Feast of All Saints
Scripture:
Revelation 7:2-4, 9-14
1 John 3:1-3
Matthew 5:1-12
Reflection:
Who are these wearing white robes, and where did they come from?" (Rev. 7:9)"
As we ponder the vision of the great multitude of holy men and women from every nation presented to us in our first reading on this feast of All Saints, let us focus our reflection on "… where do saints come from and how do the readings today help each of us to become saints.
As we pray our Psalm response together this day, we come before the Lord as "…the people who long to see your face." What a beautiful and ancient prayer of yearning, seeking, expressing our desire to receive the Lord’s blessings in His holy place! Yet, we are called to come with hands that are sinless, a heart that is clean and our desire not for what is vain…
John, in our second reading, reminds that we are beloved of God… God’s children now… and in this reality is our hope.
But it is in our Gospel today that Jesus himself teaches us where saints come from … and how each of us… everyday people become saints. His teaching is a summary of how to live the whole gospel… They are the foundation statements for the life and community of his followers, his disciples…that’s each of us! They are a summary of living the whole gospel. We know them as the Beatitudes. They invite each of us to examine our lives and values carefully and honestly; to look at what is important and what is not; to experience what brings real happiness and what does not.
As each of us pray these reading together today, let us pray for one another as we are all in the process of becoming "Saints"!
Sr. Marcella Fabing, C.S.J. is on the staff at Christ the King Passionist Retreat Center, Citrus Heights, California.