THE COMMUNION OF SAINTS
We have already seen that the evidence of Scriptures leads us to the
assurance that our dear ones departed are living a vivid, conscious
life; that there is continuance of personal identity. "I" am still
"I," and that there is memory still, clear and distinct, of the old
friends and the old scenes on earth.
§ 1
We pass on to consider the relations between ourselves and them. Do
they know now of our life on earth? Can there be between us
comradeship in any sense? Can there be love and care and sympathy and
prayer between us on these two sides of the grave, as there is between
friends on earth on the two sides of the Atlantic?
The Church says yes, and calls it in her creed, the Communion of
Saints. The Communion of Saints--a very grand name, but it means only
a very simple thing--just loving sympathy between us and these elder
brothers and sisters beyond the grave.
The term "saint" in the New Testament only means any poor humble
servant of Christ "set apart" to Him, baptized into His name.
Communion means Fellowship, Comradeship. Therefore the Communion of
Saints simply means fellowship between Christians, and in church
language has come chiefly to mean fellowship between Christians at this
side and at the other side of death. Knowledge and comradeship and
sympathy and love and prayer between the church MILITANT on earth and
the church EXPECTANT in Paradise, as they both look forward to the
final joy of the church TRIUMPHANT in Heaven, and meantime coöperate
one with the other to bring the whole world within the Kingdom of
Christ.
You see that it is a prominent doctrine of the Church's creed, and
rightly understood, it is a very beautiful and touching doctrine--not
only because of the union of fellowship with our departed--but
especially because the bond of that union and fellowship is our dear
Lord Himself, whom we and they alike love and thank and praise and pray
to and worship, and from whom we and they alike derive the Divine
sustenance of our souls.
You know what a bond of union it is between two men even to find that
they both deeply honour and admire and love the same friend and
benefactor. They become one in him. The Bible means that, but a great
deal more, when it says we are "one in Christ Jesus."
Here on earth, there in Paradise, is His presence. Here on earth,
there in Paradise, is the love and prayer and praise going forth to
Him, and the strength and power of God coming back from Him. You know
His own simile, "I am the Vine, ye are the branches." From the central
Vine the life rises and flows to every farthest branch and twig and
leaf, connecting them all in the one life. He the Sacred Vine is on
earth with us and in Paradise with them. Some of the branches are in
the shadow here, some of them are in the sunlight there, but we are all
united through the Lord Himself. He is the Vine, we are the branches.
Because He is with us here, prayer and praise and all the functions of
the Church are here. Because He is with them in Paradise prayer and
praise and all the functions of the Church go on in Paradise. Every
Sunday as we in our poor way love Him and worship Him and pray to Him
and praise Him, our dear ones beyond are doing the very same. Notice
how in the Communion Service we remind ourselves of the fact.
"Therefore with angels and archangels and all the company of Heaven we
laud and magnify Thy holy name," etc. It is not we alone who feed on
His divine life, it is not the altar on earth alone that communicates
the all-prevailing virtues of the atoning Blood, for the same Victim is
the central object of adoration beyond, as saints and angels and all
redeemed creation are with us taking up together the chorus of that
everlasting hymn.
If we on this side were living closer to our Lord and closer to our
departed, how close might that comradeship become! We should tell our
Lord so much about each other. We should think of each other and
remember each other and sympathize with each other and pray for each
other. Why, we could do everything for each other that we can do on
earth when separated by the Atlantic--except just write home. (Ah, how
one wishes that they could "write home"!) We are very close if we
would but realize it.
"Death hides but it does not divide
Thou art but on Christ's other side,
Thou art with Christ and Christ with me
In Him I still am close to thee."
II
Yes, you say, that is a beautiful thought. But is that all? My poor
heart is craving for more communion than that. Do they know or care
about my love and sorrow to-day? And are they helping me? Are they
praying for me to that dear Lord whom we both love--in whose presence
we both stand to-day? And can I do anything for them on my side in
this "Communion of Saints"?
§ 1
Do they pray for us or help us in any way? Does any one need to ask
that question?
Since they are with Christ of course they pray. The world to come is
the very atmosphere of prayer. St. John in his vision tells of "the
offering of the golden vials full of odours which are the prayers of
the saints" (Rev. v. 8). And again three chapters later the angel
stood to offer the prayers of all saints upon the golden altar.
Can you imagine your mother who never went to bed here without earnest
prayer for her boy going into that life with full consciousness and
full memory of the dear old home on earth, and never a prayer for her
boy rising to the altar of God?
Why, even the selfish Dives, after death, could not help praying for
his brothers.
Aye, she is praying for you. I think amongst the most precious prayers
before the golden altar are the mother's prayers for her boy who is
left behind on earth.
§ 2
But, you say, she does not know anything about my life or my needs on
earth. Even if she did not know she would surely pray for you. But I
am not so sure that she does not know. There are several hints in
Scripture to suggest that she does know--hints so strong that if you
are doing anything now that she would like I should advise you to keep
on doing it and if you are doing anything now that you would not wish
her to know, I should advise you to stop doing it.
