Ask Catholics What We Believe: January 2020

Co-Redemption / Co-Intercession. Are they real?

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CO-REDEMPTION / CO-INTERCESSION

We have all heard it said, “Why would a God who is all good, all knowing, and all powerful, allow bad things to happen to good people?”

Well, we can turn the question around and ask, “Why would a God who is all good, all knowing, and all powerful allow good things to happen to bad people?” After all, while we take no pleasure in seeing bad people suffer, it’s not much fun seeing bad people having fun and good times either. In fact, it can be downright maddening, and it can make people think life has no meaning, except that we suffer and die.

There are literally billions of people who have come and gone in this world, with billions more to come, and most have, or will live a life of quiet desperation. For many, life seems to consist of pointless suffering that is not deserved, that seems random and pointless, that is distributed with no rhyme or reason but mere chance without end. There is a universality to it because everyone has a cross.

When we let that sink in, we discover that we should be kind to one another because everyone is struggling with their own cross.

But what if the universality of suffering, down to the most minute detail, became an opportunity for sanctification that we have yet to discover? Can you imagine what this would mean? Can you imagine what would happen if everyone discovered the way to give their personal sufferings to this means of sanctification?

Well, there is a way to understand suffering, and it involves a “Person.” It would have to be a “Person” in order for it to be “Personal,” in order for it to be the answer to the heart’s deepest need whenever we suffer.

When Jesus Christ stepped into time, He took on every condition of human suffering by personally entering into it, to give it meaning and purpose. What is more, He offers everyone the opportunity to transform what we suffer as a work of Co-Redemption by giving it to Him. You may well recognize the beauty of such a thing, but at the same time you want to know how it all works. That is the purpose of this blog.

It has been said that Christianity is by its very nature hopeful and positive, but how does God make this apparent contradiction of unwanted suffering that everyone undergoes into a way of perfection? The answer to this question is found in understanding the nature of Co-Redemption.

Now, we have a basic question to ask. Do you wish to suffer alone? Does anyone think we will not suffer if we withhold whatever it is that we suffer from God? Of course, we will suffer. Everyone suffers, but most people would say no, they do not want to suffer alone. At this point you may be asking,

“What then is Co-Redemption?”

Well, quite simply, Co-Redemption is suffering that has been sanctified.

The next question would be,

“How is it sanctified?”

It is sanctified when Christ makes what we suffer one reality with His own suffering on Calvary, as we shall see from Scripture itself.

These days very few people understand this, but suffering is something that is pleasing to God if we would offer it to Him as a sacrifice. Now, of course, God does not want anyone to suffer in dumb anguish, but He will use suffering as a way to sanctify us. It is because people do not understand this that they do not understand Co-Redemption. They go through life confused, doubting, and hurting, often times because of things that have been done to them, or things they have done to themselves. Worse yet, there are those who flat out reject the possibility of Co-Redemption. They choose to be blind, thereby depriving themselves, and the Church, of their contribution to the great treasure of Co-Redemption.

When we understand suffering correctly, we have unlocked one of the greatest mysteries known to man.

One of the reasons people are afraid to explore this subject is because they fear that if they do, then God will send them more suffering. God will not send us more suffering.

While it is true that suffering “seems” to make God distant, the opposite is true, and in the end, you will see suffering as a stepping-stone to better and holier things. So, put aside any insecurity or inadequate feelings you may have and let God be God.

As we begin to examine this subject let us ask a question.

Would you say that Jesus Christ is a HUMAN PERSON just like you and I, but because He is God, He alone can redeem mankind?

Well, if you said that Jesus has a HUMAN NATURE just like you and I, you would be correct, but if you said He is a HUMAN PERSON, you would be wrong. The Human Nature of Jesus does not define Him as a person, and that is because Christ, as a PERSON, is not created. He is a DIVINE PERSON from all eternity. He is BEGOTTEN, not made, as stated in our Profession of Faith.

With that said, we need to be clear about something so there is no misunderstanding. Catholics do not believe a human person can ever be the redeemer. Only a DIVINE PERSON can redeem mankind, so it is Christ alone who produces the effect of redemption by His sacrifice on Calvary.

Furthermore, a CREATURE cannot ADD TO or SUBTRACT from redemption, and there are no exceptions to this fact under any circumstance. If a Catholic claimed that any creature can redeem mankind, they would be excommunicated.

So then, what does a Catholic mean when they speak of “Co-Redemption” and “Co-Intercession?”

Well, the first thing that needs to be made clear is that Jesus has a real “Mystical Body,” and who is His Mystical Body? It is YOU and ME, and it is in this body, HIS BODY, that He continues to redeem mankind.

When He makes us one with Him, we help Him in His work of redeeming souls by what we offer to Him for the sake of others.

But how can this be, how can He make us one with Him? How can a creature help Christ redeem the world, and how can those things we suffer take on redemptive value if Jesus is the only Redeemer of mankind?

The answer to these questions will be seen when we look at some facts about the 2nd Person of the Most Blessed Trinity.

The 2nd Person of the Trinity has existed from all eternity as a Divine Person with a Divine Nature.

He did NOT have HUMAN NATURE from all eternity.

Furthermore, a Divine Person can never change or be divided in His own Divine nature. This means the 2nd Person of the Trinity can never change, or be divided, or DIE in His PERSON. None of the Persons of the Most Holy Trinity can ever, ever die.

So, the 2nd Person of the Trinity became man when He took on human nature, and that man is Jesus of Nazareth, but when He became man, the 2nd Person of the Trinity did NOT split into 2 Persons. Why? Because there is no change or division in a Divine Person!

This is why the Catholic Church teaches that Jesus is NOT a HUMAN PERSON. There is, and forever remains, only ONE PERSON in Jesus Christ, and that is a DIVINE PERSON. There is one DIVINE PERSON with 2 Natures, Human and Divine.

Now, does Jesus of Nazareth, the man, have a fully human nature just like you and me? Yes, of course He does. Is His human nature created? Yes, of course. The Human nature He took from the Blessed Virgin Mary was created by Him, but His Divine PERSON was not created.

If you were to touch Jesus, you touch His Human Nature which is God because His human nature is one substance with His Divine Person, but you do not touch a HUMAN PERSON. You touch a DIVINE PERSON, who is NOT created. This is what Jesus was saying when He said, "He who sees ME sees the FATHER" because they are ONE in substance.

Now remember, it is only in His human nature that Jesus can suffer and die.

So then, we have to look at what Jesus does with His human nature.

Two things happen in the Incarnation.

First, God takes human nature and makes it one substance with His Divine Person as Jesus Christ, the man. However, He does NOT make His human nature one substance with His DIVINE NATURE. This distinction is particularly important. His two natures do not ever mix or become confused in any way. His two natures are distinct forever.

Second, Jesus, the man, then takes His own HUMAN NATURE and makes it ONE substance with OUR human nature.

The diagram puts it in simple form.

So, what do we end up with?

Jesus, the Divine Person, makes His human nature one substance with His Divine Person, and our human nature at the same time. And THAT is how we become the very Mystical Body of Christ. That is how we come to share in the Divinity of Christ.

Now, in this union of human nature between Jesus and us, which takes place by His transcendent power, there is a union where we do in fact become one with Him, but there is NOT an exchange in the nature of our persons. He has a human nature, and we have a human nature, but He remains a Divine Person with a Divine Nature, and we remain a human person with a human nature.

We are one with Him ONLY in our human nature, and it is by virtue of HIS human nature being joined to His DIVINE PERSON that we come to share in His Divinity.

