Communion of saints

Dear friends who count the cost before they follow, we welcome you into this time of prayer.

This is Chris with the Communion of Saints, and today is Wednesday, November 4, 2026, Wednesday of the 31st week in Ordinary Time.

We celebrate the memorial of St. Charles Borromeo, Bishop.

Today's Gospel speaks of the cost of walking after Jesus, of carrying the cross, and of finishing what one begins.

I believe in God, the Father Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth, and in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died and was buried, he descended into hell, on the third day he rose again from the dead, he ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of God the Father Almighty.

From there he will come to judge the living and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Holy Catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and life everlasting.

Amen.

And they are praying for us.

It reminds us of another reality called the communion of saints.

which is three parts.

You have the church triumphant, those of the souls in heaven, the church militant, that's us here on earth, still striving to achieve that goal, and the church suffering, those in purgatory, who now are making that last final effort for whatever punishment is due for the sins they have committed, that will consume them completely in the love of God and prepare them for heaven.

We call them all the saints.

And they are the communion of saints.

And here's the challenge.

We rely, and that's what the scripture tells us today.

Dear friends invited to the great banquet, we greet you with readiness as we begin this time of prayer.

This is Chris with the Communion of Saints, and today is Tuesday, November 3rd, 2026, Tuesday of the 31st week in Ordinary Time.

We also remember St. Martin de Porres.

Today's Gospel tells of a banquet prepared and of guests who offer excuses instead of coming.

He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of God the Father Almighty.

From there he will come to judge the living and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Holy Catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and life everlasting.

Amen.

to that treasury, and we can contribute to the salvation of souls by doing that work of redemption.

We have what we call a communion of saints.

This is a consoling reality.

The church isn't a billion people on the face of this earth.

But that's not it.

Also, everyone in purgatory, on their way to heaven.

That's part of the communion of saints.

They're members of the church.

Father Olvera, the pastor of St. Bernadette in Lancaster, as well as St. Joseph's in Sugar Grove.

The term communion of saints, I didn't initially understand.

When we talk about the communion of saints, there's actually three groups that are involved.

And I just thought of the saints as the church triumphant.

But actually the communion of saints includes the souls in purgatory as well as the church militant.

Correct.

And that's...

We're battling for ourselves and others to try to get to heaven.

and from there he shall come again to judge the living and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Holy Catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body and life everlasting.

Amen.

And friends, on this day of all souls, all of our friends and relatives and everyone in the human family who departed, before us and they are in the way to the glory of heaven but first they have to undergo purification in purgatory on this day we pray for the gift of peace for the gift of our daily conversion and for the gift of our discernment and for the grocery network community and everyone's intentions and petitions and we pray for the unity of the church for its expansion in words and action And for our priests and bishops and Pope Leo XIV and for his success in his apostolic trips, we pray for the poor and the sick, the suffering, the forgotten, the homeless, the imprisoned, the unemployed, those who are struggling with anxiety and with addiction or financial distress, financial issues.

Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death.

Amen.

And Maria Blanca, my Holy Mother in Heaven, part of the Communion of Saints, I guess, I don't have 100% certainty, but we are seeing many signs.

And today we celebrate all souls, los fieles difuntos in Spanish, all the faithful departed in their transit to heaven, but still purging their sins.