Deacon Tom writes
“ We
Remember”
“From age to age you gather a people to yourself, so that from east to
west a perfect offering may be made to the glory of your name.”
These words from Eucharistic
Prayer III remind us that our faith unites us to one another throughout time
and throughout space. Our Church honors as Saints those who have gone before us
having lived exceptionally good and virtuous lives. They are models for us to
imitate. We see them as sources of inspiration for us to follow in our attempt to live holy and
charitable lives. Names like St. Francis, St. Martin de Pores, St. Vincent de
Paul, and St. Damien of Molokai have earned their place in this ever-growing litany
of inspirational lives. They inspire us in our efforts to serve one another as Christ
taught us to do, and to carry those crosses that come our way because of our
faith in Chris. Today we witness many ordinary people who live each and every
day with a spirit of humility, who go through life making many sacrifices to
ease the burdens of those around them. They do this because they are disciples
of Jesus and they desire to follow in his footsteps. These too are saints in
every sense of the word.
We honor both categories of Saints
today, those recognized by our Church as Saints and those ordinary people who
lived their lives in our homes and our communities witnesses and practitioners
of God’s love, mercy, and compassion. Yes, we remember the lives of the saints that we called our
mothers and grandmothers, fathers and grandfathers, our husbands and wives, and
children who made a difference in our lives. We recall the joy and happiness
they brought into our lives and into the lives of so many others. We recall
their faith, their struggles, and their love.
It is all these wonderful lives
that make up the “Communion of Saints”.
It is both the great and the small saints as John Nava depicted in his
rendition of the “Communion of Saints”
that we honor today. It is these men and women who have been “good and faithful
servants” who have entered the kingdom of God and who now faithfully pray for
us, the living, to do the same. And for them we praise God!
Enjoy the day!
Deacon Tom
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