Roberto de Mattei
RadioRomaLibera
November 2, 2020
The month of November began with two important liturgical feasts: All
Saints and All Souls.
On November 1st, the Church celebrated the Feast of All Saints - those of
whom the Apocalypse sings: “After this I saw a great multitude,
which no man could number, of all nations, and tribes, and peoples, and
tongues, standing before the throne, and in sight of the Lamb, clothed with
white robes, and palms in their hands: [10] And they cried with a loud voice, saying: Salvation to
our God” (Apocalypse, 7, 9-10). This is the Church Triumphant in Heaven, the
Church of the Saints, our models and intercessors.
On November 2nd the Church commemorated the deceased, of whom St. Paul
says: “And we will not have you ignorant, brethren,
concerning them that are asleep, that you be not sorrowful, even as others who
have no hope” (1 Thess.
4,12). This is the Church Penitent, of the souls suffering in Purgatory waiting
to enter Heaven. And the Faith teaches us that the liberation from their
sufferings is in our hands, through prayer.
The Church Triumphant in Heaven and the Penitent Church in Purgatory are united to the Church Militant, made up of Christians living on Earth and together form the One Church, the Mystical Body of Christ, the Communion of Saints.
(Volo mori, o Deus in Te.)
The Church
Triumphant in Heaven and the Penitent Church in Purgatory are united to the
Church Militant, made up of Christians living on Earth and together form the
One Church, the Mystical Body of Christ, the Communion of Saints.
Each one of
these three Churches, the Triumphant, the Penitent and the Militant, is not
made up of individual souls, but forms a true and proper society, a Mystical
Body, inserted in a larger Mystical Body, uniting the three Churches.
The souls in
Paradise are not only immensely happy because they know God, face to face, but
they are happy also because they know each other; they love each other
ardently; each one enjoys the happiness and the glory of the other, as if it
were their own. Love reigns supreme in
the heavenly society.
The souls in
Purgatory do not only have relations with the faithful on Earth, but also live
in a society; they know each other and they love and help each other like
siblings. Our dear ones then don’t live isolated in Purgatory, but enjoy family
relationships. Purgatory, say the
theologians, is the kingdom of fraternal love.
Also the
Church Militant, which we are part of, is not made up of individual souls, but
is a society formed by those, who, through their baptism have been incorporated
in Christ and profess the Catholic Faith. Yet while all the souls in Heaven and
Purgatory are part of the Communion of Saints, inside the Church Militant, only
the faithful in a state of grace are part of the Communion of Saints in a full
and complete manner: indeed only they can help each other spiritually, as well
as communicate the merits, satisfactions and the fruit of prayer to each other.
Sinners, whilst
being part of the Church Militant, cannot be part of this exchange of merits, satisfactions
and prayers, given that they are devoid of Divine Grace, unlike the Just, from
Abel to the Good Thief, who, while not being part of the Church Militant -
which had yet to be founded - merited the grace of Heaven and are now members of
the Church Triumphant. Thus, says St. Gregory, the Communion of Saints, has its
origins in Abel and embraces all the Just, from Abel to the last of the elect
at the end of times.
For this,
inside the Communion of Saints the most difficult situation is precisely the
one of the Church Militant members, who must strenuously fight for the their
salvation. Since those in Purgatory, despite their suffering, are certain of
reaching eternal happiness in Heaven, but nobody on Earth has this certainty until
the moment of death when it is revealed.
Eternal life
is offered to everyone, on the condition they put the laws of God into
practice. But not everyone accepts these laws, not everyone makes an effort to observe
them, not everyone entrusts themselves to God to observe them and without the
help of God it isn’t possible to observe His laws. It is God Who saves us, but with our help. Without
His help no human power will save us.
Life then is
a battle to obtain that crown promised to those who fight, and, with the help
of God, win. We are soldiers and despite
the wounds, sweat and mud we are covered in, we want to continue fighting, to
obtain the crown that has been promised (2 Tim. 4,8). For this, in the month of
November we ask for special help from the Saints and deceased, to whom we renew
our prayer.
Translation: Contributor Francesca Romana