Our Lord represents Abraham as knowing all about Moses and the prophets
who came one thousand years after his time (St. Luke xvi. 29).
Our Lord distinctly tells the Jews that Abraham in that life knew all
about His mission on earth. "Your Father Abraham rejoiced to see My
day and he saw it and was glad" (St. John viii. 56).
At the Transfiguration, too, Moses and Elias came out from that waiting
life to speak with Christ of His decease which He should accomplish at
Jerusalem. Does it not suggest at once that they and their great
comrades within the veil were watching eagerly and knowing all about
the life of Christ and the great crisis of man's redemption towards
which they had been working on earth long years ago. Can any one
believe that the whole Waiting Church within the veil, living, and
conscious, and thinking, and remembering were absolutely ignorant and
unconcerned about the greatest event that ever came in the history of
their race?
The writer in the Epistle to the Hebrews apparently believed that our
departed ones were watching our course, for after a long list of the
great departed heroes of faith in olden time he writes to encourage us
in the race on earth. "Seeing that we are encompassed about with so
great a cloud of witnesses let us lay aside every weight and run with
patience the race that is set before us" (Heb. xii. 1). The picture
suggested is that of the runners in the amphitheatre on earth and the
galleries of Creation crowded with sympathetic watchers like the "old
boys" of a great English school coming back at the annual school games
to cheer on the lads and remember how they had run themselves long ago
in the very same fields.[1]
III
And the hope which Scripture thus suggests and never contradicts
commends itself to reason and to the deepest instincts in our hearts.
I think of a mother leaving her children and going into a full
conscious life, where, mark you, she can still think and remember and
love. I see that her love for them was probably the most powerful
influence in ennobling her life here. And she has gone into a life
where that ennobling is God's chief aim for her. Since she can
remember them, I feel quite sure that if she had the choice she would
want to watch over them always.
But, somebody says, she might not be quite happy if she knew all that
they had to go through. Seeing that at any rate she remembers them, do
you think she would be more happy if she knew that they might have to
go through troubles of which she could not learn anything? Put
yourself in the place of any mother on earth that you know and ask if
it would make her any happier to stop all letters about her children
whom she felt might be in danger or trouble. Are you quite sure that
in that spirit life a peaceful contentment like that of the cow who
forgets her calf is the highest thing to be desired? The higher any
soul grows on earth the less can it escape unselfish sorrow for the
sake of others. Must it not be so in that land also? Surely the
Highest Himself must have more sorrow than any one else for the sins
and troubles of men. Have you ever thought of that "eternal pain" of
God? If there be joy in His presence over one sinner that repenteth
must there not be pain in His presence over one that repenteth not?
There are surely higher things in God's plans for His saints than mere
selfish happiness and content. There is the blessedness that comes of
sympathy with Him over human sorrow and pain. We but degrade the
thought of the blessedness of the redeemed when we desire that they
should escape that.
And since in that life she is "with Christ" and able doubtless to win
for her children more than she could ever win on earth, and since she
knows that Christ is more solicitous for them than she is herself and
that she can trust Him utterly to do for them more than she can ask or
think, does it not seem far more probable that she should still know
and care and love and pray and share in the care and sympathy of Christ
for them?
Yes, I think probably she does know about them. I know certainly she
prays about them. I myself hope and believe that some of the best
helps in my life have been won for me by those on the other side who
love me and who are so near to their Lord.
§ 2
And it is a strong confirmation of that belief when I find it the
belief of the great bishops and teachers of the early Church in its
purest and most loving days, the days nearest to those of Christ and
His apostles.
St. Cyprian the martyr bishop of Carthage who was born in the century
after St. John's death (A. D. 200) made an agreement with his friend
Cornelius that whichever of them died first should in the Unseen Land
remember in prayer him who was left behind. "Let us mutually be
mindful of each other.... On both sides let us always pray for each
other, let us relieve our afflictions and distresses by a reciprocity
of love and whichever of us goes hence before the other by the speed of
the Divine favour, let our affection continue before the Lord, let not
prayer for our brothers and sisters cease before the mercy of the
Father" (Ep. lvii. ad Cornel.). And in the days of the plague at
Carthage, A. D. 252, he comforts his fellow citizens reminding them of
"the large number of dear ones, parents, brothers, children, a goodly
and numerous crowd longing for us and while their own immortality is
assured still longing for our salvation."
Origen, who was a contemporary of Cyprian, says, "All the souls who
have departed this life still retaining their love for those who are in
the world concern themselves for their salvation and aid them by their
prayers and mediation with God. For it is written in the Book of the
Maccabees, 'This is Jeremiah the prophet who always prays for the
people'" (in Cant. Hom. iii.). And in another work he says, "It is my
opinion that all those fathers who have fallen asleep before us fight
on our side and aid us by their prayers" (in Jesu Nave Hom. xvi. ch.
