthodox, begins reading and discussing The Sayings of the Desert Fathers this week. This is a work I was aware of, but just haven't had the chance to read yet. I'm looking forward to learning more of this pivotal group of men in the Church's history.

Saint Anthony the Great by Michael Damaskinos 16th century

 

Day 126: Prophetic and Kingly Offices

The faithful should "distinguish carefully between the rights and the duties which they have as belonging to the Church and those which fall to them as members of the human society. They will strive to unite the two harmoniously, remembering that in every temporal affair they are to be guided by a Christian conscience, since no human activity, even of the temporal order, can be withdrawn from God's dominion." CCC 912

In today's reading, the Catechism wraps up the teaching on the laity in this section by outlining our role in Christ's prophetic and kingly offices. As with yesterday's reading on the role of the laity in Christ's priestly office, we also have one in these other two as well. Too many seem to think it's all placed on the shoulders of the clergy and Religious, or that the laity should seek a role in excess of our vocation in a sort of democracy-gone-mad. The truth is that clergy & Religious and laity all have their own roles and should collaborate to further the mission of Christ. The Catechism Compendium summarizes our participation in Christ's prophetic office: 

They participate in it by welcoming evermore in faith the Word of Christ and proclaiming it to the world by the witness of their lives, their words, their evangelizing action, and by catechesis. This evangelizing action acquires a particular efficacy because it is accomplished in the ordinary circumstances of the world. (#190)

As laity, we have the power and ability to transform the secular world through our example and witness. Our participation in Christ's kingly office though isn't just about personal growth, but one of leadership and active engagement in the secular world. Through God's graces, we literally have the ability to help change the wider world. As the Catechism Companion, Vol II states:

Laypeople can participate in Christ's kingly office by practicing self-denial. The laity should rule themselves and conquer sin, acting as virtuous leaders in the Church and human society... The laity's participation in Christ's kingly office is essential for building a just and virtuous society. (p. 16)

Day 125: Vocation of the Laity

"By reason of their special vocation it belongs to the laity to seek the kingdom of God by engaging in temporal affairs and directing them according to God's will.... It pertains to them in a special way so to illuminate and order all temporal things with which they are closely associated that these may always be effected and grow according to Christ and maybe to the glory of the Creator and Redeemer." CCC 898

Today's reading in the Catechism concerns the great bulk of the Church other than the clergy and Religious, that is the laity. Through our Baptism, we are part of the People of God. We are, therefore, "made sharers in [our]  particular way in the priestly, prophetic, and kingly office of Christ" (CCC 897). We participate in the priestly office of Christ as the Catechism Compendium summarizes:

They participate in it especially in the Eucharist by offering as a spiritual sacrifice “acceptable to God through Jesus Christ” (1 Peter 2:5) their own lives with all of their works, their prayers, their apostolic undertakings, their family life, their daily work and hardships borne with patience and even their consolations of spirit and body. In this way, even the laity, dedicated to Christ and consecrated by the Holy Spirit, offer to God the world itself. (#189)

The laity are, as Pope Venerable Pius XII said, "in the front line of Church life" united together with the bishops and all the clergy in living out our lives for God, spreading the Gospel, and becoming a saint (CCC 899). The Catechism Companion, Vol II elaborates on this:

We were given a mission when we were baptized and confirmed. There are places where priests do not have access. As the saying goes, your life may be the only Bible someone else reads. Every aspect of your life can be offered and can become a sacrifice. Every moment in your life can be united to the Eucharist and offered to God. Laypeople's lives are meant to be lives of evangelization and mission. (p. 14)