The Communion of Saints

The word Communion comes from the Greek word Koinonia from which we derive the words fellowship, communion, communication, and economy. The word Saints is the Greek word Hagios. It can also be translated holy ones.

For example, the New American Bibles reads as follows:

"Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, to the holy ones (Hagios) who are in Ephesus" (Ephesians 1:1)

Whereas the Revised Standard Version (Catholic Edition) reads:

"Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, to the saints (Hagios) who are in Ephesus" (Ephesians 1:1)

Often times, we only think of saints as those who have been canonized (i.e.:
St. Patrick, St. Anthony, etc.) Other times, we use the term to refer to all those in Heaven. However, the word Hagios literally means: those set apart or separated from.

In ecclesial usage, the word Hagios means those separated from the world or the (world system) and thus set apart for God. Therefore, the broader sense of the term includes all Christians, be they on Earth, in Purgatory, or fully perfected in Heaven.

So Communion of Saints is a term used to describe the entire Church, the interaction of all Her members and the mystical economy that exists between them. While economy might sound like strange word to use, it is very accurate. Within the Communion of Saints, there is a sharing of Spiritual goods. The prayers, deeds, and offerings of one member affect the entire Body of Christ. So too, the needs, sufferings, and even sins of any member impact the entire Body. This, in essence, describes an economy.

• What does Scripture teach us about the Communion of Saints?
  

Let's start by looking a key text:

The foundation of our doctrine is rooted in the proper understanding of verse 5.

5 For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men,
the Man Christ Jesus,

Notice Paul's emphasis: he refers the Man Christ Jesus.

• Why is Paul stressing Jesus' humanity?

Because, the implication of the Incarnation is that God intended to include and involve humanity in Christ's redemptive work. Hence, the role of the Man Christ Jesus isn't meant to exclude the rest of mankind. To the contrary, in and through the Incarnation, Christ saves us and we become members of His Body. If, by grace, we are members of His Body, then also by grace, we participate in His mediation and redemptive work.

St. Peter, in his first epistle, referred to us as:

Of course, Peter is not saying we are all ordained priests. However, through our baptism and adoption into the Body of Christ, we all share in the Priesthood of Christ. If we are all priests, we are, therefore all mediators by definition, because the role of a priest is to mediate.

That is what St. Paul is telling Timothy. Notice that he doesn't mention Christ's mediation alone. Rather, the text is bracketed by exhortations to pray and intercede.

If Christ alone is the exclusive mediator, then Paul's exhortation makes no sense.

This brings up two questions:

1. Are the souls of the deceased able to witness what is happening
   among the living?

The answer is found in Hebrews Chapter 12.

12 1 Therefore, we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us. Hebrews 12:1

Notice the text starts with the word therefore. One of the first rules of biblical interpretation is:

When you see a therefore you have to find out what it's there for!

In this instance, the therefore is a reference to all of Hebrews 11.
This chapter lists the many Old Testament characters who died in faith, awaiting the promised Messiah. So the author of Hebrews makes it clear that those who have gone before us, surround us and are very conscious of what is happening amongst the living.

The second question then becomes:

2. Are these deceased saints merely spectators or are we some how connected with them in prayer and worship?
   

Again, the author of Hebrews answers this question for us.

22 But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, to an innumerable company of angels, 23 to the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are registered in heaven, to God the Judge of all, to the spirits of just men made perfect, 24 to Jesus the Mediator of the new covenant, . . . Hebrews 12:22-24

First, notice verse 24. The author of Hebrews also mentions Jesus as the Mediator. But again, as in Paul's letter to Timothy, Christ's mediation is not mentioned in a vacuum. Quite the contrary, verse 23 mentions:

• the angels
• the general assembly
• the church registered in Heaven, and
• the spirits of just men made perfect

Then finally, Jesus the Mediator is referenced in verse 24.

The inspired author is telling us that the unity of the Mystical Body of Christ is organic and inseparable. Death has no power of this unity, just as death had no power over Christ Himself.

This understanding is not a Catholic novelty. This belief is shared by our Orthodox Christian brothers and, just as important, has roots in Jewish Tradition.

The Second Book of Maccabees records a (vision|dream) experienced by Judas Maccabeus. In this vision, Judas sees the High Priest Onias and the Prophet Jeremiah (both of whom were dead and buried) interceding on behalf of Israel. (2 Maccabees 15:11-16) While Maccabees was not included in the Jewish Canon in 90 A.D. (for political reasons), Jews still maintain this belief.

All that being said; we must remember our starting point. The Communion of Saints is rooted in the doctrine of the Incarnation. The Saints in Heaven, the souls in Purgatory, just like the Christians on Earth, are all members of the Mystical Body of Christ.

Therefore, since we are all In Christ, as Paul wrote to the Ephesians, we participate in Christ's mediation and intercession for the world.