April 11, 2004

The saints: A great cloud of witnesses

The church’s teaching on the communion of saints is rooted in Scripture.

Are the saints in heaven aware of what’s happening here on earth? This question is at the heart of the controversy that separates Catholics from most Protestants on the subject of the communion of saints. The Catholic Church teaches that the blessed in heaven are both aware of what’s happening here on earth and eager to assist us with their prayerful intercession.

Hebrews 11 describes the faith of many Old Testament heroes, describing the persecution, asceticism, and martyrdoms they endured. The reason for this recounting is summarized in the first sentence of chapter 12:

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus the pioneer and perfecter of our faith” (Hebrews 12:1-2).

The “great cloud of witnesses” refers not only to their own testimony and martyrdom (the Greek word for witness is martus) but also to the fact that now, in heaven, they are witnesses from above, observing how we run the race toward our heavenly reward. Notice also that the same Greek word for witness, martus, used here to describe those in heaven, is found in passages such as Matthew 18:16 that show us a “witness” is one who is keenly observant and aware of what’s happening:

“If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother. But if he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, that every word may be confirmed by the evidence of two or three witnesses” (cf. Matthew 26:65; Luke 24:48; Acts 1:22, 2:32; 1 Timothy 6:12).

In Revelation 5:8 the saints in heaven offer the prayers of the “holy ones” [the saints on earth (cf. Romans 8:27, Revelation 13:7)] before the throne of God:

“And when he had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the 24 elders fell down before the Lamb, each holding a harp, and with golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints; and they sang a new song . . .”

Revelation 5-8 and 8:3-4 show that the saints in heaven are certainly aware of our prayers and supplications to God (cf. 1 Timothy 2:1-3), and they’re presenting those prayers to him.

In Revelation 6:9-11 the martyrs in heaven offer prayers of imprecation against their erstwhile persecutors on earth. They are quite aware of what’s happening on earth:

“When he opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the word of God and for the witness they had borne; they cried out with a loud voice, ‘O Sovereign Lord, holy and true, how long before thou wilt judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell upon the earth?’ Then they were each given a white robe and told to rest a little longer, until the number of their fellow servants and their brethren should be complete, who were to be killed as they themselves had been.”

In Revelation 12:10-12 the saints in heaven praise those on earth who have conquered the devil through the blood of Christ. How could they do that if they didn’t know what was happening on earth?

Similarly, in Revelation 19:1-8, the saints in heaven cry out in unison: “’Hallelujah! Salvation and glory and power belong to our God, for his judgments are true and just; he has judged the great harlot who corrupted the earth with her fornication, and he has avenged on her the blood of his servants.’ Once more they cried, ‘Hallelujah! The smoke from her [Babylon, a city on earth] goes up for ever and ever.’” How could the saints say this if they were unaware of earthly events?

The inexorable conclusion to be drawn from such passages is that the saints in heaven are aware of our circumstances here on earth.

Finally, Christ said the saints and angels are aware of what transpires on earth:

“Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over 99 righteous persons who need no repentance” (Luke 15:7, 10). In Luke 20:36 Christ tells us that the saints in heaven are “equal to the angels.”

Let’s say that at any given moment 1 million people (a tiny fraction of the world’s total population of some 6 billion) are repenting of their sins. Christ says the saints in heaven are somehow aware of each repentance. How can this be? We don’t know, and neither the Bible nor sacred tradition tells us, but we know, on the authority of Christ himself, that they are able to.

Mary and the saints are truly a great cloud of witnesses—praying for us, encouraging us, cheering us on. When we finally cross that heavenly finish line and fall happily into their arms, we will discover just how powerful their assistance on our behalf has been.

Patrick Madrid is an author, a public speaker, and the publisher of Envoy Magazine. Visit his website at www.surprisedbytruth.com.