The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1916-03-04

goods of the Church include the
merits of Christ, of our Blessed Lady,
OF the saints, the sacraments, the holy
sacrifice of the Mass, the prayers and
good works OF the faithful. These
spiritual goods are in sense the
common property of all the members
OF the Church. BY the communion of
saints the members of the Church on
earth are united to the members in
purgatory and TO the members i'll
heaven, SO that they assist each other
by prayer. We can pray for the
poor SOULS" they can pray for us,
and we can ask and receive the as
We may CLEAN from this the nature
and meaning of 'the communion Of
saints" All are the subjects or the
children of one King and they unite
to fight a common foe.
What of those members unfortunate
enough to be in mortal sin? Can they
have any share or participation in
the communion of saints? Yes, pro-
vided they are not communicated
AS the shepherd separates the infected
sheep from the flock, or as human
society deprives dangerous criminal
Of his social or civic rights, so the
Church sometimes cuts off or eX-
communicates evil members. While
the sinner is in mortal guilt he may
profit by the merit of others. He
may be quickened or reused to
repentance by the inspiration obtain
ed for him by the intercession of the
saints he may be assisted back to
spiritual life by the efficacy of the
Mass. The faith which is not eX-
tinguished in him keeps him in a
sense attached to the golden chain
of the communion of saints.
CAS- in one body we have many
members, so we being many,
are one body in Christ" says st. Paul
(Romans XII, A.. AS the members
of the natural human body have actu-
ally no separate existence, except as
united with the rest, so all the mem
bers of the Church work together for
the good of ALL g am the vine, you
are the branches"
1t is evident from spiritual teach
ing that there was inter-communion
of Gods servants. 1t is related in the
Old Testament that Abraham, job,
Moses, Aaron, Samuel, Tobias, Judith
and Esther prayed for their friends
or nation and that God accepted their
prayers. SO i'll the New Testament
our Lord, says that where two or
three are gathered together in His
name, He will be III the midst of
them.
There is a good deal of mystery con-
corning the disembodied state. Though
the soul leaves the body and changes
its state, it does not change it's No.
ture. The parable of the rich man
and Lazarus shows us that the depart
ed soul is mindful of conditions on
earth. Dives wished that Lazarus
would be sent to his fathers house
where the rich man had five brothers
and bear such testimony that they
would not go to that place Of terrible
torments. Since such knowledge aD-
pears to be possessed by souls N
hell, would it not for greater reasons
be granted to souls pleading to God?
If Dives was solicitous, would not the
holy souls be more solicitous to help
those battling on earth? They must
rejoice in those that fight that good
fight, while they cannot but grieyc
over their friends who have fallen
and who continue to live in mortal sin.
st. Paul tells US (1 Cor. ", 81 that
we are made a spectacle not only
to the world, but to angels and to
men, The blessed in purgatory and
the saints in heaven are deeply inter
ested in our spiritual combats. Loving
God intensely, and loving us now even
more than formerly, they ardently
pray for our victory We should
reciprocate by praying for the poor
SOULS
Our real life, our long life, begins
Il stage" We are all the actors Ac-
cording to their parts some appear in
royal robes and others in humble
attire. Some represent the kings
and queens of the play, and others the
laborers, the Wallets and the grave
diggers. 1t matters not what part
they have provided they filled their
parts well. When the play is over
and the curtain falls, they are all
themselves" again. The kings and
queens take off their crowns and the
clowns divest themselves of their at
tire, and the only question then is,
who played best?"
We should be satisfied with our
lot, with our part. Imagine actors
quarreling on the stage and seeking
to take parts for which they are not
fitted, neglecting their own and strug-
Cling to usurp the place and attire
of others. Yet the angels and saints
and the blessed in purgatory see much
of this conduct in our play.
Intercession is the constant Office
of the saints. as it is the constant
occupation of our mediator, Jesus
Christ. Prayer and praise will merge
into praise alone when all below is
finished. Gods will is their will, and
His will is our sanctihcation. This
is the will of God. your sanctifcation. =
- rY-n- r N.