We now arrive at something that is especially important to understand. When Christ makes our human nature one substance with His own, He does not leave our suffering out of the equation. He makes OUR SUFFERING A SINGLE REALITY with His own suffering so there is no distinction between the suffering. Our suffering is incorporated into His suffering where it becomes a single reality with Christ’s suffering on the Cross, and the Cross is where redemption takes place. So yes, all the suffering in the world becomes an opportunity to unite it with Jesus on the cross.

The question then becomes this, “Does Scripture show us that Christ suffers in His Mystical Body when we suffer?”

To answer this question let us first take a look at Co-Redemption from a Scriptural perspective.

Let us begin by asking two questions.

First - Do the suffering faithful in the Mystical Body of Christ partake in the Divinity of Jesus Christ?

And Second – If the faithful do partake in the Divinity of Christ, is this evidence that forms the Scriptural basis of Co-Redemption and Co-Intercession as understood by the Catholic Church?

In answer to the first question, let us see if the faithful do in fact become partakers of the Divine Nature by going to the 2ndEpistle of St. Peter, Chapter 1 vs 4.

Speaking to the faithful St. Peter tells us that God, “… has given us the most great and precious promises: that by these you may be made partakers of the divine nature.”

So, WE DO in fact become partakers of His divine nature. It is right there in Scripture.

And we are made partakers of the divine nature solely by the transcendent power of Jesus Christ when He makes His human nature one substance with our human nature.

So then, why do non-Catholics consider Co-Redemptive suffering to be an attack on the sufficiency of Calvary when the suffering faithful is, in fact, Jesus Christ Himself suffering in His own Mystical body on Calvary?

As we go forward, we have to clear out some common misconceptions, so let us get to it.

If the suffering of Jesus is not over in His Mystical Body, it means His suffering on Calvary is not over, for that is where redemption takes place.

Yes, Calvary is a one-time sacrifice, but it is a one-time sacrifice PRESENT TO ALL OF TIME AND PLACE where Jesus meets the suffering of all the faithful.

In fact, Jesus spoke about this reality. When speaking to the Jews of His time, He said of Himself, “Before Moses came to be, I AM.” Notice He did NOT say “I WAS.” He also said, “I will be with you till the end of time.”

What do we see here? Jesus spoke in BOTH DIRECTIONS of time. That means the moment He stepped into time His ENTIRE LIFE is personally present in real time, at any time, in time and outside of time because He is God. What does this mean? It means CALVARY is part of His life and is therefore PRESENT TO ALL OF TIME.

This means His Humanity is Omnipresent, and we can demonstrate that.

Suppose there was a round table, and the table represents God, the 2nd Person of the Most Holy Trinity. Could that table represent God? No, of course not, because God is beyond all size. Could the Humanity of Jesus be joined, or united to a place, or spot on the 2nd Person of the Most Blessed Trinity? No, because there is no “spot” or “place” on the 2nd Person of the Trinity to which the Human Nature of Jesus is joined. It is impossible, for, once again, that would be to define God according to parts and size. God has no parts, or places on His Divine being.

Therefore, Jesus is Present ON THE CROSS to all time and place because He is OMNIPRESENT. To deny this reality is to deny His divinity, and it is here, at the Sacrifice of Calvary, where He makes our suffering one with His own suffering.

So, the suffering in our human nature becomes a single reality with the suffering of the human nature of Jesus, and the human nature of Jesus is joined to His Divine Person on which there is no place or spot.

This can ONLY mean that Jesus continues to redeem the world by suffering in His Mystical body when we suffer and make up what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ for the sake of His OWN BODY, the Church.

Now, let us look closer at this by considering the only two possible views of what Christ intended for His plan of redemption.

The First View – The Protestant view: Calvary is finished, and that is it. Therefore, Co-Redemption is impossible.

The Second View – The Catholic view: Christ continues to redeem the world by suffering in his Mystical body when we suffer and make up what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ for the sake of His OWN BODY, the Church.

Now, when we consider the second view, the Catholic view, we do not ADD TO, or REMOVE FROM the sufficiency of Christ’s sacrifice on Calvary. Why is that? Because we are not talking about suffering that is apart from Christ! We are talking about suffering that becomes a single reality with the suffering Christ, and the suffering of Christ is where redemption takes place. Therefore, nothing at all is added to the sufficiency of Christ’s suffering because it is HIS OWN SUFFERING.

This is why, in the Dogmatic Constitution of the Church, referring to Christ, the Catholic Church states,

“HIS unique mediation as the Redeemer does not exclude but rather gives rise to a manifold cooperation which is but a sharing in this one source.”

Now, if there is any Scriptural evidence that Christ incorporates our suffering and afflictions into His own sufferings and afflictions, this would further confirm that Catholics are correct about Co-Redemption, and Co-Intercession, according to Scripture itself.

Before we do that, however, let us take a look at the word “Saint.”

The word “Saint” is used fifty-five times in the Old Testament, and sixty-two times in the New Testament, for a total of 117 instances. When you hear Catholics speak about the Saints, Catholics do NOT consider the Saints to be alternate mediators, or intercessors, to God the Father who now take the place of Christ. And why is that? Because in the same manner that Christ makes our suffering one reality with His own suffering, the prayers of the saints literally become one prayer with the prayer of Christ, as we shall see in Scripture. But for now, we can look at whether or not Christ desires to enter into every condition of human suffering, into our own personal suffering that we experience and endure, without exception, to sanctify it and give it Co-Redemptive value.

Whenever we suffer, be it a headache, or something much worse, we can, without fear of disappointment, ask ourselves if Jesus wants to be one with us in our suffering, to make us partners, to make us lovers in His work of redemption.

If we go to Colossians, chapter 1:24 St. Paul says this,

"Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh, I complete what is lacking in Christ's afflictions for the sake of His body, the church.”

Let us read that again,

"Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh, I complete what is lacking in Christ's afflictions for the sake of His body, the church.”

What on earth is St. Paul talking about here? What is he saying? Whose Body is he talking about? He is talking about Christ's Body, HIS MYSTICAL BODY .. and that is JESUS CHRIST, and ALL the faithful, and that includes You, and ME.

Now, is St. Paul attacking the sufficiency of Calvary? What does he mean when he says that THE AFFLICTIONS of Christ are lacking? Is St. Paul saying his own sufferings are the cause of Redemption, or that He is a Redeemer like, or equal to Jesus Christ? Is he saying he is a Co-Redeemer that is now a DIVINE PERSON? No, of course not, he is saying none of that, but he is saying his suffering completes what is LACKING in Christ’s afflictions as one who suffers with Christ in HIS Mystical Body for the sake of his body the church.

This is the work of Co-Redemption continuing.

So, we need to take a look at the word “AFLLICTION” and see what it means.

Affliction refers to “something that causes pain or suffering.”

St. Paul has unequivocally stated that the “afflictions of Christ, the pain and suffering of Christ” are not yet complete, and in fact, he said they are lacking.

How can St. Paul tell us that the afflictions of Christ, the Only redeemer of mankind, is not complete without the afflictions of St. Paul who is suffering as a human person?

St. Paul made the claim! Are you going to say that he did not make this claim? It is in Scripture! Let us read that again!

"Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh, I complete what is lacking in Christ's afflictions for the sake of His body, the church.”

The fact that we have just seen Scriptural evidence that Christ continues to redeem mankind in St. Paul, a member of His Mystical Body, is also Scriptural evidence that the reality of Christ on the Cross is present to all of time and place. Why do we say this? Because if Calvary is finished, as non-Catholics maintain, where do the AFFLICTIONS of St. Paul go? To what, or to whom are they united?

It would be impossible for the afflictions of St. Paul to be united to the afflictions of Christ if Calvary is finished. If Calvary is not present to all of time, then St. Paul just lied to us. Is St. Paul lying? No, he is not lying.

