Called to Holiness

SOLEMNITY OF ALL SAINTS

1 Nov 2022

[ Matthew 5: 1-12 ]

    I believe in the communion of saints.

YouCat 146 explains that: “The 'communion of saints' is made up of all men who have placed their hope in Christ and belong to Him through Baptism, whether they have already died or are still alive. Because in Christ we are ONE Body; we live in a communion that encompasses heaven and earth.”

   Saints are us.

Saints are us: we are the ‘saints’ united by our Lord Jesus as ONE inseparable Mystical Body of Christ. By the virtue of baptism, every Christian, whether dead or alive, is in communion with one another.

The Catholic Church teaches that the Church (the Mystical Body of Christ) has three dimensions: the Church Militant (Church on earth), the Church Penitent (Church in purgatory) and the Church Triumphant (Church in heaven). As St Paul [1 Co 12: 26] puts it, “If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honoured, all rejoice together.” We are ONE Body in Christ – we are in communion with one another through the sacraments of Christ, woven together by the liturgy of the Church, and joined together through communal and personal prayers.

   We remember. We celebrate. We share. We believe.

Every 1st Nov, we remember and we celebrate all the holy saints of God who have already attained heaven: ‘they have fought the good fight, they have finished the race, and they have kept the faith.’ [2 Tm 4: 7-8] Some of them are the courageous martyrs who ‘have survived the time of great distress; they have washed their robes and made them white in the Blood of the Lamb.’ [Rv 7: 14]

We remember, we celebrate and we share the great glory and victory they have won for Christ. We look to them for motivation, inspiration and spiritual support. Now that they are in already heaven, they are singing praises ceaselessly before the throne of God Almighty and interceding for each and every one of us.

We are all called to be saints, the imitators of Christ; we are all called to holiness in today’s world. And the Beatitudes of Christ [Mt 5: 1-12] is our unambiguous guide to perfect holiness in this chaotic and confused world. If we persevere on the path of the Beatitudes, we believe we will, by God’s grace and mercy, join the Church Triumphant in heaven one day and someday.

Let our fervent prayer be:

   “Dear Lord Jesus, may I persevere and progress on the path to holiness.”

Let us also pray that God’s justice, peace, truth and love may prevail in Ukraine, Sri Lanka and Nicaragua.