A few years back I heard a young child say, “I believe in the communication of the saints.” While good communication is a relationship essential, our connectedness in Christ extends beyond communicating with one another.

That is, when we recite, as we do in Apostle’s Creed, “I believe in… the communion of saints,” we’re saying that through our connectedness in Christ we not only belong to God in Jesus but we also belong to one another. This isn’t some sort of play-ground-blood-pact you make with your pal to cheer them up after they scrap a knee. The Communion of Saints is a spiritual connection that extends deeply into the very fabric of who we are as people made in the image of God.

And, I believe, that that sort of spiritual connection cannot die. In fact, I believe it extends beyond this life.

Perhaps I can affirm this belief because as a born and bred United Methodist. Meaning, I affirm what the Church has historically confessed: a belief in the "communion of the saints" which openly includes not only all living believers, but also all who have gone before us.

This Sunday in worship, we will celebrate Holy Communion – not communication. And we as we gather at the open-table we do so feasting with believers past, present, and future. Hebrews 12 reminds us that these saints – a “great cloud of witnesses” – surround us and cheers us on!

This, in my estimation, is a gentle reminder that those who have gone before us laid the groundwork for us. And I imagine that now they cheer us on as we journey into what we’ve built and are building. Similarly, we too, one day, will have an opportunity to cheer on those who are coming behind us.

With that being said, maybe “communication of the saints” isn’t the worst image after all. Maybe if we are to be in any sort of communion with those past, present, and future perhaps our primary form of communication is nothing more than a cheer as we, together in spirit, support one another’s growth in faith, hope, and love.

Peace & Blessings,

Rev. Taylor Smith