Solemnity of All Saints
One of the chaplains with whom I minister, worked especially hard on one of the bigger team efforts of our year. Her generosity was truly a labor of love that inspired me. In thanking her I remarked that she was a saint. Although my coworker did not readily accept what I meant as a complement, My explanation was that her energy was clearly that of a saint in the making. This is the universal call to holiness, that like the saints before us, we are all striving for sanctity on earth.
Today our Church invites us to bring to mind in a special way those who have experienced difficulties and temptations similar to our own during life, yet in the end triumphed over them. There is a great multitude, which no man could number, out of all the nations and tribes and tongues as the first reading relates. They are sealed on the forehead as the servants of God. The Church recognizes many saints through every age. Throughout the year we remember and call upon the saints as intercessors for various needs. The saints receive a seal, which along with their white robes washed in the blood of the Lamb are symbols of Baptism.
We the baptized rejoice today in our celebration of the countless numbers who have reached heaven after cheerfully passing through this life sowing affection and joy almost without realizing it. Perhaps while living among they worked at jobs similar to our own, manual laborers, office workers, teachers, professors, students, artists, theologian etc. Surely they had to confront difficulties similar to our own. Surely, like us they had to begin anew, again and again, needing to ask for God’s grace to stay true to their walk as a faithful disciple.
Loving God, we thank You for the holy men, women and children who we have recognized as being present with You in Your eternal Kingdom. Help us to appreciate their powerful witnesses often came through ordinary lives, so that our efforts will not so much be aimed at doing great things, but small things with great love. Amen!
- Deacon Michael Montgomery