The Communion of Saints

I. The saints are our family; we share God as our Father

II. The saints are our encouragers (Heb 12:1)

III. The saints are our co-worshippers, co-partakers of the Eucharist (Heb 12:22). In short, they are our co-communers

IV. The saints deliver our prayers to God (Rev 5:8)

V. Because of all this, we can be sure that the saints are aware of us

Therefore

1. We are to venerate them; God is glorified in his saints. Praising a work of art is a way to praise the artist

2. We must learn of the saints; if they are the work of God, the artist, then we must learn of them in order to venerate them

3. We are to love; if they are family, we must love them.

4. We can pray to them to ask for their prayers; if they love us (which, as saints, they must - they are with God, and God is love) and they are aware of us, then they would gladly pray for us.