"The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham."

Matthew 1:1

Our Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI, teaches about the Communion of Saints in his encyclical on hope, Spe Salvi: "No one is an island, entire of itself. Our lives are involved with one another, through innumerable actions they are linked together. No one lives alone. No one sins alone. No one is saved alone. The lives of others continually spill over into mine: in what I think, say, do and achieve. And conversely, my life spills over into that of others: for better and for worse."

We live in a world that is highly individualistic where people are cut off from each other. In trying to deal with all that life is throwing us by ourselves, we can feel weak and hopeless. In the face of our extreme individualism and fencing off our lives from others, the Communion of Saints can bring us great strength and hope. So many times we can try to "go it alone", figure it out by ourselves, and just handle it with our own strength, intelligence and resources. It does not take long to come to the psalmists' realization of how "weak and short-lived" we are. We know we need something other than ourselves and greater than ourselves to save us.

Jesus teaches us that it is a sin to try and save ourselves. He used the example of the Pharisees as people who were seeking to save themselves. The Pharisees thought by following the law they could save themselves by earning God's grace and salvation. But, as we know, we cannot earn God's gracious gift of salvation.

We once again learn about God's gracious gift of salvation in the genealogy of Jesus Christ found in Matthew 1:1-17. Born in the line of Abraham and David, Jesus the God-man, becomes human to save all humans. We are part of that lineage of Abraham and David. We are part of that great band of sinners in which Jesus has become one of us to save all of us. My friends, look and think and read and pray about that Communion of Saints. Befriend them and learn from their lives. None of us lives alone, cries alone, laughs alone, sins alone and is saved alone! Draw strength and hope from all who have and are following God into the Communion of Saints. Ask them to help you accept Jesus' gracious gift of salvation as they did. We have countless options of friends in the Communion of Saints who are loving us and urging us to join the joyful song of our salvation.

Let us pray: "Lord Jesus, so many times I try to save myself. I try to earn that which can only be given. Help me to accept that which can never be earned- your gracious gift of salvation. I am a part of the Communion of Saints. I do not live alone, cry alone, laugh alone, sin alone nor am I saved alone. I commit to befriending those who have and are following you into the Communion of Saints. There are so many to draw hope strength and inspiration from! They have gone before me and they also live among me. Draw me in, Oh Lord. Draw me into the joyful song of salvation we all have in YOU!"

+Fr. John

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