ALL OF US ARE SAINTS

ALL OF US ARE SAINTS

by Deacon Alex

Before the creation of this known universe, God has in mind a grand and beautiful design. In His ineffable mind, He wants to populate the universe with beautiful souls, pleasing to Him as well as challenging to Him. Let’s call these beautiful souls saints, too innumerable to count. They shall be human beings in the ages to come and the Son of God shall become ... In short, the visible and invisible universes shall be populated by zillions of zillions of zillions of saints.

The Catholic Church commemorates these saints because they have successfully led a heroic life according to the Beatitudes. Together with St. Paul, they are able to boast, “I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith. Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.” (2 Timothy 4:7-8) Unfortunately, we only have 365 days a year. Obviously, there isn’t enough room to accommudate all these saints and our brains are too busy to remember all. Therefore, the Catholic Church set aside November 1 to be the ALL SAINTS DAY to commemorate many many unsung heroes whose humble lives are scarcely known by people at all. But definitely God knows and is pleased.

Brethren! Lest you don’t know, all of us are called to be saints ever since the Old Testament. Check it out! Yahweh says, “Ye shall be holy: for I the LORD your God am holy.” (Leviticus 19:2) In case you feel that attaining holiness is too lofty a goal for you, Jesus Christ our Lord makes holiness more accessible in the gospels, saying “Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.” (Matthew 5:48) Even better, “Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful.” (Luke 6:36) Who then can complain that God demands too lofty a target for us to reach? In fact, all of us are gifted in different ways. Therefore, no two paths to sainthood would be identical. Thus in 2018, Pope Francis affirms once more in his Apostolic Exhortation “Gaudete et Exsultate” that all the faithful, each in his or her own way, are called by the Lord to perfect holiness. We should not grow discouraged before saints whose holiness appears unattainable. We are not meant to copy them. (GE#11) Bear in mind that all of us are called to be saints, to be ambassadors of reconciliation. (2 Corinthians 5:20) Let’s joyfully tell the world the good news that God does not count their trespasses against them (5:19). God wants all of us to be saints.

While we celebrate the Triumphant Church in heaven, the community of saints on November 1, we the Pilgrim/Missionary Church on earth also remember the Suffering Church in Purgatory on November 2, the ALL SOULS Day and the whole month of November. Some people claim that the Bible alone is the basis of their belief. They are not able to find “Purgatory” in the Bible. Therefore they dismiss the existence of Purgatory and the tradition of offering prayers for the deceased as idolatrous. I would reply that they know not the Bible nor the power of God. They have forgotten Jesus’ teaching in the gospels that God “is not the God of the dead, but the God of the living.” (Mark 12:27) Perhaps these people have misplaced their faith elsewhere and need to relearn the good news.

In truth, we have to admit that human nature is fragile. Thus, the Catholic Church offers the Sacrament of Reconciliation to restore us once we break our baptismal vows. However, some of us are stiff-necked and reject God’s mercy and the ministry of the Church. Consequently, they end up dying in a “cancerous” state, in which there are too much fat, cholesterol and even tumours in their souls, preventing them from partaking fully in God’s heavenly banquet. They need to spend time in Purgatory to purge those ‘tumours’. Today, we dedicate in particular the month of November to pray for these souls. Probably they were homeless before they passed away, survived by nobody to remember them. Therefore, praying for the souls in Purgatory, whether known or unknown, is a genuine work of mercy! Brethren! Let’s offer prayers and masses for them in November and beyond. Who knows, perhaps we too might be in their company one day.
God bless!

HOMESTEAD 2021 Oct. edition