Saints are heroic disciples of Jesus!

November 01, 2025 Solemnity of All Saints 
Saturday of the Thirtieth Week in Ordinary Time
Daily Readings: Revelation 7:2-4, 9-14; 1 John 3:1-3; Matthew  5:1-12a

The Feast of All Saints is a day to celebrate all those holy women and men who lived their discipleship heroically. These are perhaps millions. Holy Mother Church has not yet recognized and declared them as saints and martyrs. The author of the Book of Revelation tells us that in his vision he saw one hundred forty-four thousand people standing in the presence of God accompanied by His angels. The number points to an enormous population of saints. They represent Twelve Tribes of Israel and twelve thousand people from every tribe (12x12,000 = 144,000). All of them bear the mark of God and a seal on their foreheads. All of them are called servants of God. They are also people from all tribes, peoples and nations. They wear long white robes and hold palm branches in their hands. One of the elders reveals the secret of these holy women and men, “These are they who have come out of the great ordeal; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb” (Revelation 7:14). The role of Jesus Christ is outlined clearly in v. 10, “Salvation belongs to our God who is seated on the throne and to the Lamb!” It is our joyous privilege to join the multitude of saints and sing, “Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honour and power and might be to our God forever and even! Amen” (Revelation 7:12).

The author of the First Letter of St. John tells us that we have a glorious identity as children of God. God is holy! The children of God have to maintain the holiness of being the children of God. It is a life-long struggle. The world is bound to hate us and persecute us. It is because it doesn’t know God. When God reveals Himself to us, we will be like Him and we will see Him as He is. But we need to purify ourselves. That is how we can qualify ourselves to enter heaven. We can enter only as pure people practising righteousness. 

The Beatitudes from the Gospel according to St. Matthew are like pearls presented in an order. The evangelist gathered all of them carefully and arranged them skilfully. Like Moses of the First Testament, Jesus, the Second Moses teaches eight wisdom sayings and the 9th one is description of the 8th one. Jesus challenged the people of his time and now with same intensity continues to challenge us not to be afraid of becoming poor in spirit, mourners, meek, hunger and thirst for righteousness, merciful, pure in heart, peacemakers, persecuted for the sake of righteousness. It is the Gospel way to inherit heaven and earth, to be comforted, receive mercy, see God and become children God. All of us will be to be counted among the Blessed. 

Call to Action: Honouring Saints is an opportunity to read their life stories and learn something from them to put into practice.