Rejoicing in the faithfulness of the Saints

It is important to remember that when we show honour to the Saints (venerate them) we do not worship them.  This is because worship is something we offer to God alone.  But we rejoice in their faithfulness to God and we pray that we may follow their example and be loyal to Jesus to the end of our lives.

SUMMARY

1. We honour and reverence the Saints because of their holiness and courage and because God himself honours them.  In particular we honour Our Lady because God has honoured her above any other human being by choosing her to be the Mother of his Son, and Our Lord has given her to us to be our Mother also.

2. We rejoice in the faithfulness of the Saints and pray that we may be loyal to Jesus to the end of our lives.

References

1. The Encyclical Epistle of the Church at Smyrna (2nd century A.D.) cited in Aquilina, M. (2006) The Fathers of the Church.  An introduction to the first Christian teachers, Indiana: Our Sunday Visitor, Inc.

2. Aquilina, M. (2006) ‘St Polycarp of Smyrna’, in The Fathers of the Church.  An introduction to the first Christian teachers, Indiana: Our Sunday Visitor, Inc, p.67.

3. Butler, A. (edited by Kelly, B.) (1936) The lives of the Fathers, Martyrs and other Principal Saints, volume 1, London: Virtue & Company Limited.

4. Henderson, A. (1920) The lesson of the catacombs, London: Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge.

5. ©The Archbishops’ Council (2000) Lesser Festivals February.  Available from: http://www.cofe.anglican.org/worship/liturgy/commonworship/texts/collects/contemp/february.html  (Accessed 21 August 2010) (Internet).

6. Henderson, A. (1920) The lesson of the catacombs, London: Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge.