Solemnity of All Saints
(Revelations 7:2-4.9-14; I John 3:1-3; Matthew 5:1-12a)
Social analysts seem to agree that this is a post-Christian
age. Fewer people, percentagewise at
least, attend religious services. Many Catholics
have abandoned Church teaching such as the presence of Christ in the
Eucharist. Although there is a vague
sense of an afterlife, most people do not accept the Church as the means to
attain it. In this atmosphere we can look
to the saints for testimony in favor of practicing our Catholic faith.
The saints include men and women from the full range of
nations and careers. Some were geniuses
like Augustine of Hippo who knew carnal desire as much as anyone yet accepted
the grace of conversion. Others were farmers
like Blessed Franz Jägerstätter who defied the Nazi regime out of duty to God
who spoke to him through his conscience. Many, of course, were women like
Catherine of Siena who commanded an army of followers in a zealous apostolic
life.
We must be wary of a herd mentality which impels us to act like
the popular majority. Saints provide reasons
to calm our doubts and models to live our lives. They also pray for us upon request that we
might find happiness beginning now and never ending.
