The Communion of Saints and the Tapestry of Christian Faith

Back in the 400’s there was a heresy known as Nestorianism.  It proposed that Jesus was not really God incarnate, but was rather a normal man whom God had kinda-sorta possessed.  The Council of Ephesus condemned this idea.  The people of Ephesus – who had always been offended by the heresy - held a torchlit parade to celebrate the council’s decision. 

This is sometimes held out as an example of the “Sensus Fidelium” – or the “Sense of the Faithful”.  It refers to a particular way in which the Holy Spirit guides the Church.  Namely, the people of God are drawn like homing pigeons to the true expression of the faith.  Christians will, in a way, sense the tapestry of the faith and know when something is out of place.

Today I want to point out something which I regard as an instance of Sensus Fidelium.  Namely, the intuitive, magnetic draw which Christians have to the Communion of Saints.  While this is often regarded as a peculiarly Catholic idea, I think it is actually the natural conclusion of Christian thought. 

An Unnatural Controversy:

The Communion of Saints refers to the belief that our beloved dead in Heaven can be aware of our lives and we can ask them to pray for us.  The Hail Mary prayer is a prime example of this. It ends with the words:

“Holy Mary, Mother of God, Pray for us sinners – now and at the hour of death.”

If you listen to EWTN radio programs like Called to Communion and Catholic Answers for even a short time, you’re going to notice repeat questions on this topic.  Most questioners labor under misunderstandings and typically have one of five objections.  I’ve addressed those elsewhere. 

Those objections come from exposure to preaching and videos like this one, which – to put it mildly – do not portray the Communion of Saints fairly or accurately.  Personally, I think the aim of that sort of preaching is to scare people and instill a sort of allergic reaction. 

But again, I believe hostility to the Communion of Saints is not natural.  I believe a Christian left to his/her own devices - with no sectarian or anti-Catholic axe to grind - will naturally arrive at something like the idea. 

Why do I say that?  I will give three examples:


The Early Witness:

The first reason I say this is because it already occurred on a large scale in the early Christian Church.  Ancient Christian catacombs frequently feature graffiti which say things like:

“Peter and Paul, Pray for Us.” 

 There are other early written witnesses as well.  *(see below)

The Mother of the Groom:

A second example.

I was at a friend's wedding a couple years back.  His mother – a family friend - had tragically passed away a year before the wedding. 

The Best Man was the brother of the groom.  They were both Christians, but neither were Catholics.  They had no particular disposition to believe uniquely Catholic things. 

Yet when the Best Man gave the his toast, he confidently asserted:

“I know mom is smiling down on us right now.”

People nodded in agreement and others got a bit teary.  But what stuck me was that I had just heard an articulation of belief in the Communion of Saints.


Rick-Strong:

A more recent example comes from another Christian friend of mine.  Her father died of cancer two years ago.  She was reflecting on how much she missed him on her Facebook page, so I reached out with some encouraging words. 

Then I asked her: 

“Do you think your dad is about to know about the goings on in your life?”

Now, she comes from a Methodist perspective – again, no real disposition toward peculiarly Catholic stuff.  And yet she replied:

 “Oh for sure. I talk to him all the time and he gives me signs.”

Where does this come from?



Weaving the Tapestry:

So why does this fit in with the natural direction of the Christian imagination?

I’ll list five reasons:

Depictions of the Dead:

The New Testament presents an optimistic view of what happens to Christians after death.  It has explicit and implicit descriptions of a people enjoying unending bliss in the presence of God. 

It also strongly implies that those in Heaven can be aware of events on earth.  For instance, Jesus indicates in the Gospels that the population in Heaven will celebrate when a sinner repents:

“There will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.”  - Luke 15:7

The point is Christians have good textual reasons to imagine their beloved dead looking down on them from Heaven.   It seems to be the assumption running through the New Testament, which describes them as a “cloud of witnesses”. [Hebrews 12:1]

More on that [here].

The Unity of the Body:

In Paul’s letters he describes the Christians as comprising one body of Christ.  There are different members and different roles – but there is exactly one body.  So what happens to you after you die?  Do you cease to be a member of the body of Christ?

Not at all.  Paul writes that death can do no such thing:

"For I am sure that neither death nor life [...] will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord." - Romans 8:38-39

Therefore, there is not one body on earth and one in Heaven.  We are still united with our deceased loved ones through Jesus Christ, our mediator.


Love and Intercession:

We are repeatedly told in the New Testament that Christians are to love one another and pray for each other.  Those two commands are inseparable because one of the principle ways we show our love is by bringing one another’s needs before the throne of God in prayer.

Now, if we already know the souls in Heaven can be aware of our lives… do we have any reason to think this relationship of love should cease when they arrive in Heaven?  Wouldn’t it be grossly counterintuitive for them to love us less when are in Heaven?

In fact, the book of Revelation shows us examples of human souls presenting the needs of the Church to God as incense:

"The four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb.  Each of the elders held a harp and gold bowls filled with incense, which are the prayers of the saints." - Revelation 5:8

For They Shall Be Comforted:

Next, consider the character of Jesus.  He said to us:

"Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted." - Matthew 5:4

and also:

"You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it." - John 14:14

Now, what could be more comforting than the promise that we can continue to have a relationship with our loved ones after they leave us?  That is the one thing people want most badly when they are grieving.

With that in mind, why would Jesus deny us the continuation of these relationships?  What possible reason could Jesus have to allow death to be an impenetrable barrier which Christian love cannot pierce?

… which leads to the last reason.


Christ conquered death:

People who argue against the Communion of Saints are – in effect – arguing that death wins.  Perhaps death does not win permanently, but for at least for a time death has victory over the power of Christian love.

That is where the Christian imagination recoils and turns toward belief in the communion of Saints.  If Christ conquered death, then death ought never conquer Christian love.  Not even a little bit, not even one instant. 

The relationships we have with our departed loved ones certainly change at death, but they by no means cease.  So when my friend says she speaks to her deceased father and he sends her signs - not only do I believe it, but I see this as one more fruit of Christ’s resurrection.

Happy Easter.  He is risen!

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* Other Historical Witnesses:

Other early witnesses include folks like Saint Cyprian of Carthage.  He wrote in one of his letters:

"Let us remember one another in concord and unanimity. Let us on both sides [of death] always pray for one another. Let us relieve burdens and afflictions by mutual love, that if one of us, by the swiftness of divine condescension, shall go hence first, our love may continue in the presence of the Lord, and our prayers for our brethren and sisters not cease in the presence of the Father’s mercy" - Letters 56:5, 253 AD.

Then there is Saint Cyril of Jerusalem, the bishop of Jerusalem in fourth century.  He recorded the following in his instructions regarding Christian worship meetings:

"Then we commemorate also those who have fallen asleep before us, first Patriarchs, Prophets, Apostles, Martyrs, that at their prayers and intercessions God would receive our petition. Then on behalf also of the Holy Fathers and Bishops who have fallen asleep before us, and in a word of all who in past years have fallen asleep among us, believing that it will be a very great benefit to the souls, for whom the supplication is put up, while that holy and most awful sacrifice is set forth." - Catechetical Lectures, 23:9. 350 AD.

Lastly, there is Saint Jerome, a famous fourth and fifth century scripture scholar.  He wrote the following about the book of Revelation:

“And all the more because the martyrs, though they cry for the avenging of their blood, have never been able to obtain their request. But if the apostles and martyrs while still in the body can pray for others, at a time when they ought still be solicitous about themselves, how much more will they do so after their crowns, victories, and triumphs?" - Against Vigilantius 6, 406 AD.