Today we celebrate the Feast of All Saints. For the past 25 years, whenever this day falls on a weekday, I have a tradition of calling everyone with whom I speak on that day as St. (Your Name). It’s really a lot of fun! Why not try it today? Everyone you talk with today, call them a saint! See how they react. I’ll bet you’ll get a few strange looks. It will be a perfect opportunity to talk about the feast, and about the Communion of Saints.
It’s probably easy for us to think of others as saints. We think of the many men and women who have been canonized by the Church. The list numbers many thousands. And it continues to grow. Why? Because we continue to recognize those who have lived an exemplary life. Recent popes have continued to canonize many, especially our contemporaries.
Could you be one? I am 99.999999% sure that you would cringe at the mere thought. But is it out of the question? Well, I don’t know. But I do know this…it should be our goal. God created each and every one of us to be saints. It is we who strike off on a different path. But never fear! The good news is that ALL of the Saints were sinners! Just like you and me! So don’t dismay. I’ll bet that if we could ask all the Saints in heaven if they ever thought they would be named a Saint, every one of them would say, “NO way!” So keep on plugging, St. (Your Name)!!
Father, thank you for giving us the opportunity to be a saint each and every day. May we more closely emulate the Saints today. All holy men and women, pray for us. Amen.
Thank you! Great suggestion St. Gus!
I wonderful priest we had the privilege to get to know often would encourage the congregation to look around in church as there were many saints (with a small “S”) among us!