This weekend, Catholics celebrate All Saints Day on Saturday and All Souls Day on Sunday.
On All Saints Day, Nov. 1, we honor even the unknown saints - all those who remained faithful and now share in God's glory.
The next day, on All Souls Day, Nov. 2, we remember all the faithful departed, especially the souls in purgatory who are on their way to heaven. They are grateful for our prayers for them. When their time of purification is over, they too will become saints and offer their prayers and intercessions for us.
Catholics have always had special ties with those who have gone before us. Because we are all parts of the one body of Christ, the church, we pilgrims here on earth remain intimately connected with the blessed in heaven and the souls in purgatory. We call this the communion of saints and we affirm this belief every time we recite the Creed.
These are sometimes puzzling concepts for non-Catholics. Many have a difficult time understanding our affection for our saints. Do we worship saints, they ask. Why do we keep statues and pictures of saints?
Do we somehow bypass Jesus Christ when we approach a saint in prayer?
Of course not. The reason we are so fond of our saints is precisely because they have loved God wholeheartedly. They point us in the same direction - toward faithful discipleship - when we ask their help in prayer. If they have any power at all to hear us, it is only that God wills it to be this way.
In the same way, some non-Catholics are confused by the Catholic custom of cherishing images of the Blessed Mother and the saints in our homes and churches.
If we keep a statue of St. Francis of Assisi in our garden, it is only because we, like him, see God's creative hand in the beauty of nature. The picture of St. Therese of Lisieux reminds us of her "little way" to ultimate sainthood. And, we find great comfort in images of Mary, the first and greatest believer, the mother whom Jesus has generously given us to share.
Our churches, with their magnificent windows, are like our family photo albums. They tell our stories in stained glass. These are the pictures of our ancestors in faith who "made good," so to speak. We are proud of them. Those of us still here on earth remember their courage and faithfulness. We look to them for encouragement.
We are all one family of God, says the Catechism of the Catholic Church. "For if we continue to love one another and to join in praising the Most Holy Trinity - all of us who are sons of God and form one family in Christ - we will be faithful to the deepest vocation of the church." (959)