Did St. Paul declare himself to be an alternate redeemer, or mediator, or Intercessor, other than Jesus Christ in any of this? No, of course not! And Catholics believe EXACTLY what St. Paul said about his own suffering.

To reject the Catholic understanding of Co-Redemption is the equivalent of forcing St. Paul into claiming that he is a divine redeemer, or that he is an alternate EQUIVALENT redeemer of mankind.

If you reject the Catholic understanding of Co-Redemption in light of the Scriptural evidence that you have just seen, it is IMPOSSIBLE for you to reconcile what St. Paul said when he tells us that his sufferings make up what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions.

Now, St. Paul made it crystal clear that the suffering of Christ is made complete by Christ’s TRANSCENDENT POWER. He enters into the suffering of His Mystical Body and makes our suffering, the afflictions of the faithful, one reality with his own suffering on the Cross.

We must understand that when Christ suffers in the faithful, the base of the cross on Calvary is planted down firmly into their suffering wherever Christ is allowed to enter. In other words, Calvary enters into the condition of our suffering because we are His Mystical Body.

And this means each of us can say as St. Paul said,

"Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh, I complete what is lacking in Christ's afflictions for the sake of His body, the church.”

So then, why are Catholics excoriated for believing and proclaiming exactly what St. Paul has proclaimed? Why? We know who is hard at work to excoriate people who believe this.

The claim that Catholics believe the Saints take the place of Jesus Christ in their suffering, and in their prayers for one another, is total nonsense, and we will address this in more detail later.

But, here is the fact! Many of those who pride themselves in the belief that the Bible is the sole authority, or who pride themselves in knowing Scripture, are not even aware that St. Paul proclaimed,

"Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh, I complete what is lacking in Christ's afflictions for the sake of His body, the church.”

They are not even aware of it, or it's something they refuse to look at.

So, let us look at something. Suppose for a moment that St. Paul never made that claim, and either myself, or someone else came along afterwards and said,

"Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh, I complete what is lacking in Christ's afflictions for the sake of His body, the church.”

What do you think would be said of me? I would be accused of claiming to be the Redeemer of mankind. I would be accused of attacking the sufficiency of Christ’s sacrifice on Calvary. In fact, I would be accused of claiming to be a divine person.

You can be certain I would be accused of all those things, and much more. Then why aren’t non-Catholics accusing St. Paul of claiming to be the redeemer? Why aren’t they claiming he is attacking the sufficiency of Calvary? What difference does it make if someone other than St. Paul makes the claim he made? So, let us put that nonsense aside unless you now want to reject a part of Scripture because it does not suit “your theology.”

Now, consider for a moment that Christ is holding a chalice in his hands, and this Chalice is the Cup of Salvation. Contained within is the Covenant in His Blood with all of His sufferings and afflictions that will redeem mankind. As Christ suffers the Chalice will fill to the brim with His Blood so that not even a single drop can be added without spilling over and be wasted on those who will not be saved.

Let us take a look at the Gospel of John, chapter 17 verse 9, and we’ll see that Christ is very blunt about when the cup of salvation is filled, and who’s going to benefit from it.

Jesus says,

“I pray for THEM. I do NOT pray for the world, but for those whom YOU have given me, because they are yours.”

Notice, Christ did not waste a single prayer on those whom He knew would not be saved, so the cup of Salvation is not for them. And no one would dare claim that the AFFLICTIONS of Christ in that cup are lacking, or that the cup is not full to the brim, right? Well, someone forgot to give that memo to St. Paul.

Christ’s suffering includes the suffering of all the faithful who will ever exist, right down to the very last person on earth. In His foreknowledge of all things, Christ knows who will offer Him their suffering, and who will not.

Let us consider the good thief on the Cross for a moment. Wouldn’t you say he was on Calvary with Christ? Wouldn’t you say the moment the good thief asked Christ to remember him in His Kingdom, the mercy of Christ who makes His human nature one with ours, took the suffering of the good thief and made it a single reality with His own suffering? Don’t you believe that He does this by His transcendent power?

And wouldn’t you say Christ’s suffering was still complete when He did this? Yes, you would, but could you exclude the good thief’s suffering once Christ made it a single reality with His own? No, YOU COULDN’T, because the Mystical Body is CHRIST’S BODY.

You are no longer talking about the good thief apart from Jesus because the good thief became part of His Mystical Body. It is Jesus ON THE CROSS IN the good thief. Their suffering became a single reality. The good thief is no longer beside Jesus, he is ONE with Jesus because Jesus makes HIS human nature a single reality with the human nature of the good thief.

So, think about it. If you could take all the suffering of mankind that is offered to Christ and let Him join it to Himself, that is the sum total of Christ’s suffering on Calvary, the sum total of the cup filled to the brim.

If you exclude the suffering of the good thief, or anyone in the Mystical Body who offers their suffering to Christ, you will have to say Christ’s suffering is lacking, as did St. Paul, because their suffering is Christ's suffering.

In fact, Christ not only wanted the good thief’s suffering, but you would be depriving Christ of the good thief suffering WITH HIM to be offered to the Father for the sake of other souls. Really? Well, St. Paul himself tells us this. He said,

“While death is at work in us, Life is at work in you.”

Who is the way, the truth, and the Life? It is Christ! So, Christ gives life to other souls by the souls that suffer with Him.

When God the Father looks at the suffering of Christ on Calvary, He sees His Divine Son, and whoever offers their suffering with Christ. The Father sees Jesus, and whoever is in His mystical body, as a single reality in their human nature.

The reason we fail to make a connection to this reality is because we think of Calvary as an event that came and went, as something that took place 2,000 years ago, and that is it. Well, the same reality that applies to the good thief on Calvary applies to each of us. When we come to exist and offer what WE suffer to Christ on Calvary, it is the same reality, because Calvary is present to all time. It is the same Christ on the Cross 2,000 years ago, as it was yesterday, today, and tomorrow.

Co-Redemption is remarkably simple.

Christ can make our sufferings a single reality with His own, just as He can speak and strike the substance of water with His word and turn it into wine at the wedding feast of Cana.

Christ can take a chalice of wine in His Holy and Venerable hands and speak to the substance of wine and turn it into his blood at Holy Mass where the wine is turned into His blood. It is the everlasting Chalice of Salvation, the blood of the new and everlasting covenant.

Did you NOTE that word “everlasting?” If something is everlasting it is ever present, and that means the blood flowing from Christ's side on Calvary is a reality ever present to all of time and place.

Now, something about the Cross.

Does Christ tell us to suffer in dumb anguish when He tells us to take up our Cross every day and follow him? Well, where is the value in suffering OUR OWN PERSONAL CROSS if the suffering of Christ is sufficient unto all things?

In telling us to take up our cross and follow Him, Christ is assigning a value to our own personal cross and afflictions, just as St. Paul said of his OWN PERSONAL Cross and afflictions.

And where do we go to see the value of our cross? Well, where did Christ go with HIS Cross? He went to Calvary! Where do we go with the Cross that we carry? WE FOLLOW HIM TO CALVARY that is present to all of time and ready to meet us when we come to exist. The only thing that is different about Calvary are the people who get to be there down through the ages.

This is where all the suffering, all of the afflictions of the faithful, both physical and spiritual, throughout all of time, are collected and gathered into the ONE CUP OF SUFFERING on Calvary. It is here, by CHRIST’S TRANSCENDENT POWER, that the faithful become united to Christ ON CALVARY. It is HERE that Christ Himself enters into the suffering of the faithful to make OUR suffering HIS OWN SUFFERING, to make it a single reality, because WE are His MYSTICAL BODY. It is no longer the body of Roger, or John, or Susan. It is HIS Mystical Body. We now belong to HIM.

