Reflections for 1st November, All Saints

1^st November.

 All Saints

Apocalypse 7:2-4,9-14, Psalm 23:1-6. Rv.6, 1John3:1-3,

I saw a huge number impossible to count from every people, nation, race and tribe.

Who shall climb the mountain of the Lord? Who shall stand inhis holy place?

What we are to be in the future has not yet been revealed: we shall be like him.

How happy are the poor in spirit, theirs is the Kingdom of heaven.

Matthew 5:1-12.

¹ Seeing the crowds, he went onto the mountain. And when he was seated his disciples came to him. ² Then he began to speak. This is what he taught them: ³ How blessed are the poor in spirit: the kingdom of Heaven is theirs. ⁴ Blessed are the gentle: they shall have the earth as inheritance. ⁵ Blessed are those who mourn: they shall be comforted. ⁶ Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for uprightness: they shall have their fill. ⁷ Blessed are the merciful: they shall have mercy shown them. ⁸ Blessed are the pure in heart: they shall see God. ⁹ Blessed are the peacemakers: they shall be recognised as children of God. ¹⁰ Blessed are those who are persecuted in the cause of uprightness: the kingdom of Heaven is theirs. ¹¹ 'Blessed are you when people abuse you and persecute you and speak all kinds of calumny against you falsely on my account. ¹² Rejoice and be glad, for your reward will be great in heaven; this is how they persecuted the prophets before you.

Fruits of his Cross.

            We are weak but strong in Christ. Our confidence in the Kingdom is our trust in Jesus. At the Last Supper Jesus said: without me you can do nothing. This is the secret of our strength and confidence. Of ourselves we can do nothing and nothing means what it says. We cannot earn heaven. It is when we think that we can avoid sin by our prayers, penances and pilgrimages that we have become a victim of Satan’s wiles. Jesus alone is our Saviour. Blessed, he says, are those who realise that they have nothing of their own, God’s Kingdom is theirs.

            Holiness and salvation come from our being united to Christ as the branch is united to the vine. We need to remain in Christ and Christ will remain in us. We will grow like him even now.

            We experience great joy today with the feast of all saints when we read in the first reading that a number impossible to count and from every race, tribe and people surround the Lamb. These are saved not by their efforts but by Christ. In life they belonged to Jesus and he saved them for eternity. They have become the image of Jesus. The saints in heaven are raised to the level of God as Jesus has been. Today we celebrate and praise God for working out his saving plan despite all appearances.

            We are saved by faith and not by good works. This is true but what is faith? It isn’t just a notional assent to the truths of our religion. It is to accept Jesus and welcome him into our lives as Lord and Saviour. To become a saint we need to humbly and sincerely approach Jesus day by day in personal prayer. Heaven is full of repentant sinners who approached the Good Physician in sincerity and truth and he healed them. We come to him lead by the Spirit and we need to pray in the Spirit and be docile to his inspirations. Then Jesus will work out our salvation and through the power he gives us, we will produce the fruits of the Spirit. Good works do not produce faith. Faith produces good works.

            Our life is a response to the love that God has shown us in Christ Jesus. He called you by name and chose you in Christ before the foundation of the world to be his child. In Christ you are heir to all that is God’s, even becoming like him. Having given his Son for you, there is nothing he will refuse. We are given this life so that we can respond freely in love to his love. We do it by turning to him in humble prayer and by surrendering ourselves to him so that he can love us and prepare us to live forever with him. How are you responding?

Father, may  sing your praises forever because all I am and have is yours in Christ.