Sunday, November 1st, 2020.  Solemnity of All Saints
 

"Who are these wearing white robes and where did they come from?...These are the ones who have survived the time of great distress;  they have washed their robes and made them white in the Blood of the Lamb."
Revelation 7: 13-14

ON SEEKING THE KINGDOM

Who are saints? What is it about them? And why do we celebrate them? 

To understand who a saint is one must first know what it means to ‘seek the kingdom of God’.  For saints are real people, ordinary people like us, who set their eyes on the kingdom of God.  They know what is required of them to get there and they purposefully live their lives towards that goal.  A saint’s earthly life is about pleasing God and being faithful to God’s views and way of life.  They will endure and persevere through pain and much suffering, even die, but they are finally rewarded with a place in the Kingdom.
 
For one who seeks the Kingdom of God, what must they ready themselves for while still on earth?  The First reading from Revelation speaks about the experiences of the first century Christians.  They are not flag wavers.  They have experienced great test, pain, frustration and suffering for following the lamb (Jesus). The words that best express this are: ‘they have washed their white robes in the blood of the Lamb’.  How does one do that and what does this even mean?  Coming from Africa, clean water might not be readily available and washing clothes white clean can be very difficult.  I always wondered how this is possible?  The white robe (white cloth given to a child at Baptism) represents Christian dignity that must be kept pure throughout one’s life and brought to everlasting life. How much one has to fight to do this?  The saints have done this and now on the final Day of Judgment, God will protect them. They have a seal put on their foreheads, meaning that they belong to God, for they have been faithful to God’s values.
 
The first qualities of a Saint are they set their eyes on the kingdom, they are faithful, and they endure everything to live according to God’s ways. Then there is something more: the Blood represents the moral aspect of their lives. Saints live by the moral principles of God.  They live a life of virtue.  This requires great courage. The Kingdom of God is in many ways the ‘land of the brave’.  
 
As a believer/follower of Christ, how might you imitate the saints? What does it mean that they are ‘real’ people?  How does their example lend you courage?  What does it mean to be a Christian today and live a life of Christian morals and virtue? Any talk of virtues and morals can be met with animosity today.  Look up the Christian virtues and see how you live up to them.
 
The Sermon on the Mount is Jesus’ ultimate teaching, the most important words of Jesus that permeate everything that he did and taught. The location when he gives this teaching is worth noting – He is a teacher, the new Moses, his teaching is one of authority.  In these Beatitudes, He teaches what it takes to get to the Kingdom (reward in heaven).  Listening to this sermon, we can make a good self-examination for ourselves as to how far we are in the path to being like the saints. The Beatitudes are spiritualized virtues.
 
Blessed are the ‘poor in spirit’ (those whose poverty does not allow them arrogance/assertiveness, they accept God’s view); Blessed are those who mourn (have no worldly joy), the meek (the lowly who refuse self-importance).  Blessed are those hunger and thirst for righteousness (they seek to be in good relations with God, others and creation); the merciful (the reward of compassion is compassion); Blessed are the clean of heart (undivided heart); the peacemakers (they refuse strife and always reconcile with others); Blessed are those who suffer insults and are persecuted (by accepting God’s views they suffer) 
 
All these are real people who seek the kingdom and find it in doing and living the above. We celebrate them today with a sense of pride and a sense of history, but we are challenged to bring continuity to their witness.  Let their example give us courage to follow them. 
 
We pray for courage, never to shy away from living a life of faith and witness to the Gospel.
 
Who is your favorite saint?  Try imitating them. Live like them.

Fr. Anthony