The unusual occurrence of having All Saints day fall on a Sunday provides the Church an opportunity to focus on the wholeness and completeness of the Church, that is both those of us that are here on earth and those already in the heavenly Kingdom. The first reading from the Book of Revelations gives us a glimpse of that Heavenly Kingdom of which we are all called to strive to obtain. This is what God most desires for each of us, His children, to have life eternal with Him where we will see God as He is. The very way to achieve this goal is to follow the Beatitudes which the Gospel of Matthew highlights for this celebration. How blessed we truly are in every way and living in the fullness of the presence of God brings us to the degree of holiness we need to be with God in Heaven. All circumstances in life which may come our way assist us in growing in holiness when we allow God to be present in those circumstances. How grateful we should be to have the example of the Saints to show us the way to live and have them to pray for us in order to help us on the journey to God.
On Monday evening there will be the All Souls Memorial Mass at Christ the King and then on Tuesday morning a special Mass of Remembrance for all deceased bishops, priests, and deacons of the Diocese at the Cathedral. May we always pray for our beloved deceased!