Think of what this means! When we get to Calvary what do we find? Christ is looking down from the cross at all the suffering of mankind. Blood is streaming across His swollen, beaten Body, and with tortured eyes as He searches the world in His thirst for those who would give their cross to Him. He looks at each and every cross that we carry, no matter how big or small, no matter how insignificant we may think it is, as though there is no other cross in the world but His and ours. When He looks down at our own cross, in His thirst, He says to us,

“Let me continue to redeem the world in the cross that you carry, in you, my Mystical Body. I will make it a SINGLE reality with MY suffering.

“Yes, I took My Body from the Blessed Virgin, My Mother, and with that Body I am now in the glory of Heaven, but I will continue to redeem the world in My Mystical Body, in your very person, in your very human nature because I joined MY human nature to YOUR human nature.

"I am on the Cross for all time, and I thirst for souls. If you give Me your sufferings, by My transcendent power, I will unite them to my own, here, on Calvary, and together we will do wonderful things.”

We can now see the value in the words of St. Paul when he said,

"Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh, I complete what is lacking in Christ's afflictions for the sake of His body, the church.”

We do, in fact, become Co-Redeemers with Jesus.

Even when we offer Him something as simple as a headache, it becomes a single reality with HIS Crown of Thorns. How do you know He is not using your suffering, now made one with His own, to save a soul?

If someone is home bound, or terminal and cannot move, He strikes their suffering with His Word, and their hands and feet are now pinioned with Him on the cross.

If you have a hang nail and offer it to Jesus for love of Him, you will actually console the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Do you understand what this means? Do you really understand what this means? What more can be said that the sinful creature can console the creator, and who would not want to do that?

Every man, woman, and child who comes into this world is called to gather at Calvary with their cross. And it is here that the suffering of mankind is called to mingle with the afflictions of Christ on the Cross. It is here that we see the cup of salvation filling up with Co-Redemption till the end of time.

The mere fact that Jesus wants us to carry our cross united to Him, as one, tells us this is an opportunity to be charitable to others. So, Co-Redemption is all about the love of neighbor. It is not about taking the place of Christ, as non-Catholics claim.

The reason non-Catholics take offense at the Catholic understanding of Co-Redemption is because they have not fully understood what happens when Christ makes our human nature one substance with His own. Either that, or sin is blocking their way from seeing what is before their eyes. Remember, the consequence of sin is blinding. You can make many micro-decisions for sin that add up, it is called "venial sin." St. John tells us in 1st John 5:17,

"All wrongdoing is sin, but there is sin that does not lead to death."

But in the end, you can turn away from your conscience which convicts you of venial sin, and now you can choose "mortal sin." But that will not always be the case. You will have to answer for it, one day.

Non-Catholics are so busy attacking Catholics over the matter of Co-Redemption that they do not see what Christ Himself said about all of this. They look at the Cross and try to rip Christ off that Cross, and the faithful along with Him.

You cannot tear apart that which has become one substance, namely, the human nature of Christ and our human nature, forever. It is like a marriage; let no man tear asunder that which God has joined together and made one, the only difference being, that union ends at death.

A failure to see suffering as something that goes beyond just shaping character and maturity is to miss the point of the spiritual and corporal works of mercy, because it misses the value of Co-Redemptive suffering.

We can now go further into Scripture to see if Christ suffers in His Mystical Body.

First of all, we know that no one could lay a hand on divinity until Christ allowed Himself to be arrested, until it was HIS HOUR.

When they came to arrest Him, He said, “I AM” … and they fell backwards to the ground like dead men.” They get back up and arrest Him, and then it starts.

If we look at the time frame when Christ suffers to redeem mankind, His suffering will take place between the time man is allowed to crucify Him and the Resurrection. Right? No! No! Jesus is either suffering now, or He never suffered. You cannot have it both ways.

If Calvary has come and gone, if His suffering is finished, it would be impossible for Christ to identify the suffering of the faithful as His own. But we know that Christ is not a liar.

So, is there Scriptural evidence that the suffering of the faithful becomes a single reality with the suffering of Jesus? Yes, there certainly is, and Jesus himself confirms this FACT.

In the Acts of the Apostles, Chapter 9:4-5, we read about an event that takes place several years AFTER Christ ascended into glory. We read about St. Paul being knocked off his horse on the Road to Damascus. Verse 4 tells us this,

4: “And he fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, "Saul, Saul, why do you persecute ME?"

Did you hear that word MEEEEEE?

Did Jesus say someone else was being persecuted? Did HE? NO! He said, ME.

He did not say: "Why do you persecute those who believe in me?”

Nor did he say,

“Why are you persecuting My Church?”

“Why are you persecuting My Friends?”

“Why are you persecuting my institution?”

NO! He said, why are you persecuting ME.

This is precisely what St. Paul spoke about regarding the AFFLICTIONS in the faithful who make up what is lacking in the AFFLICTIONS of Christ.

In verse 5 Paul said this,

"Who are you, Lord?"

And he said,

"I am Jesus, whom you ARE persecuting."

Jesus spoke in the PRESENT TENSE. Let us read that again. He said,

"I am Jesus, whom you ARE persecuting.”

Now that we have established that FACT, we can see, from Jesus’s OWN WORD, that Calvary is NOT an event that came and went 2,000 years ago, and now it is over.

If Christ’s suffering on Calvary is finished, it would be impossible for Christ to have said He was personally being persecuted by St. Paul. It would be impossible. The fact that Jesus spoke about the suffering of the faithful as His own suffering, present tense, is more Scriptural evidence that Calvary is present to all of time and place, and that Co-Redemption takes place in the suffering of the faithful because their suffering has become a single reality with the suffering of Christ on Calvary.

And we see that St. Paul tells us Christ is personally suffering, and being persecuted, present tense, in Acts 22: vs 7-8, and Acts 26: vs. 14 -15.

"I am Jesus, whom you ARE persecuting."

Jesus spoke in the PRESENT TENSE. Let us read that again. He said,

"I am Jesus, whom you ARE persecuting.”

Now that we have established that FACT, we can see, from Jesus’s OWN WORD, that Calvary is NOT an event that came and went 2,000 years ago, and now it is over.

And we see that St. Paul tells us Christ is personally suffering, and being persecuted, present tense, in Acts 22: vs 7-8, and Acts 26: vs 14 - 15.

He is cooperating with Christ until the Cup of Redemption is filled to the brim.

So, we can say that St. Paul said the equivalent of this,

"Now I’m doing MY PART by suffering for your sake, and in my flesh, I complete what is lacking in Christ's afflictions for the sake of His Body, the Church. It is up to the rest of you to do YOUR PART.”

St. Paul goes on to tell us that none of this is accomplished by our own power, and he is very specific about it. In 2nd Corinthians Chapter 4: 7 He says this,

"But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, to show that the transcendent power belongs to God and not to us."

Let us read that again.

"But we have this TREASURE in earthen vessels, to show that the transcendent power belongs to God and not to us."

Transcendent Power is power that belongs to God alone.

And what are the earthen vessels? WE are the earthen vessels. And why is the FACT that EARTHEN VESSELS ARE MADE A TREASURE a miracle? Because this is ALL ACCOMPLISHED by the TRANSCENDENT POWER OF GOD.

In the eyes of God, the Father, this Co-Redemptive suffering with Christ, In Christ, and through Christ, makes up what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ for the sake of HIS BODY, the Church. Earthen vessels become treasures of Co-Redemption.

This is PRECISELY what the Catholic Church refers to as Co-Redemptive suffering.

And what does St. Peter tell us. In 1stPeter, Chapter 2:5 he says this,

"And like living stones be yourselves built into a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ."

