UNIT SEVEN

1. UNIT SEVEN The Church is a Communion of Saints

2. 7.1 Who Are the Saints?

3. Saints Alive • The hand of God is seen in the world through the actions of God’s people. • Saints allow others to see God in them and in the world; they set examples and are inspiration for people who wish to follow Christ.

4. Saint • One who has been transformed by the grace of God • In most basic sense, refers to all Christians • Normally used to refer to those who the Church has canonized, honored with the title “Saint”, and declared worthy of veneration

5. Touched by God • In Old Testament, to call someone “holy” was to say that he or she had been “touched by God” and set apart for a special and unique purpose • Holy people recognized their own unique purpose and accepted the particular role which God had given them

6. Touched by God • New Testament Letter to the Romans addresses those who are “called to be saints”. The Greek word translated “saints” is same word in other places is translated as “holy” • Saint recognizes and accepts God’s unique call to him or her • Live authentically

7. The Communion Of Saints • Church is a body of holy persons, both on earth and in heaven, who share spiritual possessions • By 5th century, Church understood unity between Church on earth and Church in heaven • Gifts of members of each served other

8. The Communion Of Saints • Church cannot be divided by death • Saints are fully united with Christ • Communion with those saints unites us more completely to Christ • Communion with those who have died and are not yet fully united to Christ • Our prayers help those who have died, their prayers help us

9. Signs of Hope • Saints help Church understand and explain the eschaton, Christian understanding of the end times

10. Eschatology • The study of the last things: • The second coming of Christ • The resurrection of the dead • The kingdom of God • Judgment, heaven, hell and purgatory

11. In between time • Now, the time between the decisive in-breaking of the kingdom of God in Jesus and the perfection of history in the second coming • Death will continue to exist until the time of Christ’s return, but death no longer has the power it once had

12. Second coming • Jesus’ return in glory at the end of time • At the second coming, the kingdom of God will be fully realized

13. Eschatological community • The community of the end times • Church even now shares in divine glory • Seen in actions of saints while on earth, through their intercession in heaven • Prayers of the faithful do make a difference

14. Jesus Works Through the Saints • Jesus is the only mediator between God the Father and humanity • Since Jesus’ resurrection and ascension Jesus communicates with us through other people • Saints cooperate with Jesus and allow him to work through them

15. Doctor of the Church • A title officially conferred upon a saint by the pope or by a general council declaring that person to have been particularly holy, wise, and learned, and therefore a source of sound theological teaching for the Church.

16. Father of the Church • Title for writers of the early Church who had a major impact on the development of Christian theology and doctrine • Characterized by holiness of life, orthodoxy of doctrine, approval of the Church, antiquities • Period of the Church Fathers ended in the 7th century

17. Saints: The Benefits Of Virtue • Virtues are the habits and inclinations which lead us to be true to our values even when we find this is difficult. • The stories of the saints can help us see the power and the benefits of virtue: • Teach us the possibilities that open when people learn virtues of faith, hope, love, temperance, fortitude, justice and prudence.

18. Virtue • Habitual disposition to do good • Attitudes and habits which lead a person to do what God desires Value • Something believed to be particularly important

19. Mary: The Model Saint • Demonstrates the “most authentic form of perfect imitation of Christ” • Disciple “par excellence” • Showed her complete commitment to God in the way she lived • Said “yes” to the angel’s request that she be the mother of the Savior

20. Mary: The Model Saint • Willing to place all her trust in God • Total dependence on God remind Church of its own mission • Open to Father’s will, even when she did not understand • Remained faithful to Jesus to his death • Allowed herself to be emptied even as Christ was emptied

21. “Self-Emptying” and Discipleship • Must be at the heart of all true faith • Some will be called to follow Christ to the cross in a literal sense, giving up their lives for their faith • All are called to follow Christ to the cross as Mary did

22. Redemption • Christ’s saving work which freed humanity from the power of sin and death and restored them to unity with God

23. Mary As A Sign Of God’s Presence • Mary is everything that the Church strives to be • She is a sign that the Church will eventually achieve what it is striving for • Mary is a sacrament • Symbol and instrument of God’s presence with humanity

24. Mary is nothing without Jesus • She is able to do what she does only because she is filled with God’s grace • Jesus’ human identity is derived from the fact that he was born of a specific woman, Mary • God chooses to work through human beings • God calls each one of us to a unique role

25. Mary: Sign of the new covenant • In the Incarnation, Christ and Mary are indissolubly linked. • They are united by blood • Mary prefigures the Church • Indissolubly linked to Christ through the blood of the cross

26. Mary: Sign of God’s election • When Mary is chosen to be the Mother of God, God makes an irrevocable commitment to involve human beings in all that he does • Because Mary has been elected she is freed from every stain of original sin

27. Immaculate Conception • Dogma which states that Mary was free from the stain of original sin from the moment of her conception

28. Assumption of Mary • Dogma which states that the body of Mary was taken directly to heaven after her death • Mary already shares in the resurrection of the body which is promised to all the faithful

29. Assumption: Sign of Church’s eschatological hope • In her, we witness the resurrection of the body and the new creation • Guarantee of the final resurrection of all the faithful • Final triumph of God over evil is already accomplished

30. Mary Is Also a Sign of the Church • Church’s role in the world and love for the world • Mary, the mediatrix: • Shares in the work of Christ’s mediation • Has a role in making God accessible to humanity • Intercedes for faithful, offers her assistance

31. Mary Is Also a Sign of the Church • We bring our concerns to Mary because it is Christ’s will that she and all members of the Church share in the work of her Son • Vatican II made it clear that all Mary does is because of Christ • We honor Mary because she had done what we are still struggling to do

32. Mary Is The Mother Of The Church • She has a particular role and responsibility • She cooperates with Christ in caring for and guiding the Church • Mary’s motherhood is a gift which Christ makes personally to the Church as a whole and to every individual

33. Church is Mother • The Church follows Mary’s example • Receives the Word of God in faith and then brings forth sons and daughters who are conceived and born of the Holy Spirit

34. In Conclusion • Everyone needs someone who is a good example for virtuous living • Church offers its saints as models who help us respond to the crises which face us, as models who can help us to live more Christian lives • General theme of all saints is that they were faithful in everyday things

35. In Conclusion • To imitate saints, we should look for God in everything we do, and in all the people we meet. • Communion of saints offers models for our faith, guides to help us as we reach out to the Lord. • Saints in heaven are still living members of the Church.

36. In Conclusion • God gives us the grace to be holy, but accepting god’s grace is difficult to do alone. • Saints offer us support and encouragement we need to accept grace, and to become holy. • Among whole communion of saints, Mary is preeminent because she is the perfect model of faith.

37. In Conclusion • The Magnificat expresses the faith of the true Church, the faith which clings to God and abandons all desire to be god. • Mary is a brave woman, willing to risk everything because she trusts and loves God. • Mary is sign of Church, which will become one with Jesus, has been called to bear God to the world.