What is holiness?  What is a Saint?  Why should I try to be a Saint?

These are just a few of the questions posed to us by today’s Feast of All Saints.

We cannot simply read the Beatitudes as a nice poetic feat.  The Beatitudes are hugely important and explore the complex relationship between faith and Blessedness.

As Christians we live in the real world where there is war, hunger, sickness and pain, as well as joy, success and peace.  We live in a world where there is war in Ukraine and the Middle East, where hatred and injustice is being acted out before our eyes.  Not to forget the hatred and poison being spread on social media and elsewhere.

A blessed state does not come from external conditions, it does not come from well-being, from pleasure, from success, from wealth, instead, from understanding the Gospel values, our interior life which shapes our behaviour.

Being poor in spirit, being humble, struggling to renounce violence and war; hungering and thirsty for justice and truth, being pure of heart, practicing mercy and becoming a peacemaker, being persecuted and slandered for love of Jesus.  As Christians we are blessed with qualities that seem humanly impossible because we have been called to become like Saints, risen from the dead, partakers in Christ’s resurrection.

We are all called to holiness and we can use the Beatitudes as a roadmap and recognising that the Saints are ordinary people transformed by God’s grace.  On this day we are reminded of our communion with the Saints in heaven – our older brothers and sisters, and spiritual friends who encourage us and intercede for us.

May all the Saints intercede for us.