Where is the value in these spiritual sacrifices if they are not joined to Calvary? St. Peter is telling us that all of our suffering, be it spiritual and or physical, is to be offered to the Father with Jesus Christ in the Holy Mass.

What we suffer for Christ is to suffer with Christ, and when we do, we die to self for the sake of Christ. In dying to self for the sake of Christ, our suffering becomes a Co-Redemptive sacrifice in the Mystical Body of Christ. Nothing offered to Christ is too little. Everything offered consoles His Sacred Heart.

In 2nd Corinthians Chapter 4 verses 8 – 10, St. Paul tells us,

"We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies."

How can the faithful be carrying around in their own body the death of Jesus if the death of Jesus on Calvary is finished?

In the next two verses, 11 and 12, he tells us this,

11: "For while we live, we are always being given up to death for Jesus' sake, so that the life of Jesus may be manifested in our mortal flesh."

12: "So death is at work in us, but life in you."

Let me repeat that.

"So, death is at work in us, but life in you."

What is St. Paul telling us here? What value is there in being given up to death in Jesus for the sake of the unbeliever if there is no value in what the faithful suffer for the unbeliever?

The only way grace can be given to another soul is by the hand and power of Christ to redeem a soul, and since St. Paul says, “death is at work in us, but life in you,” he is saying that Christ gives life to unbelieving souls through the prayers and suffering He endures in the afflictions of the faithful, His Mystical Body.

That is why St. Paul said,

"So, death is at work in us, but life in you."

And in Romans, Chapter 8: 35-36 we read,

“Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?" "As it is written, "For thy sake we are being killed all day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered."

St. Paul is identifying our afflictions as being made one with Christ who was led to the slaughter.

So, all of this evidence in Scripture brings us to the Blessed Virgin Mary.

We must consider there is a special relationship between her and the Blessed Trinity in the matter of Co-Redemption.

She is:

The Spouse of the Holy Spirit.

The Mother of the Father's only Son.

The Mother of the Son.

The Daughter of the Father.

No other creature can claim such a relationship. No one. And Christ, being the SOURCE OF ALL GRACE, came into this world completely and entirely THROUGH HER, which means ALL GRACE comes through her. It was, and is, the will of Christ.

This is why, creature though she is, she is Co-Redemptrix PAR EXCELLENCE. She stands alone in this unique relationship with the Most Holy Trinity.

She is THE FIRST CO-REDEEMER, and the COMPLETE CO-REDEEMER, who never refused a grace from God the Holy Spirit. Her life was a complete and total yes to God the Father, a complete and total flame of love for her Son, with complete and total love, and fidelity, to the Holy Spirit.

SHE ALONE is the only human person without sin, and we say this for good reason.

Jesus did not have flesh until He took flesh. Now, give that some time to settle in. Really think about THAT for a moment. He did NOT have flesh until He TOOK FLESH. And if the flesh He took from the Blessed Virgin had been tainted with sin, even for an instant, the time between the first instant He took flesh and the time He cleansed it, means He would be with sin in His human nature, even if it was only for an instant, thereby making sin enter into the Blessed Trinity because at the first instant of His Incarnation His human nature was one in being with His Divine Person.

Did Mary needed a Redeemer, yes of course. But in lieu of the merits of her Son, she was preservatively redeemed, meaning, Mary, at her conception in the womb of Blessed Anne, was preserved from the stain of original sin.

And by the way, it is not foreign in Scripture for a human person to be without sin. Adam and Eve were without sin "In the Beginning." Mary was preserved from their sin "In the Incarnation." God is the one who punished man for his sin, and it is the prerogative of God to preservatively redeem the Virgin Mary if He wishes.

So, none of this, none of the Co-Redemption of mankind which Christ thirsts for would have been possible without the Blessed Virgin Mary. She makes it possible for the rest of us to be Co-Redeemers with her. She guides us, she teaches us how to be Co-Redeemers. She teaches us HOW TO CONSOLE THE SACRED HEART OF JESUS BY OFFERING HIM OUR SUFFERING. This is one of the reasons why the title of CO-REDEMPTRIX is fitting and proper for her. Whenever anything at all is troublesome for us, no matter what it is, Mary, our Mother, is there to help us bring it to her Son, that He may unite it with His own personal suffering ON THE CROSS.

The diagram also puts it in simple form.

Co-Intercession

In the same manner as Co-Redemption, Co-Intercession is completely dependent upon Christ who is the sole intercessor between God and man, outside of which our prayer has no value. But Our Lord told us, no, commanded us to pray for one another. If we are to go to Jesus alone, why would He command us to do this?

When we pray for each other, who do we go to when we pray? We go to Jesus, don’t we? Of course, we do! Well, praying for each other is interceding to the Lord FOR EACH OTHER. Neither you or I take the place of Christ, and we go to Christ praying for each other, that is why it is called “Co-Intercession.”

Before we explore this subject, it would be useful to clear up a few things.

We have looked at the “how” of Co-Redemption, now let us look closer at the “why” of Co-Intercession,” and the role of the Saints.

The Saints were truly extraordinary people. They had strong wills and determination, but they were also very ordinary. What distinguishes them is they possessed a love for Jesus in extraordinary ways. They were men who were manly, women who were elegant, some were extremely poor, and some were even children in their innocence. And we have those who did not possess Christ until their last breath, like the good thief. They come to us from various times and places, but something speaks to this very day about their honesty, and humility. They possessed Christ to a degree that is worthy of imitation.

One thing they are known for is they did things for Christ with a Lion’s heart, and they are here to help us do the same. This is what makes the difference between the Saints and us, but it does not have to be this way. We can be like them. They can show us how to cooperate with Christ, but there is one thing of which they would remind us, and it is to be patient with ourselves.

Now, here is a question for those of you who criticize the Catholic understanding of Co- Intercession.

Could anyone go to YOU and ask YOU to pray for a friend who is sick and suffering? It is certain you would say yes, but then another question needs to be asked, and it is this, “Wouldn’t that be hypocritical of you?” Yes, it would be hypocritical of you.

The reason it would be hypocritical is, when all is said and done, the non-Catholic actually regards themselves to be an intercessor by praying for my friend.

Furthermore, by praying for anyone, your prayer actually claims the sufficiency of Christ on Calvary is “insufficient.” So then, according to your own complaints about Catholics trying to take the place of Jesus, do YOU take the place of Jesus? Surely, you would say no. Then neither do Catholics when they ask the Saints to make intercession for any of their needs.

Now, if a Catholic can go to YOU with a prayer request, why can’t I go to MARY and ask her to pray for me without you accusing Catholics of PRAYING TO HER, as though Catholics think she takes the place of Christ? Why would you do that? Don’t you think we know that Jesus, her Son, is the only mediator between God and man, and that He is the only redeemer of the world?

Do you think you are in a better place than she is to pray for me? To accuse Catholics of going to Mary as though she is divine is a terribly unjust accusation.

She is a creature, yes, she is not divine, but no other creature has a relationship to the Most Blessed Trinity like the Virgin Mary, as we have seen. She is the mother of the Father’s only Son, are you? No, you are not! She is the mother of our Lord Jesus Christ, are you? No, you are not! She is the daughter of the Father who conceived the only Son of the Father, are you? No, you are not! And here is another thing for you to consider.

God Himself established the foundational principle of the family. In God’s plan for mankind a child is to be conceived in a spousal relationship. This makes Mary the Spouse of the Holy Spirit. Let us look at this, let us look at what Conception means in this case.

Conception is the action of conceiving a child, and conception itself establishes a relationship between two individuals when a child is conceived. And the two give themselves to each other with fidelity.

