Homily – All Saints (A)

Trick or treat?  Halloween occurs this weekend.  Primarily a secular celebration, its origins actually contain significant Catholic roots with the name itself stemming from the old English word Hallow, meaning saints or holy people, and een shortened from the Scottish word for evening.  All Hallows, the titular name for one of our churches or otherwise known as All Saints Day, marks the beginning of November, the liturgical season often associated with praying for the dead.  First, we begin by celebrating all those who have died in friendship with Christ enjoying the beatific vision.

Our scripture readings surrounding All Saints Day are brought to life by the saints and they become models for Christian living.  Last week we heard the two golden commandments of loving God and loving our neighbour (Matt 22:37-38); the saints show to us how to perfectly live these out in the right proportions.  John describes his vision in the book of Revelations, “I saw a huge number, impossible to count, of people from every nation, race, tribe and language” (Rev 7:9) all dressed in white robes “washed by the blood of the lamb” (Rev 7:13); the saints whether canonised or uncanonised point towards the life of the world to come.  References to the promises of the future are echoed in the first epistle of John when eventually “we shall be like him because we shall see him as he really is” (1 John 3:2); again the saints show us how to become children of God and imitate Jesus.  In the Gospel today, Jesus speaks of the beatitudes providing a “roadmap for the church and models of what she herself should be” (Ratzinger, Jesus of Nazareth I, 74); The saints show us once again what the beatitudes look like here on earth and in eternity.

However, modernity presents the misconception that sainthood and holiness are boring.  In its most recent council, the church calls for the entire faithful of whatever rank or status to holiness, seeking the fullness “Christian life and to the perfection of charity.” (Lumen Gentium, n.40).  In even more recent times, the first canonised millennial, St Carlo Acutis famously stated “all are born as originals, many die as photocopies.”  Holiness and sainthood are lives far from mundane, dry and uninteresting.  Among those in every age and generation, all are seeking happiness.  The saints with their inspiring lives on earth and their continued share in the promises of the resurrection pave the way for us to reach happiness.  Yet, despite that the goal of holiness is the same, it is expressed far differently and quite unique for each individual.

While All Saints Day recognises those enjoying eternal happiness, All Souls’ Day and throughout the month of November we will continue praying for those who have passed away but still need the “purification and holiness to enter the joys of heaven” (CCC 1030).  For parishioners who have farewelled a loved one in the past year, our Parish is celebrating a special Mass of Remembrance on Tuesday, 17 November at 7:00 pm. 

All Saints and All Souls’ Days give flesh to what we call the Communion of Saints: the bond between us on earth, the saints in heaven and the souls being purified after death.  Both days show us the fragility of human life, though our lives are more than our days on earth with the possibility of receiving eternal life.  May the saints encourage us to continue living and pursuing holiness, where one day we can enjoy the promises already received by them.

All holy men and women, pray for us!

By Fr Ian Vergel