Transcript El fin del hombre: dar gloria a Dios, conocerle y amarle

PRETI, Mattia
Christ in Glory
c. 1660
Oil on canvas, 220 x 253 cm
Museo del Prado, Madrid
The
communion of
the saints
20
Compendium of the Catechism
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194. What is the meaning of
the “communion of saints”?
946-953
960
This expression indicates first
of all the common sharing of all
the members of the Church in
holy things (sancta): the faith,
the sacraments, especially the
Eucharist, the charisms, and
the other spiritual gifts. At the
root of this communion is love
which “does not seek its own
interests” (1 Corinthians 13:5)
but leads the faithful to “hold
everything in common” (Acts
4:32), even to put one’s own
material goods at the service of
the most poor.
Introduction
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The Church is the body of
Christ, to which all the faithful
here on earth, those in
purgatory and the saints in
heaven belong.
And among these three groups
there is a vital interrelation,
similar to that of the members
of a family, who make the
family and help each other.
This communion of life and
supernatural goods between
the members of the Church
with her Head, and among
members themselves, is what
we call the Communion of the
saints.
EYCK, Jan van
The Ghent Altarpiece: Adoration of the Lamb (detail)
1425-29
Oil on wood
Cathedral of St Bavo, Ghent
Main ideas
1. Through Baptism we are incorporated within the
body of the Church
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POUSSIN, Nicolas
The Sacrament of Baptism
1642
Oil on canvas, 95,3 x 121,6 cm
National Gallery of Art, Washington
With baptism we enter the
Church, the Mystical Body of
Christ.
When we receive baptism we
unite ourselves with Christ, who
is the Head of this body, and
we begin to become living
members.
If we lose God’s grace, we
detach ourselves from the
Head and become dead
members.
2. Each member is united to the other members
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In the mystical body of Christ,
grace is similar to the blood in
the human body.
Grace and other God’s gifts set
up a communion of
supernatural grace between the
members and the Head, and
among the members
themselves.
DÜRER, Albrecht
The Martyrdom of the Ten Thousand
1508
Oil on canvas transferred from panel, 99 x 87 cm
Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna
3. The union among the saints in heaven, the souls in
purgatory and the faithful here on earth
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The Church is made up of:
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those who having being
baptized live here on earth
(militant Church),
 the saints in heaven
(triumphant Church),
 and those who are purifying
their souls before entering
heaven (suffering Church).
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These three states are united,
since Christ, the only Head, is
the life that vivifies everybody.
CARRACCI, Lodovico
An Angel Frees the Souls of Purgatory
c. 1610
Oil on canvas, 44 x 51 cm
Pinacoteca, Vatican
4. The communication of the fruits in the Church
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In the Church takes place
something similar to blood
transfusions.
Christ’s grace, the merits of the
Blessed Virgin and of the
saints keep our soul alive like a
blood transfusion keeps the
body alive.
 Our prayers and our good
actions are like good blood that
we give to others: our parents,
brothers, friends, … and also
to the souls in purgatory.
 And the good actions of other
members of the Church help
our souls.
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UNKNOWN MASTER, Flemish
Portrait of a Young Man at Prayer
1480s
Oil on oak panel, 30,5 x 21,5 cm
San Diego Museum of Art, San Diego
5. How to live the communion of saints
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The best way to live the
communion of saints is to receive
the sacraments. Another way is to
invoke the Blessed Virgin and the
saints asking them to obtain for us
many graces from God.
We could help the souls in
purgatory offering mass, work and
prayers because they are longing to
enter God’s glory.
We could also help the militant
Church –Christians who are still in
pilgrimage here on earth—offering
different things to God for their
sake.
RAFFAELLO Sanzio
St George Fighting the Dragon
1505
Oil on wood, 32 x 27 cm
Musée du Louvre, Paris
Resolutions
for Christian
life
Resolutions to move forward
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One way to live the communion
of saints is to pray during the
mass for the souls in purgatory.
When a Christian behaves
properly, he or she helps the
other members of the Church.
This responsibility should help
us to lead a better Christian life
every day.