‘The Communion of Saints and the Light of Advent’

Dear Parishioners,

        On the Solemnity of All Saints, we begin November and draw closer to the end of the liturgical year. The Church invites us to remember the holy men and women who have gone before us in faith and have lived as authentic witnesses to the Gospel. Through their lives of faith, the saints give us hope that holiness is possible.”

        When we think of saints, we often think of those who have been canonized – the faithful men and women the Church has formally recognized as having lived lives of heroic virtue and receptivity to God’s grace. But all those in heaven, including those Pope Francis often called the “saints next door,” are saints we celebrate on this day. We can be sure they intercede for us with God in heaven for our needs, big and small.

        Like those in Revelation whose robes have been washed … in the Blood of the Lamb, the saints come from every nation, race, people, and tongue. They have followed Christ in every Christian vocation: as priests and bishops, religious or lay people, martyrs and missionaries, young and old. The saints, our older brothers and sisters in faith, show us the many varied ways our lives can testify to God’s goodness and love. 

        The diversity of the communion of saints should be a source of hope for us. Their varied witness strengthens our resolve and trust in God as we hear the demands of today’s Gospel. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus teaches his disciples true blessedness through the beatitudes. In a reversal of worldly priorities, he calls blessed those who mourn, are persecuted and insulted, and hunger and thirst for righteousness. Calling his disciples to action, he invites them to be poor in spirit and clean of heart – to be meek and merciful peacemakers. The saints show us how to do this in diverse ways, times, and places.

        What do we gain when we live as God’s children, striving after holiness like these brothers and sisters? Eternal life. A future of hope, because we are rooted in Christ. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward will be great in heaven, Jesus says. The saints show us that the hope we have in heaven can sustain us on earth now. In the second reading, Paul writes: Beloved, we are God’s children now; what we shall be has not yet been revealed. Heaven, the kingdom of beatitude – blessedness with God – is both “not yet” and “already” here. We can see this especially in the saints’ perseverance in faith and their witness of love. Their joy in trial, simplicity, and courage offer proof that the God who saves is active in the world and in each of our lives.

        As we prepare to begin a new Church year, we’re planning to purchase a beautiful Advent wreath for the sanctuary to enrich our liturgical celebrations during this sacred season of waiting. If you or your family would like to sponsor the wreath in memory of a loved one or in thanksgiving for blessings received, please contact the parish office or speak with me directly. You’ll find a picture of the proposed design in this week's bulletin. Your generous support will bring the warm, traditional light of Christ into our sanctuary as we watch and pray in joyful anticipation.

As we gather around the Lord’s table, we know we are joined by the saints, and we rejoice together in the wedding feast of the Lamb.