Sunday Reflections
Solemnity of All Saints
Me too, I will be a saint
+ A reading from the holy Gospel according
Matthew 5:1-12a
Seeing the crowds, Jesus went up the hill. There he sat down and was joined by his disciples. Then he began to speak. This is what he taught them:
‘How happy are the poor in spirit; theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Happy the gentle: they shall have the earth for their heritage.
Happy those who mourn: they shall be comforted.
Happy those who hunger and thirst for what is right: they shall be satisfied.
Happy the merciful:
they shall have mercy shown them.
Happy the pure in heart: they shall see God.
Happy the peacemakers: they shall be called sons of God.
Happy those who are persecuted in the cause of right: theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
‘Happy are you when people abuse you and persecute you and speak all kinds of calumny against you on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward will be great in heaven.’
1. In 20 October 2024, I witnessed for the first time the canonisation of saint at St. Peter’s Square in Rome. The pictures of the fourteen saints were hung on the façade of St. Peter’s Basilica. One thought kept flashing in my mind during the ceremony: I will like to have my picture hung there one day for my own canonisation. This is not vanity. It is the right thought that we should all have on a day like this when we celebrate the Solemnity of All Saints. Our reflection today will focus on three things: who are we celebrating as Saints? Am I called to be a saint? How do I become a saint?
2. When we celebrate every year this Solemnity, who are we actually celebrating? The Catholic Church has more than 2000 cananized Saints, that is those that the Church has officially declared to have lived an examplary life by following Christ and are now in heaven. This number is very small compared to those who are already in heaven. We know that many Saints have not been canonized. Today’s first reading speaks of a multitude impossible to count(Rev7:2-4,9-14). These Saints,canonized or not were not extraordinary people. They were people like us. Among them you have kings and queens, servants and labourers, rich and poor, consecrated persons and lay faithful. Some of them had an inglorious past life, others have a smooth sailing life. Some were enemies of God before turning back to God, others were good from birth till death. Simply put, the Saints were people like any one of us still alive.
3. If the Saints were like us, it means that we too can become Saints. Today’s second reading (1Jn 3:1-4) affirms that we are already called God’s children, meaning that we are called to be holy as our heavenly Father is holy (Lev19:2). The call to holiness is a universal call that God addresses to all his children (Lumen Gentium). In his book “introduction to devout life”, Francis de Sale teaches that each person has a way of holiness adapted to his state of life. A politician is not a priest, a businessman is not a public servant, a young man is not an old man, a young lady is not an elderly woman. Each, according to life conditions and circumstances is called to embrace holiness of life. Nobody should exclude himself/herself from answering the call to holiness.
4. To answer this call, Jesus, in today’s gospel gives us some guides through the Beatitudes.Let us consider some of them. Blessed are the merciful: a merciful person forgives and makes sacrifices, often putting self in place of the other to feel the pains that the other is going through. A merciful person is a holy person. Blessed are the poor in spirit: a person that is poor in spirit believes that without God he/she can do nothing. He/she puts God first in all things. Such a person is holy. Blessed are the peace makers: a peace maker gives peace to those around him/her. Such a person does everything possible to give peace a chance. A peaceful person is a holy person. Blessed are the meek, those who renounce using their position to humiliate others, those who avoid violence in affirming their rights, those who correct others without demolishing their dignity. Such persons are Saints. Blessed are the pure in heart, those who understand that pleasures of the flesh should obey the rule of God, who strive to be faithful to their spouses, those who close doors of their hearts to disordered passion and practices. Such people are also Saints.
5. The decision to be a saint should not be postponed. Procrastination is the number one enemy of holiness. Begin today to be holy. Do not say: when I marry, I will start avoiding this or that sin, when I become rich I will start being charitable, when I retire I will start being active in the church and society. Begin today. You have been called and chosen to be a saint. Work harder to justify this call. Pray, fast, forgive, give and show mercy. Always affirm your desire to be a saint. Yes, you too can be a saint.
