Today is the Feast of ‘All Saints’
In the Creed we say, “I believe in the Communion of Saints”.
The Communion of Saints celebrates the great Communion of love between the living and the dead. Those who believe in Christ are connected by a great bond of love.
Whether we live or die, we belong to God.
There are the canonised Saints of the Church. These are those women and men who have been declared by the Church to have lived lives that give us a good example. They are those whose ‘light’ has shone for all in the house to see.
This includes martyrs who have given their lives for the faith, and those who have lived very holy lives.
However, today we also acknowledge those many millions of women and men who are not formally canonised but are now in the fullness of life with God in Heaven.
In the canon of the Mass we say “all who have died in your mercy”.
Ultimately, God know who is in Heaven, we don’t. Only those who stubbornly REFUSE God’s invitation to repentance and acceptance of His LOVE with full knowledge in a serious way, will not be in Heaven. It is God’s desire that ALL be saved.
We are all called to be Saints. We are all called to be Holy. Holiness is not just for a privileged few!!
How can I be Holy?
Holiness is a response to the Grace of God.
It is a response to God’s invitation to do God’s will in my life. God invites freely. God’s Grace is more than sufficient for us to become Holy.
A mother, truly loving her children, nurturing them, putting ‘herself out’ for them, loving her spouse, doing little things well. The same for a man doing all the above.
A tradesperson doing their everyday work chores in love. Anyone who sees their work as making God’s love visible to others.
Each of us has a unique vocation. By surrendering to God’s grace, by staying faithful to our commitments, by allowing God to forgive us, we can all be Holy.
It is God’s deep desire for us to be Holy!
