Published in the bulletin of Holy Ghost Catholic Church in Knoxville, TN, on the 1st Sunday of Lent.
My dear Parishioners,
Peace! The ninth article of the Apostle’s Creed is “I believe in the Holy Catholic Church.” There are thirty-five (35) In Brief passages in the Catechism of the Catholic Church regarding this article of the 8Creed*. The following is a reflection on article 961.
In addressing ‘the communion of saints’ for a second time, the Catechism here does not use the term or phrase “Treasury of Merits” but this nicely sums up the matter. The first consideration treated holy things, this time holy people. When we pray the Litany of the Saints during the Liturgy of Baptism or Confirmation or Ordination so many of the holy ones, saints, are invoked, their intercession sought. This is a part of the ‘communion of saints.’ Each month of the year the sacred liturgy presents us with different saints to consider and with whom we join in worshiping Almighty God.
Different saints serve as patrons of different concerns. The various saints likewise show us one or another facet of who Christ is. Saint Joseph is patron of both fathers and workers. The Blessed Virgin Mary’s intercession is sought by wives and mothers and those seeking to grow in the virtues of chastity and humility. Saint Peregrine’s intercession is sought for those who have cancer. Saint Lucy’s intercession is sought for those with eye problems.
When we admire the poverty of Saint Francis of Assisi we remember Christ’s poverty first. When we revere the Virgin Martyrs Saints Agatha and Agnes we remember Christ whose example they followed and to whom they had given themselves. When considering the various Doctors of the Church, we remember that the Lord Jesus is, in His divine nature, omniscient or all-knowing.
Christ the Lord is the saint of saints in whom all the saints are holy, for it is by His grace that anyone even approaches holiness. Those, however, who cooperate well with His grace and live holy lives add to that inexhaustible ‘deposit’ made on Good Friday. Saints who suffer martyrdom, like Peter and Paul and John the Baptist at the Church’s beginning down to more recent times with Miguel Augustine Pro and Theresa Benedicta of the Cross and Maximilian Marie Kolbe each in their own way made up what was ‘lacking’ in the sufferings of Christ (cf. Colossians 1:24). This is not to say that what the Jesus suffered on Good Friday was not enough to save us, but only to say that the Lord wants our cooperation in the work of salvation (cf. Matthew 16:24; John 21:10). It is not only the martyr saints who contribute to the treasury of merits. Each saint, by whatever good they do or evil they endure for the sake of Christ and by His grace is able to effect others even as Adam’s sin has it’s effects (cf. Romans 5:12–16; Rite of Penance).
We are called to be the saints of today, by God’s grace, to His glory and our salvation.
God bless you!
Father John Arthur Orr