All Saints
All Saints
(From Conversation with God, Fernandez Carvajal)As we recall today with particular attention, that a wealth of Christian truth is at the core of the Liturgy, in a special way on the Feast of All Saints. Here lies the fount of all holiness, God himself. Herein we practise the Communion of Saints through Christ in a particular way. The supernatural last end of universal redemption is signified in the Mass. It is the source of sanctity for all those who strive to practise the Beatitudes as described by Our Lord. From the Mass comes an indestructible hope in future glory and here we find the key to the relationship between suffering and salvation. The fundamental dimension of the feast we celebrate today is joy. The experience is similar to what we savour in a large family where we are very much at home. Included in this large family are the saints in heaven and those striving for sanctity on earth as well.
Our Mother the Church invites us today 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 nations and tribes and tongues as the First Reading of the Mass relates. They are sealed on the forehead as the servants of God. The Church recognizes many saints of every age and condition today. We remember them each year and also have recourse to them as intercessors for our various needs. The seal they receive and their white robes washed in the blood of the Lamb are symbols of Baptism. This sacrament of initiation involves incorporation into Christ, this life of grace being later renewed and increased through the other Sacraments, especially Penance and the Eucharist. Our good works also contribute to heightening this participation in the divine nature during our present life.
Today we rejoice and ask the help of the countless multitude who have reached heaven after cheerfully passing through life sowing affection and joy almost without realizing it. Perhaps while living among us they worked at a job similar to our own. Since their working backgrounds varied so greatly there may be office workers, manual workers, university professors, businessmen, secretaries etc. among them. Without doubt they must have had to confront difficulties similar to our own and had to begin again and again many times, as we make an effort to do each day.
The Church does not mention the entire multitude of saints by name in the Canon of the Mass. Through the light of faith though we understand that they form a magnificent panorama of lay men and women who through the activity of each day's task were tireless workers in the Lord's vineyard. After passing unnoticed and perhaps being misunderstood by the high and mighty they were lovingly greeted by God our Father. They were humble yet great labourers for the growth of the kingdom of God in history. In sum, they are the ones who knew how with the help of God to conserve and perfect during their life the sanctification they received in Baptism.
Throughout our life we are all called to the fullness of Love. A struggle against our passions and inordinate tendencies is necessary. We have to make a constant effort to improve, since sanctity does not depend on one's state in life - single, married, widower, or priest - but on our personal correspondence with the grace God grants each one of us.