SPIRITUALITY 101
SPIRITUAL REFLECTION- 94 
Deacon Jim Breazile o.c.d.s.

Aristotle was once reproached for giving alms to a vagrant who all knew was destitute because of his laziness. Everyone know him as a thief and one who led a generally desolate life. Aristotle replied to his contenders with "It is not that man whim I have helped. In giving to him I have assisted all of humanity."

United through the love and sacrifice of Christ, in doing good to one, we do good to all. We are not to select those to whom we do good. We are to do good for all simply because God loves them all.

DEVOTION - Growth in love- 3rd stage 
DEVOTIONALS- MEDITATION-SACRAMENTALS-THE ROSARY-20 
THE CREED-19 

In our last reflection it was emphasized that the article of faith, "I believe in...The Holy Catholic Church is linked to the expression of faith, "I believe in the Holy Spirit." Thus it is with the remaining articles of the Apostles Creed. Some insight into the meaning of the next expression of the faith, "the communion of saints" could be derived from an intellectual understanding of the incarnation death, resurrection and ascension of Jesus. For a clear understanding of the implications of this article, however, inspiration by the Holy Spirit is necessary. As it is the Holy Spirit Who unites us in the one Holy Catholic Church, so the Holy Spirit unites us with all other human souls that God has ever created, or will ever create. The only exception to this unity are those who have died and through their informed wills have rejected God.

St. Paul speaks of this unity when he compares members of the Church to different parts of the human body. All members of the body are to some degree dependent upon all other members. In a way they contribute spiritually and substantially to the whole. In his letter to the Romans (12:4-5) Paul states; "For as in one body we have many parts, and all the parts do not have the same function, so we, though many, are one body in Christ and individually parts of one another." Also in his first letter to the Corinthians, 12:12-13, he wrote; "As a body is one though it has many parts, and all the parts of the body, though many, are one body, so also Christ. For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, slaves or free persons, we were all given to drink of one Spirit."

By the union of His divinity to human flesh in His incarnation our Lord Jesus accepted solidarity with all human flesh. Through His Holy Spirit, Christ united all human souls. Thus in addition to their unity in the body, all are united to Christ, who is the Head of the Body, the Church (Colossians 1:18). The visible members of this body consists of those who in assembly profess one faith, participate in the same sacraments and are governed by one visible head (the Pope, who represents Peter). This communion is referred to in Scriptures as a flock with a shepherd, guiding all to a supernatural destiny. Beyond this visible Church, however this unity of human persons extends into limitless time to an invisible community, past and future. The invisible community includes all souls except those who through free will and some degree of understanding, have rejected God and His love. For all other souls this unity extends back to Adam, It extends forward into time, to include all souls who will be created to the end of time.

Christ was born, lived and died for all souls; baptized and nonbaptized, believer and nonbeliever from Adam to the last person who will live on this earth at the end of time. In the Church, through the power of the Holy Spirit, Christ unites them all together, transmitting His solidarity to all human souls. By virtue of this solidarity the lives of each individual affects the lives of all other living souls in this world. Through this mysterious but tangible and often realized union, each Christian is responsible to some degree for the salvation of all souls in the world. In Genesis (4:9), when Cain asked God, "Am I my brothers keeper?", he opened up the possibility that the answer is "Yes!". Christ gave this definitive answer to Cain's question.

Occasionally the Christian gets the idea that the goal of their individual holiness is to bring their own soul to perfect union with our Lord, to know Him, love Him and serve Him in order to live with Him in perfect happiness for all eternity. One cannot deny this purpose of holiness. One can be quite certain, however, that if they live their lives to bring their souls to perfection without concern for the souls of all others, their are most likely never to reach their goal. There are two opposing laws of spirituality. Pope John Paul II, refers to these two laws in his apostolic exhortation, Reconciliatio et Paenitentia Article No. 16.5. Both are related to the "Communion of Saints." One is the law of ascent, expressed by Elizabeth Leseur (Journal et pensees de chaque jour, Paris, 1918, 31) "every soul that rises above itself, raises up the world." The second is the law of descent, whereby a soul that lowers itself through sin drags down with itself, the whole world." It is clear that we cannot love God unless we love our all of our neighbors as Christ loves them. (John 13:34) It is through the great gift of solidarity that the way I live my life may bring salvation to souls throughout the world.

THE NEW CATHOLIC CATECHISM: 
ARTICLE NO. 1030 

All who die in God's grace and friendship, but still imperfectly purified, are indeed assured of their eternal salvation; but after death they undergo purification, so as to achieve the holiness necessary to enter the joy of heaven.

ARTICLE NO. 1031 

The Church gives the name Purgatory to this final purification of the elect, which is entirely different from the punishment of the damned. The Church formulated her doctrine of faith on Purgatory especially at the councils of Florence (1439) and Trent (1563). The tradition of the Church, by reference to certain texts of Scripture, speaks of a cleansing fire: (1 Co 3:15; 1 Pet 1:7) As for certain lesser faults, we must believe that, before the Final Judgment, there is a purifying fire. He who is truth says that whoever utters blasphemy against the Holy Spirit will be pardoned neither in this age nor in the age to come. From this sentence we understand that certain offenses can be forgiven in this age, but certain others in the age to come. (Mt. 12:31).

PURGATORY 
Deacon Jim Breazile ocds

The flaws of living that we weave
Into the life that we achieve 
If taken into deaths abyss 
Although not deadly, are amiss 
Of perfection we must attain 
To enter into God's domain

God in His mercy does prepare 
A means by which we find repair 
Of disarray that mars our soul 
Before paradise, our eternal goal 
Can be achieved by His grace 
Where we will see His Holy face

Sin does wound our eternal soul 
And when we complete our earthly role 
Leaves behind a continuing redound 
Living souls to bring aground 
In merciful refuge the soul is purged 
So with heavens perfection it may be merged

Ó2001 DR. JAMES E. BREAZILE, deacon 
JOHN PAUL EVANGELIST OCDS