19). And again "They (in that unseen life) understand who are worthy
of Divine approval and are not only well disposed to these themselves,
but coöperate with them in their endeavours to please God, they seek
His favour on their behalf and with their prayers and intercessions
they join their own." And again, "These (in the Unseen Life) pray for
us and bring help to our perishable race, and if I may so speak, take
up arms alongside of it" (Contra Celsum viii. 64).
St. Gregory Nazianzen is preaching the funeral sermon of St. Basil.
"He still prays for the people," he says, "for he did not so leave us
as to have left us altogether." And in his funeral sermon over his own
father, "I am satisfied that he accomplishes there now by his prayers
more than he ever did by his teaching just in proportion as he
approaches nearer to God after having shaken off the fetters of his
body."
St. Cyril, Bishop of Jerusalem, in his Catechetical lectures, and St.
Chrysostom in several of his homilies speak of the help we get through
the prayers of departed holy men.
St. Ambrose in his great grief at his brother's death, says: "What
other consolation is left me but this that I hope to come to thee my
brother speedily, that thy departure will not entail a long separation
between us, and that power may be granted me by thy intercessions that
thou mayest summon me who long to join thee more speedily."
St. Jerome, who gave us the Vulgate, the great Revised Bible of the
Western Church, is comforting a mother who has lost a daughter. "She
entreats the Lord for thee and begs for me the pardon of my sins."
Again to another friend, Heliodorus, he speaks of the life after death.
"There you will be made a fellow burgher with St. Paul. There also you
will seek for your parents the rights of the same citizenship. There
too you will pray for me who spurred you on to victory." Again he
vigorously disputes with Vigilantius who asserts that prayers and
intercessions must cease after death. "If the apostles and martyrs
while still in the body are able to pray for others ... how much more
may they do so now.... One man, Moses, obtains from God pardon for
600,000 men in arms; and Stephen, the imitator of his Lord, begs
forgiveness for his persecutors; shall their power be less after they
have begun to be with Christ?"[2]
§ 3
But sympathy and prayer must not be on one side only. It must be
mutual in the Communion of Saints. They remembering and loving, and
thinking about us. We remembering and loving, and thinking about them.
They asking from their Lord blessing for us. We asking from Him
blessing for them. For surely they are not above wanting His blessings
still--not even the best of them though safe with Him, though forgiven
their sins, they are still imperfect, still needing to grow in grace,
in purification, in fitness for the final heaven by and by. And we can
help their growth as they can help ours.
Some of the most deeply religious people that I know shrink from the
thought of prayer for the departed. There has been reason for it.
This beautiful old custom, the custom of the Jews, the custom of the
whole Christian Church till the Reformation[3] had grown at that time
into great corruption. And one danger of great corruption is that
indignant reformers are likely to tear away more than the corruption,
"hating even the garment spotted by the flesh." So it was here.
Because of the abuse men feared even the use. In their hatred of the
sordid traffic in masses for the dead they looked with suspicion on any
prayer for the departed. And at length men began to think that such
prayers were even wrong.
Ah, it was a pity! Our departed ones have more quickly passed into
oblivion. The great Paradise life has almost faded from our view. We
are the more lonely in our desolate bereavement. Perhaps our dear ones
beyond are the more lonely, too, if they know about our life and our
prayers on earth. A friend said to me lately, "I was a little child
when the news came of father's death far away. That night in my
prayers I prayed for father as usual. But my aunt stopped me.
'Darling,' she said, 'you must not pray for father now; it is wrong.'
And I can remember still how I shrank back feeling as if some one had
slammed the door and shut him outside."
I think we should be happier and better, I think the Unseen World would
come back more clearly on our horizon if we kept our dear ones in our
prayers as we used to do before they died. Do not keep any hidden
chambers in your hearts shut out from Christ. Bring your dear departed
ones to Him as you bring all else to Him. He knows what is best for
them. Pray only for that. Pray "Lord help them to grow closer to
Thee. Help them if it may be to help others and make them happy in Thy
great Kingdom until we meet again." Pray something like that. Oh, how
can you help doing it if you love them and believe in prayer?
How can I cease to pray for thee? Somewhere
In God's wide universe thou art to-day.
Can He not reach thee with His tender care?
Can He not hear me when for thee I pray?
Somewhere thou livest and hast need of Him,
Somewhere thy soul sees higher heights to climb,
And somewhere, too, there may be valleys dim
Which thou must pass to reach the heights sublime.
Then all the more because thou canst not hear
Poor human words of blessing will I pray.
O, true brave heart, God bless thee wheresoe'er
In God's wide universe thou art to-day!
[1] It is true that the Greek word translated "witnesses" is not the
word meaning "spectators" but rather "witnesses for the faith," but as
most good commentators (including Bishop Westcott) say--it is
impossible to exclude the thought of spectators in an amphitheatre
watching a race. The Revised Version, too, seems to accept this view
for it prints the word "witnesses" without any marginal remark.
[2] Luckock, _After Death_.
[3] The evidence for this can be seen in full in any standard work on
the subject, e. g., Luckock, _After Death_; or Lee, _Christian Doctrine
of Prayer for the Departed_.