The Communion of Saints

Link for Advent prayers:

https://www.usccb.org/prayers/o-antiphons-advent

(Plain Text Version)

We Are United Across Time and Space

In a general sense, the word “saint” refers to all who belong to the Church.  This includes those alive on Earth and those who have died.  There are three groups, representing three stages in our journey to Heaven:

1. The faithful on Earth, struggling to live a holy life and to bring others into the Church,

1.  2. Those who are destined for Heaven, but are being perfected in Purgatory,

2.  3. Those who enjoy everlasting life with God in Heaven.

Although we may not see each other, the members of these three groups work together.  Here on Earth, we pray for each other and for those in Purgatory.  Those in Purgatory pray for us.  Those in Heaven pray for us and for those in Purgatory. 

Together, all the faithful form a unified family: God’s family. 

Right Now, We Have a Great Opportunity

In this life on Earth, we can pray and offer our sufferings to help the souls in Purgatory to get to Heaven more quickly.  In the same way, we can ask them to pray for us.

We can ask the saints in Heaven to pray to God for us.  Their prayers are powerful because they are in God’s presence.

Once we die, we will not have the ability to help ourselves.  Purgatory could take a very long time.  So, let us use our short life on Earth to get to Heaven quickly!       

Many thanks to:

Fr. John A. Hardon, S.J., Pocket Catholic Catechism, 1989, Doubleday

Prayers for the Last Days of Advent

Here are some simple prayers to prepare for our celebration of the Birth of Our Lord.  They start on December 17 and end on December 23.  They can be found at:

https://www.usccb.org/prayers/o-antiphons-advent

They can be prayed at any time of the day.  It may be helpful to read it a few times and think about its meaning.  Here is the prayer for December 17:

O Wisdom of our God Most High,
guiding creation with power and love:
come to teach us the path of knowledge!