Believers as Community
Rev. Gus Carter 11/ 7 /04
The Readings which relate to this sermon are at this link.

Most of us have heard the saying that a courageous person dies but once, the coward a thousand times. As part of our need for self-preservation, humans have a general fear of death. Some people are so afraid that they will not go to funerals or allow others to speak of death in their presence. On the other hand, the Church calls November, the last month of the Church year, the month of the Holy Souls. We are reminded that we all will die. The liturgies we will celebrate until Advent keep before us that life is short and eternity long. We do not have forever to accomplish what we want to in this life. We will all face a day of reckoning concerning how we have lived our lives.

We are encouraged by Jesus' teaching that the Lord wants us to live in eternal happiness. One of the great consolations the Church provides at the death of a loved one is that we are united with them still. We can look forward to a union with them that will last forever. We believe that the bonds of love among the faithful in the Holy Spirit are so strong that even in death we are not separated. One does not leave the Church at death.

The Vatican II document, The Constitution on the Church, turns its attention to the faithful dead: "Those friends and fellow heirs with Jesus Christ with whom the living form one community." Our faith tells us that we can look forward to Christ's promised future when all people and the cosmos itself will be brought to shalom in Christ. Shalom is the Hebrew word for the Old Testament expression of the fullness of goodness and peace the Lord will give his people at the end of time. The coming of the "new heaven and new earth," spoken of the by the prophets, bring fulness of justice. The people of the Church, though, do experience the travails of life on their way through history. Yet many of its members have already been gathered up in the great harvest of the Lord. Between the deceased in heaven and the living members of the Church there is genuine community.

We live in an age of individualism. In many ways people are encouraged to think only of themselves. In the face of such attitudes Vatican II felt strongly the need to stress and clarify the idea of the Church as community. Following the lead of St. Paul's epistles, the Church teaches, "In various ways and degrees we all partake in the same love for God and neighbor and all sing the same hymn of glory to our God. All who belong to Christ have his Spirit, form one Church and cleave together in him."

This is not a new doctrine. The Church from its beginning centuries has understood that Mary, the apostles and martyrs and all holy people are united in Christ with those still alive. The Church has venerated the memory of those who have gone before us in special ways. We do not have detailed knowledge about the condition of the saints. Still, we believe they are definitively united with Christ. In this relationship they contribute to the upbuilding of the Church on earth through their holiness and their prayers offered with Christ. Many blessings come through our remembering the saints. Our faith is inspired by theirs, our path is made sure by their example. The communion of the whole Church is strengthened. Living followers of Christ rightly respond with love to those friends in Christ. We thank God for them and imitate them in following Christ. We ask them to pray for us. We are made joyful by praising God in their presence All these actions are performed with Christ. They glorify God who is wonderful in his saints.

We honor the saints because they lead us to God. True honor to God comes from our loving one another. Again Vatican II urges us, "Let the faithful be taught that the authentic cult of the saints consists not so much in multiplying external actions but rather in the intensity of our active love." True communion with those in heaven serves to enrich our worship and service of God through the Holy Spirit.

We believe that in the Body of Christ we all need each other. With different ministries we all serve each other in Christ. St. Paul said, "The parts must be concerned with one another. If one part suffers, all parts suffer; if one part is honored, all parts share in the joy. In the Church we are called to support one another, inspire one another, pray for each other. It is together with our love for each other that we witness to Jesus' love for humankind. Can it be said in our lives what the ancient pagans said, "See the Christians, how they love one another.”