The solemnity of All Saints is an important celebration for us in our Catholic faith. It is a holy day of obligation in our Church’s liturgical calendar, a day when the Church asks us to attend mass together as a community to celebrate this day together. Today, we honor the example, witness, and intercession of the holy men and women who make up the community of saints in heaven. The Catechism teaches that “being more closely united to Christ, those who dwell in heaven fix the whole Church more firmly in holiness....They do not cease to intercede with the Father for us...So by their fraternal concern is our weakness greatly helped.”
The Gospel today presents us the Beatitudes from Matthew’s Gospel. Even though the Beatitudes are a familiar part of Scriptures, perhaps we still have a hard time understanding their teachings. When we reflect upon what our secular society sees as a blessing, we might name things such as riches and material wealth, popularity, power, fame, intelligence, and athletic ability. Those considered blessed by Jesus would not be seen as blessed in the eyes of our world: the poor in spirit, the merciful, the clean of heart, the peacemakers, those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, and those who mourn. Yet, those whom Jesus names in the Beatitudes are those who truly live out the Gospel message in their lives. For example, the poor in spirit are those who place their reliance on God and on the values of the Gospel, rather than in the fleeting, secular values of the world. Those who are merciful show love, compassion, and forgiveness to their neighbor, even when it is difficult to do so, even when it would be so easier to seek revenge or vengeance. Those who hunger and thirst for righteousness are those who seek to bring justice and peace into our world, who stand up for the values of our faith even when it means that they will suffer greatly for it. Jesus sees those who live out the values of the Gospel as being truly blessed.
Today, we celebrate the Community of Saints that is a real living part of our faith. We celebrate the members of the Community of Saints who lived out the values of the Gospel and the reality of the Beatitudes in their lives here on earth. There are many famous and beloved saints who have been recognized by our Church. But, we also recognize those members of our Community of Saints who are less famous and who are not officially named as such by the Church. Think of the grandmothers who went to mass each day and devoutly raised their children and grandchildren in the faith. Think of the fathers who worked in the fields and the factories each day to provide for their families, who lived out the values of the Gospel each day and who instilled those values in their family members by their examples. We can all think of deceased loved ones and family members who influenced our faith who are now members of the Community of Saints. In celebrating All Saints Day today, we celebrate the importance of community in our lives of faith. Our personal relationship with God is very important, but our journey in life and our journey in faith take place in the community. In community, we live out our faith and the values of the Gospel. Our faith community helps us, encourages us, educate us, and nurture us. The Community of Saints not only helps us through its witness, but through the prayers and friendship its members provide to us as well.
Today, we give thanks for the Community of Saints in our lives, for the help, prayers, and witness that the saints provide us.
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