Remember the words in Scripture, “May it be done unto me according to thy word,” and then the Holy Spirit overshadowed her with His Power, and the Christ child was conceived without a biological contribution from a man being involved. Do you really think that God would violate His own principles of “Relationship” and “Fidelity” in the context of a family when the Christ child was conceived?

When the Power of the Holy Spirit overshadowed the Virgin Mary a relationship was established by the FACT of the miraculous conception itself.

As we said, God’s plan is for a child to be conceived in a spousal relationship, and when Mary said “Yes” to God, she had obligations to this spousal relationship which included chastity, because that is the state in which the Christ child was conceived. And she would be faithful to that state of virginity. She conceived the Christ child as a Virgin, and her fidelity to her relationship with the Holy Spirit, as His spouse, is to remain in that virginity.

Now, consider this. Joseph remains the Husband of Mary, but Joseph is not the Father of Jesus. Does that mean the Holy Spirit becomes the Father of Jesus when He conceives the Christ child within the Virgin Mary? No, the Holy Spirit is not the Father of Jesus even though He conceived the Christ child. God the Father is the only Father of Jesus.

And if you wish to say there is no spousal relationship between Mary and the Holy Spirit because the Holy Spirit is not the husband of Mary, then you are saying God the Father cannot be the Father of Jesus because it was not the Father who conceived Jesus.

So, is there anyone you know who has a relationship to the Blessed Trinity like the Virgin Mary? None of this makes her divine, of course, but why do you think Scripture says of Mary, “All generations are to call me Blessed?”

Why are Catholics attacked for going to Mary and asking her to say a prayer for us before we go to anyone else? Is it jealousy? Is it ego? Is this not the enmity we see between the seed of the woman and the seed of Satan in Genesis 3:15? No, it is the enemy who wishes to ensnare those who reject Mary to sever them from her maternal help and protection.

I would rather go to Mary before I go to anyone else and ask her to speak to her Son in my behalf, thank you, but it does not mean I wouldn’t ask you to pray for me. In fact I would hope you do, but when confronted with these facts, when confronted with their hypocrisy, non-Catholics are fond of responding by saying that “Mary is dead,” or that “The Saints are dead.”

In saying that, they prove themselves not to be Christians. In their antagonism towards the Saints, even if it is due to their ignorance, and ignorance can be willed, they deny Scripture and what Jesus Himself tells us about death.

One of the most basic things to Christianity is that all Christians should know the death of the body does not end the life of the soul. The person who dies lives beyond the grave. So, for non-Catholics to give Catholics a tough time just to attack Mary is shocking.

As an example, right from the Cross, Jesus tells us the good thief lives beyond the grave. He is alive with Christ in heaven. At this very moment he has more life in him than you. And by the way, that is the first canonization of a Saint from Christ himself. He is a Saint that would be in heaven with Jesus that very day.

That is why the Protestant’s claim that Mary and the saints are dead is COMPLETELY BANAL.

In fact, St. Paul tells us that “it is better to be away from the body and with the Lord, rather than in the body and away from the Lord.”

So, those who die bodily and are judged worthy of being with Jesus are in HEAVEN because to be with the Lord IS TO BE in heaven. They are the ones who are away from the body and with the Lord. They are in a confirmed state of Grace, for that is what it means to be a Saint in Heaven.

St. Paul ALSO said that not even death can separate us in the love of Christ. So, if we are NOT SEPARATED from those who are away from the body and with the Lord, even though we are not able to see or hear them, they are aware of us and what we are doing in this life.

Do you doubt this? Do those who have died and are with the Lord have knowledge of every single one of us, down to the particulars?

Well, non-Catholics say that to claim such a thing would be to say that the Saints have the Omniscient knowledge of God, meaning, the infinite knowledge of God, which is impossible for a creature to possess.

So, non-Catholics reject the Catholic position that every saint and angel in heaven has knowledge of every person on earth.

Well, once again, Christ Himself refutes the non-Catholics. Jesus said, “HEAVEN rejoices at the return of a single sinner.” And note, He did NOT qualify what he said as being limited to the Angels. He said HEAVEN rejoices. Who is in heaven? The Angels AND THOSE WHO HAVE DIED AND ARE AWAY FROM THE BODY AND WITH THE LORD.

In saying HEAVEN REJOICES He said EVERY SAINT, and EVERY ANGEL knows of EVERY SINGLE INSTANCE of EVERY PERSON ON EARTH who REPENTS OF THEIR SIN, EACH AND EVERY TIME THEY REPENT OF THEIR SIN, OTHERWISE JESUS COULD NOT HAVE SAID THIS. And remember, this is DIRECTLY from the mouth of Jesus Christ Himself.

For the angels and SAINTS to know every single time a person repents, means they MUST be aware of the life of every single person on earth at all times.

By the way, it is a devastating blow to Protestant theology to claim that an Angel or a Saint who has knowledge of every person on earth is omniscient knowledge. Omniscient knowledge is infinite, but the knowledge of every person on earth is finite.

Furthermore, Jesus said ALL OF HEAVEN CELEBRATES. Yes, they REJOICE whenever ANYONE repents of sin, each and every time they repent.

So, the saints are NOT CUT OFF FROM US in death, as JESUS HIMSELF said, and St. Paul made clear. They are aware of us, and are joyful for us. THEY CAN PRAY FOR US, just like I can ask someone in this life to pray for me. All of those in heaven, without exception, can see each of us at this very moment, without exception, at all times, in the vision of God Himself.

We have just seen something of the life of the Saints who are in heaven, but what about the “Saints” still here on earth? St. Paul mentions the Saints here on earth numerous times, but I will give just two examples of this.

In 2nd Corinthians chapter 1 verse 1 St. Paul says this,

“Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Timothy our brother: to the church of God that is at Corinth, with all the SAINTS that are in all Achaia.”

In First Corinthians chapter 1 vs 2 he says,

“To the church of God that is at Corinth, TO THEM THAT ARE SANCTIFIED in Christ Jesus, called to be SAINTS, with all that invoke the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, in every place of theirs and ours.”

To be a Saint is to be set apart and declared Holy, but anyone in the state of Grace is a Saint. They may not be an example to follow for canonization, but they are set apart, and they are a Saint.

In the same manner that our afflictions are made a single reality with the afflictions of Christ on Calvary, He makes our prayers, the prayers of the saints, the prayers of HIS MYSTICAL BODY ONE with His own prayer for mankind.

In a further argument against the Saints, non-Catholics claim that Catholics worship statues because we have images in our Churches, proving the Church to be idolatrous. For them, there simply can be no intercession by the Saints.

In fact, they often refer to the Book of Exodus, Chapter 20 vs 2-5, thinking they have proven that Catholics are idol worshipers. Let us look closer at this.

In the 1st Commandment, God says,

“I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. You shall have no other gods before me. You shall not make for yourself a graven image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth below, or that is in the water under the earth; or serve them.”

First, God does NOT prohibit the use of Statues or images; He prohibits the ADORATION of them. If God truly meant we were not to have any statues at all, He would later contradict Himself. Just five chapters after this commandment in Exodus, God commanded Moses to build the Ark of the Covenant which would contain the Presence of God, and was to be venerated as the Holiest place in all of Israel.

Here is what God commanded of Moses, and it has to do with STATUES on the top.

God said,

“And you shall make TWO CHERUBIM OF GOLD; OF HAMMERED WORK shall you make them, on the two ends of the Mercy Seat. Make ONE CHERUB on the one end, and ONE CHERUB on the other end, of one piece with the MERCY SEAT shall you make the CHERUBIM on its two ends.” (Exodus, Chapter 25 vs 18-19)

Cherubim are angels, yet God commanded the angels to be made with the bodies of men. Angels have neither bodies of men, nor faces and wings, but they are to face each other WITH THEIR FACES on each end of the Ark of the Covenant, and the presence of God rested upon their wings.

