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Harold
Eiland
wrote:
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Hi, guys —
- I was curious why the Catholic Church ascribes sainthood
only to deceased individuals?
The Scriptures teach that we are saints in Christ, and
mentions numerous times:
the saints at [a certain location] salute
you, etc. and in Ephesians that Christ gave apostles,
etc., for the perfecting of the saints. (Ephesians 4:10-13)
- Could you share your thoughts on this?
Thanks,
Harold
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Why
does the Catholic Church ascribe sainthood only to deceased
individuals? }
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John
replied:
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Hi, Harold —
Thanks for your question.
It is true that the Bible uses the word Hagios (literally 'separate
ones' in the Greek) to refer to the Saints,
be they living or dead. The Church Herself acknowledges
that the Communion of Saints includes all the member
of the Church, both living and dead.
Nevertheless, the Church also recognizes that within
this Communion, beautifully described in Hebrews
Chapter 12, we have those who are among the living
as well as the spirits of just men mad perfect.
(Hebrews 12:23) So the Church reserves the use of
the word Saint as a title, to those whom
she has canonized as already having been completely
perfected by grace. That is not to say that only those
souls canonized by the Church are Saints but it
is to say that the Church has definitively discerned
that certain individuals have indeed been perfected
or purified.
So we don't deny that all Christians are objectively
Saints (separated and made Holy by Christ for
His purpose). We just reserve the title Saint
to those whom we know have made it.
John
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Mary
Ann replied:
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John is right.
We Christians are all saints, set apart by and
for God in Baptism, but we are not all Saints with
a capital S, the title of one who has been determined
to have lived a life worthy of emulation, at least
from conversion to death, or has been martyred.
Mary Ann
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