Today is the celebration of All Saints. This solemnity honors the holy men and women who, by their very lives, gave praise and honor to God. We have to be real about this feast. While many of these people were exemplary in holiness and piety, they still became frustrated, tired, hungry, jealous, angry, and even bored. It was their intimate relationship with God the Father, in Jesus Christ, that became a faithful witness to those that encountered them.
The image in the Book of Revelation is outstanding. The heavenly concert which continues to give praise and glory to the Lamb of God, were the ones on earth who praised God through prayer and liturgy, but also by act of charity and mercy. As John reports this marvelous vision of the Kingdom in its fullness, we realize that our brothers and sisters in Christ did this by their teaching, missionary work, parenting, nursing, contemplative prayer, and being good and faithful disciples. Folks who encountered this community would 'trip' over their holiness. In that they became a challenge by their often times counter-cultural lifestyle.
The Beatitudes were more than a moving text, or a check-list of things to do today. They became a foundation on which their lives were set. A working document, again and again these same men and women reflected on what it meant to be a peace-maker, merciful, and humble of heart. Because they were disciples of Jesus they were nor afraid to get their hands messy for the Kingdom of God.
We step back today and look at this great company of Saints knowing that we follow along on the same path. Along the way they made it known that they believed and trusted in Jesus Christ. They are models to us how to live faith in a profound and faithful manner. Hopefully we can also take up the challenge and life saintly prophetic lives.
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