Feast of All Saints (B); November 1, 2018

Rev 7:2-4,9-14   Ps 24   1 Jn 3:1-3   Mt 5:1-12

Deacon Jim McFadden; St. Francis H.S./SJB

        

         French theologian Leon Bloy once wrote “The only real sadness, the only real failure, the only great tragedy in a life is not to become a saint.” Troubies, on the Solemnity of All Saints, I ask you, “Do you want to become a saint?”

I sense a reluctance; it’s not as if I’m asking that you want to become a “goody two shoes.” But, I am reminding you, that by virtue of your Baptism, you are being called to be a saint. More to it, right here, right now, you are a saint. Granted, you’re a saint imperfectly—welcome to the club of imperfect, broken, wounded People of God. But, you come from God and are meant to return to God. You are running a race to the heavenly goal of being in perfect and eternal union with the Triune God, all the Communion of Saints, and harmony with Creation. Sure, we know that we all fall short. The key is that you’re not called to be perfect, but you are called to being perfected, which is what we call sanctity. So, how do we become a saint?

To begin with, a saint is one who is a friend of God. Who wouldn’t want to be a friend of God who is all good, all loving, and all beautiful? God is a friend who will never bail on us, whose love is constant and unconditioned, and so deep that the Father’s only begotten Son gave his life so that you may have life eternally. Jesus is the Way into the mystery of the Triune God. He is not an idea, he’s not a mascot to our school; rather, he is alive, he is Risen, and you can have an intimate, inter-personal, I-and-Thou relationship with him right here and right now.

How do you cultivate that relationship? While you do not initiate this relationship because it is God who is calling you into communion, you do have the freedom to respond to his invitation. And, the foundational way of responding to his beckoning, is to pray. What is prayer? St. Therese of Lisieux said, “For me, prayer is a surge of the heart; it is a simple look turned toward heaven, it is a cry of recognition and of love, embracing both trial and joy.” Prayer is really God’s gift to us. As such, it “raising of one’s mind and heart or the requesting of good things from God” (St. John Demascene). So, lift your mind and heart to God every day. Spend some time in the morning and evening, take a noon-break, and ask your heavenly Father what his mission is for you as a high school student. How is he asking you to use the wonderful gifts and talents he’s blessed you with? And, while you’re at it, ask how you can team up with a Troubie sister to use them.

Your prayer can be fed by studying the Faith. Yes, you’re taking a required Theology course every semester, but, as your faith seeks understanding (St. Anselm), continue to explore the richness and genius of your Catholic faith. For some timely tips regarding on-going Faith formation check out websites such as Bishop Robert Barron on wordonfire or Fr. Mike Schmitz on ascensionpresents.com who has a challenging video on “Is shyness your excuse?”

The “source and summit” of your path to sanctity is the Eucharist. If you get what the Mass is about, if you “fully, consciously, and actively participate” in the Mass, you will become transformed into who you really are: a baptized member of the Body of Christ, the Church. Just think: at Communon , you are receiving the Body and Blood of Jesus—his soul and divinity enters into your person. Do you think that would have a transformative effect as you become what you consume?

You can tell someone is becoming a saint because they are imitating Jesus to some degree by giving their lives away rather than keeping it for themselves. The heart of the Gospel calls us to love God with our whole heart and soul and our neighbor as our self. You’re doing so with your Christian service and I encourage you to go forth with a Troubie buddy as Jesus always sent his disciples out two by two. Continue to comfort the lonely and offer comfort to the afflicted. Be a sign of Christ to those in need and be receptive to the presence of Jesus in those to whom you serve.

What’s the proof one is becoming a saint? That’s easy: to be a saint is simply to be happy. As French Jesuit Pierre Teilhard de Chardin once said, “Joy is the most infallible sign of the presence of God.” If we’re not happy, not joyful, not a saint is that we settle for so much less. We are too easily pleased by acquiring the goods of the world, falsely believing that they can make us happy. That’s an illusion; as St. Augustine once said in his Confessions, Our hearts were made for thee and will be forever restless until they rest in thee.”

            Troubies, you can become a saint! Absolutely no one and nothing can stop you. It is your free choice. As a heads-up, the following is one of the most terrifying and sobering sentences I’ve ever come across (cf. William Law’s Serious Call): “If you will look into your own heart in complete honesty, you must admit that there is one and only one reason why you’re not a saint: you do not wholly want to be .” That insight is terrifying because it an indictment. But, it is also thrillingly hopeful because it is an offer, an open door. Each of us can become a saint. We really can!

On the Solemnity of All Saints, we are being challenged to join the Communion of Saints. “BE A SAINT!” DO YOU WANT TO BE? “YESSS…