Moses was also to HAMMER them, the same way the Golden Calf was HAMMERED.

The children of Israel had rebelled against God, so He sent deadly serpents as a just punishment. When we look at Numbers 21 vs 8-9, we see that God commanded Moses to make another image in the form of a bronze serpent, and He commanded the children of Israel to look upon it in order to be healed. And we know from John 3 vs 14 the serpent was a type of Christ, but God used the form of an IMAGE, the IMAGE OF A SNAKE to heal the people.

Furthermore, in 1stKings 6, we see Solomon build a temple for the Glory of God. This is the description,

“In the inner Sanctuary he made TWO CHERUBIM of OLIVE WOOD, each TEN CUBITS HIGH .. He put the IMAGE OF THE CHERUBIM in the innermost part of the house He carved all the walls of the house roundabout with carved figures of Cherubim and palm trees, and open flowers … in the inner and outer rooms … For the entrance to the inner Sanctuary, he made the doors of Olive Wood … He covered the two doors of Olive Wood with carvings of Cherubim, palm trees, and open flowers; he overlaid them with Gold. (1st Kings 6 vs 23, 27, 29, 31, 32)

King Solomon ordered the construction of multiple images of things both “in heaven above” (angels) and “in the earth beneath” (palm trees and open flowers). And then, after the completion of the temple, GOD DECLARED HE WAS PLEASED WITH ITS CONSTRUCTION (1stKings. 9:3).

But non-Catholics will go further still and claim the actions of Catholics prove otherwise. Catholic's kiss statues, they bow down before them, and they pray in front of them.

According to them, that represents adoration that is due to God alone.

However, bowing down does not necessarily mean “adoration,” so the problem is not with bowing down, it is with the adoration. For example, Jacob bowed to the ground on his knees seven times to his elder brother Esau (Gen. 33:3), Bathsheba bowed to her husband David (1stKings, 1:16), and Solomon bowed to his mother Bathsheba (1stKings, 2:19).

In fact, in Revelation 3:9, John records the words of Jesus,

“Behold, I will make those of the synagogue of Satan who say that they are Jews and are not, but lie—behold, I will make them come and bow down before your feet and learn that I have loved you.”

This indicates that there are distinct categories of “bowing,” or “worship,” as clearly seen in the examples above, but we also have the term “LATRIA” which is the adoration due to God alone. This is clearly different from the relational worship we give to one another to indicate respect.

Here is another problem for those who claim Catholics worship images. Do you have "Love of Money?" You probably have money in your pocket right now. Maybe you have coins with images on them. Maybe you have paper currency with images of people on it, too. Well, those “images” are just as much “images” as those used by Catholics, but I do not think you would be willing to give me all of your money due to your love of money, and what it can do for you. No, you would not give me your money, not today, nor any day.

We have statues in town squares depicting every manner of image, including images of various military figures of war. Go and tell the municipalities how wrong they are to have images like this. They would laugh you out of the cities.

We have pictures of loved ones in wallets, on walls, and on mantles, all commemorating loved ones, and sometimes we even kiss the image. Shall we now tell grandmothers they must get rid of all the images of their loved ones?

In fact, it is the non-Catholics who would turn those in heaven, those who are “away from the body and with the Lord,” into statues as though they that cannot see, or hear, or intercede for us because they know nothing about us.

Did you ever consider this? How is it non-Catholics believe those in hell have the power to conspire as a group to harm and deceive us, but they do not believe the Saints who are with the Lord in Heaven have any power or concern to help us? Who do you think convinced non-Catholics to think like that? It is the work of Satan that they are completely inverted in their thoughts so he can rob them of the benefit that is derived from our participation in the Communion of the Saints.

Now, as said earlier, the prayers of the Saints are united to the prayer of Christ. So, let us look at two examples in Scripture for evidence of Co-Intercession.

First, we see the Roman Centurion who approached Christ ask that He heal his servant, more like a son to him than a servant. Jesus healed the servant because of the intercessory request of the Roman Centurion.

Second, we have the paralytic who was lowered through the roof of St. Peter’s house. The paralytic did not even ask to be cured, and consider that He did not go directly to Jesus on his own. He was brought to Jesus in his need by the faith of those who believed in Christ. They interceded in his behalf, and Christ cured him.

Why did not the paralytic stand up and say, “No Jesus! You take back my cure. If you cure me at the request of others, a Catholic understanding of intercession is going to be recorded in Scripture, and we do not want Catholics thinking they are correct. So, you take back my cure, Jesus.”

What do you think Christ would have said to the paralytic if he stood up and said that?

The Communion of the Saints is the work of Christ Himself.

Furthermore, we see St. Paul refute those who do not believe in the intercession of the faithful, and he is talking to the faithful AFTER the resurrection.

In his letter to Timothy, Chapter 2: 1 he says,

“I desire therefore, first of all, that supplications, prayer, INTERCESSIONS, and thanksgivings be made, for all men.”

St. Paul was speaking to the faithful, the Saints, about their “supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgiving” in the PRESENT TENSE.

Now let us look at Scripture to see the FACT that the prayers of the Saints rise up to God. In the Book of Revelation, Chapter 8: 4 it says,

“And the smoke of the incense of THE PRAYERS OF THE SAINTS ASCENDED up before God from the hand of the angel.”

Revelation Chapter 8: 5 says,

“And when he had opened the book, the four living creatures, and the four and twenty ancients fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them harps, and golden vials full of odors, WHICH ARE THE PRAYERS OF THE SAINTS.”

Who is the Lamb? It is Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God, slain for the sins of men. And the prayers of the Saints go up to the Lamb as they bow down before Him, and their prayers are as A SWEET AROMA TO GOD HIMSELF.

And Revelations Chapter 8: 3 says,

“And another angel came, and stood before the altar, having a golden censer; and there was given to him much incense, THAT HE SHOULD OFFER OF THE PRAYERS OF ALL SAINTS UPON THE GOLDEN ALTAR, which is before the throne of God.”

That is incredible.

The prayers, the intercessions, the sacrifices, the sufferings, the afflictions, and supplications of the Saints, His Mystical body here on earth, are STRUCK by the word of Christ to make all of this ONE WITH HIS OWN SUFFERING, ONE WITH HIS OWN SUPPLICATIONS, ONE WITH HIS OWN PRAYER FOR SOULS ON CALVARY. And all of this rises as a sweet aroma to God the Father in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, on THE GOLDEN ALTAR … WHICH IS BEFORE THE THRONE OF GOD.

Now, is any of this a violation of the fact that Jesus is the only efficient cause of redemption, and the only mediator between God and man? No! None of what you have just seen has any value apart from Jesus Christ. It is all rooted IN HIM, WITH HIM, AND THROUGH HIM, in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.

In Romans Chapter 8: 34-36 says,

34: "Who is to condemn? Is it Christ Jesus, who died, yes, who was raised from the dead, who is at the right hand of God, WHO INDEED INTERCEDES FOR US.”

Note, the verse does not say Jesus INTERCEDED for us, past tense. It says Jesus INTERCEDES for us, present tense, and this is AFTER He is raised from the dead and is in glory at the right hand of the Father. Well how does Jesus intercede for us? If there is no Calvary, there is no intercession. You cannot separate the two, and if you deny the fact that Calvary is a reality present to all of time and place you deny the very Priesthood of Jesus Christ. You deny Him what He needs to offer the Father to make intercession for us. You would be attacking Jesus Christ who suffers in the afflictions of the faithful in his Mystical Body by denying that their suffering and prayer is one with His suffering and prayer on Calvary.

