Today is the thirty-first Sunday in Ordinary time of the Churches’ Liturgical Year. Today, we celebrate the Feast of “All Saints.” This celebration is an affirmation of the reality of heaven. It is the triumph of God’s grace through His Saints, Holy Men and Women who lived a Holy life.

In today’s Gospel, Jesus teaches us the way to holiness and everlasting happiness in his preaching of the beatitudes. There is so much to ponder in the beatitudes. At the end of his preaching, Jesus tells us; “Rejoice and be glad, for your reward will be great in heaven.” Our reward is actually great in heaven when we live a good life and a holiness life.

This Feast inspires us with a great longing to imitate the lives of the Saints and to join them in heaven. The responsorial Psalm reminds us today that, “These are the people that longs to see to face of God.” They inspire us to live the same beatitudes. When we look at the lives of those who have followed Christ, we are inspired with a new reason or ways for seeking God. Today, we are encouraged to follow in their footsteps and to imitate them by the way we live our lives and to keep going.

Today, we honor all the men and women who have run the race and have already crossed the finished line. They are in heaven, enjoying the beatific vision in communion with God. I am sure many of us have our Patron Saints, and often times we call on them to intercede for us. When we face temptations or are discouraged, those who have gone ahead of us can show us the way. We are not alone in our ups and downs, and life challenges. We have our spiritual companions who are in glory, the Saints.

The Saints are human beings like us. They are weak sinners, like us. All the Saints did not make it to heaven on their own or because of some special power or goodness of their own, and neither can we. The Saints relied on the power and grace of God.

Today, the Lord is showing us what the inner life of Saints is like, and what he wants our hearts to be like also. As we long to see the face of God, let us reflect God’s light of mercy, compassion, humility, peace, and perseverance in suffering. Let us pray that we may be counted among the Saints of God in Heaven. Amen.

God is good…all the time.

God bless you.

Fr. Daniel E. Ogbeifun