Feast of All Saints
Readings:
Revelation 7:2-4, 9-14
1 John 3:1-3
Matthew 5:1-12a
Reflection
What a beautiful gift we celebrate in our church today, the solemnity of All Saints. The men and women who have been Christs hands and feet throughout the ages.
In today’s chosen readings the words from the psalm strikes me: the people who long to see your face.
There’s a quote I came across when I was a teenager and it read something like “You were not created for this world, so stop trying to live like it”. We live in such a cruel and heartbreaking world sometimes. One where it is often more tempting to have hearts of stone rather than that of flesh. We don’t want to keep hurting and being wounded so we put up walls, be cruel instead of gentle, greedy instead of hungry, proud instead of humble, harsh instead of merciful.
But we are reminded on feasts like these why we should have hope to keep our hearts open: that our true citizenship is in heaven and that is why our hearts are broken like so. We were not made for this world. And even Jesus says this before his death to Pilate (John 18:36).
We are given hope to remain foolishly kind, gentle and merciful in a cruel world because we know our reward is great in heaven.
Let us be reminded that all of us, including you are called to be a saint, called to be the hands and feet of Christ to the neighbors around you. And that when you are persecuted, know that you follow the footsteps of the King who calls you home.
Claire O’Donohue is a current Oxley Passionist Youth Retreat Team member. While also in her final year of university, she is completing her bachelor’s degree with a major in visual art and theology.