19. Communion, Forgiveness, and Life Everlasting

19. COMMUNION, FORGIVENESS, AND LIFE EVERLASTING CONCLUDING THE CREED, WE PROFESS OUR BELIEF IN THE COMMUNION OF SAINTS, BAPTISM AND THE FINAL RESURRECTION Compendium 194-217 1 Corinthians 51-57 1. Communion means that God invites us to share in his inner life, the Trinity, not to seek our own interests but to put ourselves at the service of one another. 2. "Saints" include not only the canonized but also the souls in purgatory and those still alive seeking holiness. 3.Christ has given us his mother as the Mother of all saints and our most powerful advocate with him. The Rosary is a compendium of the Gospels. 4.Baptism is the first Sacrament for the forgiveness of sins. 5. Christ also established the Sacrament of Reconciliation for the forgiveness of sins committed after Baptism. "Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them and whose sins you retain are retained" John 20:23 5. The separation of our bodies from our souls at the end of this life will not last for all eternity. We are called to share in the Resurrection in Christ. Those who die in the grace of Christ will share the happiness of Heaven. Some will experience a "Purgatory" to be completely conformed to Christ. We can help the souls in purgatory with prayers, Masses, good deeds and sacrifices offered in Christ. 6. Hell is the separation from God for all eternity. Those who freely choose to remain in mortal sin condemn themselves to Hell. God wants all to be saved but respects free will. 7. We look forward to the Second Coming of Christ, although no one knows when it will be, and then Christ will be all in all.