DAILY- HOMILY

01 November 2016

ALL SAINTS DAY

Solemnity.    White.    

Rev 7:2 - 4, 9 –14 / 1 Jn 1:1 – 3 / Mt 5:1 - 12a

Originating from the 4th century Eastern Feast of All Martyrs, Pope Gregory IV established this Feast of All Saints in the Roman Church in 835.  Originally celebrated on Easter Friday, it was moved to 13 May and, in the ninth century, to 01 November where it countered the Celtic pagan feast of the Druids.

From the 2nd Reading: 1 Jn 1:1 – 2 

This is what has been from the beginning, and what we have heard and have seen with our own eyes, what we have looked at and touched with our hands, I mean the Word who is Life.

The Life made itself known, we have seen the Eternal Life and we bear witness, and we are telling you of it.  It was with the Father and made himself known to us.

From the Gospel Reading: Mt 5:1 – 12a 

Jesus said, "Fortunate are those who have the spirit of the poor, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.  Fortunate are those who mourn, they shall be comforted.  Fortunate are the gentle, they shall possess the land.  Fortunate are those who hunger and thirst for justice, for they shall be satisfied

"Fortunate are the merciful, for they shall find mercy.  Fortunate are those with a pure heart, for they shall see God.  Fortunate are those who work for peace, they shall be called children of God"

Reflection

Whenever we profess our faith at Mass with the Apostles' Creed, we say the we believe in the "Communion of Saints."  Today's Solemnity of All Saints is our yearly celebration of the Communion of Saints.  

Who are these saints?  Some of the saints we celebrate today are all the men and women who have been declared by the Church as the "canonized" saints and "blessed," those formally declared to have entered into the joyful and victorious life in heaven. 

However, the saints we celebrate today are not only those canonized saints and blessed: we celebrate all the saints, all the men and women who from the beginning of time have successfully finished the pilgrimage of life and have been embraced by the Lord's saving love and have entered into eternal life. 

How many are they? They are countless, more than we can number.  Who are they?  Among them are thousand of our ancestors and relatives who have lived good lives, so many good men and women whom we will never know personally.

Included in the number are people like you and me, who have not lived perfectly and have been sinners:  great saints like Sts. Peter and Paul, Apostles, the Bishop St. Augustine and St. Ignatius of Loyola had humbly admitted that they were sinful men.  

Yes, the communion of saints is made up of some men and women who were even great sinners but who have been saved by God's merciful love.  (Our faith holds the only one of all humanity who we are sure is totally without sin is Mary, the Mother of God, also by God's grace.)

There is hope for all of us. Today, as we celebrate the joy of all the saints in heaven, we can renew our prayer that one day all of us will join them, sharing with them the eternal life that God desires for us. May the saints who have finished their earthly pilgrimage inspire and encourage us even now to live lives of love as brothers and sisters of the one body of the Lord here on earth.

In a sense the "Communion of Saints" continues tomorrow when we celebrate All Souls.  Our attention will be on all who have actually finished their earthly pilgrimages but in who there still remain some remnants of the power of evil that are blocks to perfect happiness.  There are those who are in what has been called "purgatory."  But even these "poor souls" know that God's merciful love is victorious and will be shared eternally when we are all at home in God's home.

WE PRAY FOR MTQ DAILY PRAYER DIARY INTENTIONS:

BIRTHDAY

     Jonathan Lee

     Fr. Antonio S. Samson, SJ

     Dax Apolinario

     Gloria M. Pilares

     Louciana Ngo Sy

     Soly Ong Acero Chua

IN MEMORIAM (+)

     Departed friends & relatives of James & Gloria Yu

Finally, we pray for one another, for those who have asked our prayers and for those who need our prayers the most. 

Have a good day!

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