Saturday 1^st November – Solemnity of All Saints

Reflection: Apocalypse 7:2-4, 9-14

THE CALL TO HOLINESS

The Solemnity of All Saints, also called All Hallows or Hallowmas, is celebrated on 1st November in the Western Church and on the first Sunday after Pentecost in the Eastern Church in honour of all the saints, known and unknown. This day commemorates all those who have attained the beatific vision in heaven, whether canonized or not. Today, more than ever, we celebrate the victory of our God in His Holy men and women, while we look forward to our own triumph over sin and death. The Solemnity of all Saints is a universal call to Holiness through the thick and thin, the ups and downs, and the pains and challenges of life.

Holiness is a journey with its destination in heaven where we will be as God himself is (1 John 3:2). No one begins this journey except he/she has been called by God who never ceases to draw all to himself. We begin this journey the moment we decide to seek to know God more out of love for Him than a desire to have our needs met. Next, we ‘progress from virtue to virtue’. This spiritual progress entails mortification. Hence our second reading tells us: “they are those who have come out of the great persecution; they have washed and made their clothes white in the blood of the Lamb” (Revelation 7:14). As there is ‘no victory without a battle’ and ‘no success without effort’, we cannot achieve Holiness without facing and overcoming times of trials and temptations.

The trials and temptations on our paths are the very steps we must climb to ascend gradually to holiness. When we pray for ‘Patience’, God allows situations that test our perseverance to come our path and in learning to persevere, we learn patience. Though it may seem paradoxical, but the challenges and trials we experience are daily opportunities for us to grow in holiness when we allow God to take the lead. Dear friends, as we journey in this path, let us bear in mind that we can only attain holiness by the help of God who is Holy. Thus, we must daily pray for the grace to walk in the path of holiness. The call to holiness is not meant only for a few uncommon heroes; rather we all are called to this journey.

PRAYER: Holy God, giver of all that is good, give me the grace today to respond to the call to Holiness and help me to walk in this path. Amen.

KNOW YOUR FAITH: YOUCAT 342 – Are we all supposed to become “saints”?

Yes. The purpose of our life is to be united with God in love and to correspond entirely to God’s wishes. We should allow God “to live his life in us” (Mother Teresa). That is what it means to be holy: a “saint”.

HIDE A TREASURE: “God has called us to live, not in immorality but in holiness”                                       1 Thessalonians 4:7 CCB

Readings for Today: Apocalypse 7:2-4, 9-14; Psalm 24:1-6; 1 John3:1-3; Matthew 5:1-12