Alex:

I have now had a chance to read and ponder your reference to John 19:27.

I was taught in my theology classes in college that Jesus was referring to two different things; (1) He was instructing John to look after his Mother after the death of Jesus since she was a widow; and (2) He was instructing all of Christianity that Mary is our Mother.

This did, and still does, make perfect sense to me. Perhaps, someone has a better explanation or I am just too thick to understand the significance of Christ's words. All I know is that Mary is my Mother, and yours as well.

JP

Here is a definition from an Antiochian site.

"COMMUNION OF SAINTS. When Christians depart this life, they remain a vital part of the Church, the Body of Christ. They are alive in the Lord and "registered in heaven" (Hebrews 12:23). They wor­ship God (Revelation 4:10) and inhabit His heavenly dwelling places (John 14:2). In the Eucharist we come "to the city of the living God" and join in communion with the saints in our worship of God (Hebrews 12:22). They are that great "cloud of witnesses" which sur­rounds us, and we seek to imitate them in running "the race that is set before us" (Hebrews 12:1). Rejecting or ignoring the communion of saints is a denial that those who have died in Christ are still part of his Holy Church."

ICXC
NIKA

Dear John Patrick,

Yes, I can't be without her!!

Or her rosary . . .

Although I've a collection of bead rosaries, I really like the "knot rosaries" both of the East and of the West (I did knot know that the West still had them!).

The symbolism of the knot is very rich along with that of the tassle.

And Alexander the Great, of course, broke the Gordian Knot.

Perhaps he should be declared a patron of ecumenism?

Alex