Sing With All of the Saints in Glory

Father Robert Barron remarks:
Christianity is above all, a way of seeing.  Everything else in Christian life flows from and circles around the transformation of vision.  Christians see things differently, and that is why their prayer, their worship, their action, their whole way of being in the world, has a distinctive accent and flavor."

The holy men and women that we celebrate today have broken out of the world.  Theirs is a vision in which mourning, being meek, being a peacemaker, and seeking justice and peace, are more important than looking for, and striving for, wealth, prestige, and authority.  St.Thomas Aquinas says that the ultimate goal of the Christan is the Beatific Vision.'  It is this goal which keeps thing in perspective for us.  Holiness is achieved by ordinary people seeking the holy, true, and right, in our world today.  More so it is the ability to do good things simply because they are good to do.  In a very real way we end up taking responsibility for our profession of faith.

Rabbi Harold Kushner, in his book, "Who Needs God," speaks about religion as a different way of looking at the world.  Looking at the saints we can understand that more often than not they were making a faith response to a problem, crisis, difficulty, or even an opportunity.  They were not looking for an opening in which to make a name for themselves, but sought Godliness and holiness in the lives of people around them.  In the midst of difficulties they proclaimed truth and justice, and desired to lift up others from their lowliness.  Saints are those who see with the eyes of Christ and act on what they see.

Last week I was listening to some older priests, who had heard stories from old priests in their day, who had known one of the recently canonized U.S. saints.  The stories are that this woman was a feisty, fiery, older Italian woman, who stood her ground, and got things done.  She was not a sweet, pious, wallflower.  In her very human ways she continued to unfold the Kingdom of God.

The wonderful thing about this feast is in it delights in the knowledge that God works with broken instruments, cracked clay vessels if you will, and continues to sanctify the world.  In one way or another we are all called to be saints, sharing our life for what is right, rue and just.  So that in God all things be the glory.