The faith that the writer of Hebrews so touchingly meditates upon is one that penetrates the mystery of death, and enjoys the reality of what we call the "Communion of Saints": though Abel is dead, he "still speaks of faith." The truth that the saints have lived by, is the truth that has brought them to ever greater intimacy with God - from beyond death they continue to share this heritage with us. The Letter to the Hebrews calls itself a "letter of consolation"; the author found deep consolation in the example of so many just people in the history of Israel.

Redeemed by Jesus and sanctified by the Spirit, we belong to God's holy people. The saints who have gone before us in faith belong also to this people. From beyond death, they still "speak by faith." We pray to them in our need, so that they may intercede for us in the presence of God. But their role in our Christian life is wider than this; they reveal to us different depths of the mystery of Jesus, they highlight for us different strands of God's saving truth, they point out to us different paths we can walk in the Spirit. More than anything, perhaps, the saints who speak to our faith teach us, like the three disciples at the Transfiguration, "to see no one but only Jesus."