On the Saints, part I

To many people the Saints seem far removed from us.  But the Saints are far only from people who have distanced themselves—they are very close to them that keep Christ’s commandments and possess the grace of the Holy Spirit.  In heaven all things live and move in the Holy Spirit.  But this same Holy Spirit is on earth, too.  The Holy Spirit dwells in our Church; in the sacraments; in the Holy Scriptures; in the souls of the faithful.  The Holy Spirit unites all men, and so the Saints are close to us; and when we pray to them they hear our prayers in the Holy Spirit, and our souls feel that they are praying for us.  St. Silouan the Athonite