Word to the Wise
Tuesday, November 1, 2016 - Nov. 1 - All Saints
[Rev 7:2-4, 9-14; 1 John 3:1-3; Matt 5:1-12a]See what love the Father has bestowed on us that we may be called children of God. Yet so we are....Beloved, we are God's children now; what we shall be has not yet been revealed. We do know that when it is revealed we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. [1 John]
Does "canonization" make a person a saint? No! Canonization simply accords public recognition to the life of a person and authorizes official public devotion to that person in the name of the Church. The feast of All Saints is not about only the canonized ones. It is a recognition of the importance of holiness and dedication to the Lord. The "communion of saints" is bigger than the list of the canonized ones, thank goodness!
The First Letter of John, which provides the second scripture for today, makes it clear that God's love and mercy are what make anyone a saint. Saints are human. They are also sinners like all humans. But a saint takes seriously his or her relationship with God, even when that relationship seems dark and unconsoling, as did St. Teresa of Kolkatta (Mother Teresa). So, God's love and mercy are the motivating forces for the behavior of a saint. Their good deeds call attention to that love and mercy which is available to all who are made in the image and likeness of God.
We all know people whose faith and love inspire us. It's a good thing we do, because most of us never meet someone whose life will undergo the scrutiny that the Church uses for a public recognition like canonization. These "uncanonized" saints help us to be better children of God. Be sure to remember them in your prayers today. AMEN
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