Furthermore, Hebrews Chapter 6:20 says,

"… Jesus has gone as a forerunner on our behalf, having become a High Priest FOREVER after the order of Melchizedek."

Does this verse say, "He WAS a High Priest," and that His role as High Priest ended on Calvary when He said, “It is finished?” No, it does not! In fact, the verse says He is a High Priest FOREVER, according to the order of Melchizedek. And what did Melchizedek do? He came offering bread and wine as a prophetical typology of the bread and wine that will be offered in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass for the atonement of sin.

So, it would be impossible for Christ to fulfill his role as the eternal and everlasting High Priest if He does not have an eternal and everlasting sacrifice to offer to the Father in atonement for our sins. He is at the right hand of His Father offering Calvary, the Perpetual Sacrifice, by which He fulfills His role as the Eternal High Priest.

So, let us look closer at Jesus in Glory at the right hand of God the Father, and what He offers to the Father to make intercession for us when WE come to exist. Remember, we did not exist 2,000 years ago when Calvary took place.

Hebrews Chapter 7: 25 says,

"Consequently, he is able FOR ALL TIME, all time, TO SAVE THOSE WHO DRAW NEAR TO GOD THROUGH HIM, for He ALWAYS LIVES TO MAKE INTERCESSIONS FOR THEM.”

The verse says, “FOR ALL TIME to SAVE THOSE WHO DRAW NEAR.” What saves us? Christ’s sacrifice on Calvary! How can we draw near to that sacrifice on Calvary “to be saved” if Calvary is an event that is FINISHED, IF IT IS AN EVENT that came and went, and is done? You cannot draw near to something that happened 2,000 years ago when you did not exist. The Catholic Mass is not a "re-crucifixion" where Jesus dies again and again. As was stated before, it is a ONE TIME SACRIFICE that is PRESENT TO ALL OF TIME AND PLACE.

In the Book of Revelation Chapter 5: 6 says,

"And between the throne and the four living creatures and among the elders, I saw A LAMB STANDING, AS THOUGH IT HAD BEEN SLAIN, with seven horns and with seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth."

St. John just told us that he “saw A LAMB STANDING AS THOUGH IT HAD BEEN SLAIN.” Who was at the foot of the Cross when the Lamb of God was upright and slain? Saint John! Who is the Lamb upright on the Cross that Saint John sees? Jesus! Is Jesus seen when He is in Glory at the same time He is offering His sacrifice to God the Father? Yes!

This, once again, proves that the Life of Christ, in all of its stages, whether He is in Glory, or on the Cross, is ALL present, yes, all of it, to ALL TIME AND PLACE.

John Chapter 12: 32 says,

"… and I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to myself."

Look closely at those words. “And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to Myself.”

How can Christ draw all men to Himself, even men that did not yet exist, and those who are not born yet? How, can He lift up everyone to Himself if the reality of Christ on the Cross is not present to men who will come to exist, even in the future? Is he not speaking even to men of the future? Yes, He is, and Scripture just told us that the Lamb is still upright on the Cross for men of all time. He is slain, standing between the Throne of God and sinners. Jesus is the perpetual sacrifice offered to the Father when we come to exist and need redemption.

It is incredible, and even more remarkable, that Christ offers us the opportunity, though we are sinners, to be Co-Redeemers and Co-Intercessors with Him as He makes our afflictions and intercessions one with His own for the salvation of souls.

In Closing

There is so much suffering and loneliness in this world that it would become a veritable treasure if it were just given to Christ. If we would just turn to Him, we would be surprised to see that Christ is suffering more over what we are suffering than we are ourselves. We have to remember, He is the truly innocent one who understands suffering and loneliness as none of us can fathom.

If you look first to Christ, you will end up looking at Him in a way that you did not see before. You will SEE Him, within, and understand, and suddenly you will no longer feel alone and abandoned. The truly innocent one who is alone in Gethsemane wants your company, your suffering, to suffer with you, and you with Him. He in you, and you in Him.

Yet, there is something else we need to consider. We are sinners, all of us, sometimes we are very sinful, and too often we let the fact that we are sinners become an obstacle to consoling Christ. Satan will tempt us to think,

“What would Christ want of your suffering? You are a SINNER! Get out of here.”

But there is a way of chasing him away.

What if there is a way of turning “creature comfort” on its head. What if the sinful creature gets to console the sinless God/Man? And does the Creator even want and appreciate the consolation of the sinful creature while He suffers for them? He sure does.

When Veronica stepped forward to wipe the face of Christ it was her sin which caused His suffering, but she did not let that stop her. She stepped forward and wiped His face with compassion, and to prove He appreciated her gesture of compassion, sinful though she was, He MIRACULOUSLY left the image of His face on her veil. That is EXACTLY how we should see our suffering. We should learn to run to Christ and console Him whenever we are suffering saying, "Look Jesus, I offer you this suffering."

And we have more examples of Christ not wishing to be alone in His sufferings.

When the Apostles accompanied Christ to Gethsemane, He wanted their company, but they fell asleep.

We also have the example of the Angels who kept company with Christ. They are creatures who never sinned, but they are creatures nonetheless, and they came and consoled Him and ministered to Him after 40 days in the desert. And in Gethsemane an Angel came and ministered to Him.

There are numerous examples where Christ wants the company of creatures, so we can approach Him and say,

“Lord, I know I have done this to you. I have sinned, but I am sorry, and I do not want you to be alone, and I do not want to be alone either. So, take my suffering, take my loneliness, regardless of what form it takes, and make it one with your suffering. Make my intercession one with your intercession so that you can do whatever you wish with it, and for whomever you want. Lord, if by uniting my suffering to your suffering can lighten the load of your Cross, let me help you. If by offering you what I am suffering can hold back a single drop of your blood, Lord, let it be done."

If you present yourself to Christ in this manner, He will look at you, and you will look at Him, and you will be to Him as a willing Veronica who was moved to compassion for HIS sake, and there will be a look of love between you and Jesus that you could never have imagined. He will show you this is the greatest love known to the world. Your sufferings which were once dumb anguish and loneliness, now take on a redemptive value in HIM, because He makes them one with His own afflictions and sufferings on Calvary.

For your act of compassion and kindness, as He did with Veronica, He will leave the image of His face on your suffering, and His face will be manifest through you to others in the virtues of long patience, forgiveness, kindness, and all the transformative virtues.

Your suffering becomes the equivalent of Veronica's veil. You can take that veil in your hands and wipe the face of Christ with it, and others will see the face of Christ on the veil of your very person. His image will show forth in you, and your life will become fulfilled in God with a mission you did not know was possible as Christ turns your suffering from "Mission Impossible" to "Mission Accomplished."

This was the example of St. Padre Pio who was so deeply immersed in Co-Redemptive suffering with Christ, and Co-Intercession, the union he had with Christ became physically manifest in his body as the stigmata.

In the Holy Mass there will be a conversation between Christ and you, where you will discover a new-found love that He has for you, and that you have for Him. He will elevate you in the spiritual life, not to pride, but to humility. Whatever bitterness you have in life, it can now drip off like dross, and you will be renewed. You will experience what it is for Christ who forgives you, yet still loves you.

We who are touchy in our pride, ingratitude, ineptitude, shortcomings, failures, bitterness, and have grudges against those who slight us in small, or very serious ways, stand under the shadow of Christ on the cross who looks down at us from the altar at Holy Mass. He sees us as we are, and none of us can begin to fathom what we must look like to the eyes of pure innocence, but we hope to approach Him with contrite hearts and enter into a union with Him to console Him.

The heart of Jesus Christ is for us, He knows every thought and need we have. All we have to do is avail ourselves of this great treasure of Co-Redemption, and Co-Intercession, to console the Sacred Heart of Jesus.

Imagine what that means to Him.