| All Saint's Day |
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On November 1, the Church celebrates the Feast of All Saints. The Feast calls us to ponder our intended eternal destiny referred to in the book of revelations: “a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, robed in white, with palm branches in their hands" (Rev 7:9). Pope John Paul (the Great) pointed out a clear way to achieve our goal of eternal happiness with God: live out the beatitudes. He remarked that the saints took these words of Jesus seriously. They believed that they would find happiness by putting them into practice in their lives. (Homily, 1Nov. 2000). The Beatitudes give us a practical plan of action to be lived by each of us. The blessed are not simply people who are poor, sick, suffering, sorrowing, or persecuted. The blessed are those who can see, in their poverty, their illness, their suffering, their sorrow, their persecution, the presence of Jesus. Our goal is not to subject ourselves needlessly to suffering or sorrow, but to accept it lovingly when it comes. The saints we celebrate were men and women like us. Where we are now, they used to be. Where they are now, we hope to be in the future. Our existence is not limited to the time between our birth and our death. Rather, we are brought forth into existence at conception and continue on for eternity. Each one of us is called to be a saint! As members of the Mystical Body of Christ, we are united with the saints in heaven. The Church is a loving family made up of all its members. We on earth are merely part of the Body -- the “Church Militant” -- those struggling together through the challenges of life, striving to get each other to heaven to be in union with God. We cannot forget the “Church Triumphant” -- those who are already together in heaven and who are interceding for us -- constantly loving us and constantly asking our mutual Father to help us. Let us honor the saints in heaven and let us emulate them. Let us ask them to help us in our journey toward eternity with them. God our Father, source of all holiness, the work of your hands is manifest in your saints, the beauty of your truth is reflected in their faith. May we who aspire to have part in their joy be filled with the Spirit that blessed their lives, so that having shared their faith on earth we may also know their peace in your kingdom. (Opening Prayer for Liturgy of All Saints) Click here to return to Archived Reflections. |