It is 3rd October 2019. We celebrate All Saints day. This feast celebrates all the unknown saints who are now in Heaven. Sanctity is reachable to everyone who loves, and those who are faithful. The communion of Saints allows us to grow in holiness being part of the Mystical Body of Christ. As we recite in the entrance antiphon, “Let us all rejoice in the Lord as we celebrate the feast day in honour of all the Saints, at whose festival the Angels rejoice and praise the Son of God.” The readings are from Rev. 7:2-4, 9-14; the second reading is 1 John 3:1-3; and the Gospel is from Matthew 5:1-12. His Holiness Pope Francis teaches us in his exhortation On the Call to Holiness in Today’s World, no.6, “No need we think only of those already beatified and canonized. The Holy Spirit bestows holiness in abundance among God’s holy and faithful people, for “it has pleased God to make men and women holy and to save them, not as individuals without any bond between them, but rather as a people who might acknowledge him in truth and serve him in holiness.” The word “happy” or “blessed” thus becomes a synonym for “holy”. It expresses the fact that those faithful to God and his word, by their self-giving, gain true happiness. (64). The Catechism expounds in No. 1024, “This perfect life with the Most Holy Trinity – this communion of life and love with the Trinity, with the Virgin Mary, the angels and all the blessed is called heaven. Heaven is the ultimate end and fulfilment of the deepest human longings, the state of supreme, definitive happiness.” The first reading invites us to be faithful to the Lord by our sacrificial love to the humanity. The responsorial Psalm expresses deep yearning acclaiming, “Lord, this is the people that longs to see your face.” (Ps.24:6). In the second reading we are called to believe that it is God’s love in us that inspires us to purify ourselves to live up to the gifts and grace bestowed on us. The Gospel presents us with Beatitude. In explaining the Beatitudes, Pope Francis continues to convince us in the following words in the same exhortation. “Being poor of heart. (70). Reacting with meekness and humility. (74). Knowing how to mourn with others. (76). Hungering and thirsting for righteousness. (79). Seeing and acting with mercy. (82). Keeping a heart free of all that tarnishes love. (86). Sowing peace all around us. (89). Accepting daily the path of the Gospel, even though it may cause us problems: that is holiness (94).” We are all invited to partake in the holiness of God. It is indeed a challenge to be good, merciful, kind, gentle, compassionate and forgiving yet we need to embrace it. The saints are our heavenly mediators and role model. It is not enough to get their intercession but we must emulate them. God works miracles through their prayers. We can take the shortcuts practiced by three Teresas: i) St. Teresa of Avila: Recharge your spiritual batteries every day by prayer, namely, listening to God and talking to Him ii) St. Therese of Lisieux: Convert every action into prayer by offering it to God for His glory and for the salvation of souls and by doing God’s will to the best of your ability. iii) St. Teresa of Calcutta (Mother Teresa): Do ordinary things with great love. May our pilgrimage here on earth always on the path of holiness that leads us to Heaven. May we inspire others by our holy life. May you have a good day.

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