Rev.7:2-4,9-14 R.Ps.23 1 Jn.3:1-3 Mt.5:1-12
Many of us have been in an airport. It is interesting to observe the scene in a departure lounge. We find there all kinds of people. Among the passengers, you will find some Asian people from different countries, with them a number of Africans, their attire showing that they, too, are from different countries. Latin America is well represented. Of course, people of Europe and the United States are there in good number as well. They are all different yet for the next few hours they will be fellow-travellers going to the same destination. But what the journey will be is what each one makes it to be.
This example helps us to understand something of today’s feast of ALL SAINTS. During the year, we remember the best known among them, one by one. Today we remember all of them together including our dead relatives and friends who have been faithful in following God’s way for them. We remember them for they have been what we are: travellers. But they have now reached their destination, so they can show us the way. We are all going to the same place. We are travelling in the direction of our true home – heaven. They are already there while we are still on the way.
Each one of them has had a unique journey, and every one of them can tell us something of what his/her journey has been. They can throw some light on what we, in our turn, could and should do in our own situation. The readings today tell us something about reaching our destination. The 1st reading shows the large crowd of those already there: “A huge number, impossible to count, of people from every nation, race, tribe and language.” The apostle John who wrote this tells us: “These are the people who have been through the great persecution.” Their journey has not always been easy. They have had the struggles and troubles that we have. Some had to pay with their lives to remain Christians: we call them martyrs.
Among the large gathering of saints, we can find people of all conditions, ways of life, and ages. Some died young, others very old. Some had much responsibility among the People of God – the Church. Many others were ordinary Christians like us. At this point, you may have a question in your mind: “How do we get there, where they are? Who goes to heaven?” This is the questions asked in today’s Psalm: “Who shall climb the mountain of the Lord? Who shall stand in his holy place?”
“The mountain of the Lord” means the place where God lives. This is “his holy place.” The Psalm gives the answer: “The one with clean hands and pure heart, who desires not worthless things.” In other words someone whose actions are pleasing to God, with no evil intentions. The Saints we honour today were those “who seek the face of the Lord.” You may think of your shortcomings and weaknesses and you may conclude that being a saint is not really for you. The call to be a saint is NOTR only for a few lucky people. God calls each one of us to be holy. We can say that a saint is a friend a God. How can we be such? By putting our whole self into whatever we do and doing all we do to please God. And we must recall that to be holy is not something we do ourselves, it is the work of the Holy Spirit in us. It is up to us to ask him to make us holy!
Many of us have been in an airport. It is interesting to observe the scene in a departure lounge. We find there all kinds of people. Among the passengers, you will find some Asian people from different countries, with them a number of Africans, their attire showing that they, too, are from different countries. Latin America is well represented. Of course, people of Europe and the United States are there in good number as well. They are all different yet for the next few hours they will be fellow-travellers going to the same destination. But what the journey will be is what each one makes it to be.
This example helps us to understand something of today’s feast of ALL SAINTS. During the year, we remember the best known among them, one by one. Today we remember all of them together including our dead relatives and friends who have been faithful in following God’s way for them. We remember them for they have been what we are: travellers. But they have now reached their destination, so they can show us the way. We are all going to the same place. We are travelling in the direction of our true home – heaven. They are already there while we are still on the way.
Each one of them has had a unique journey, and every one of them can tell us something of what his/her journey has been. They can throw some light on what we, in our turn, could and should do in our own situation. The readings today tell us something about reaching our destination. The 1st reading shows the large crowd of those already there: “A huge number, impossible to count, of people from every nation, race, tribe and language.” The apostle John who wrote this tells us: “These are the people who have been through the great persecution.” Their journey has not always been easy. They have had the struggles and troubles that we have. Some had to pay with their lives to remain Christians: we call them martyrs.
Among the large gathering of saints, we can find people of all conditions, ways of life, and ages. Some died young, others very old. Some had much responsibility among the People of God – the Church. Many others were ordinary Christians like us. At this point, you may have a question in your mind: “How do we get there, where they are? Who goes to heaven?” This is the questions asked in today’s Psalm: “Who shall climb the mountain of the Lord? Who shall stand in his holy place?”
“The mountain of the Lord” means the place where God lives. This is “his holy place.” The Psalm gives the answer: “The one with clean hands and pure heart, who desires not worthless things.” In other words someone whose actions are pleasing to God, with no evil intentions. The Saints we honour today were those “who seek the face of the Lord.” You may think of your shortcomings and weaknesses and you may conclude that being a saint is not really for you. The call to be a saint is NOTR only for a few lucky people. God calls each one of us to be holy. We can say that a saint is a friend a God. How can we be such? By putting our whole self into whatever we do and doing all we do to please God. And we must recall that to be holy is not something we do ourselves, it is the work of the Holy Spirit in us. It is up to us to ask him to make us holy!