All Saints Day is about us, the laity?

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Attended Mass tonight with a very few faithful at the local parish.
I LOVE the liturgy for All Saints Day! I love scripture about heaven and the Saints.

The priest said that the second reading The Beatitudes, tells us that All Saints Day is all about us.

Can someone please share some theology on this topic?
 
graceandglory said:
Attended Mass tonight with a very few faithful at the local parish.
I LOVE the liturgy for All Saints Day! I love scripture about heaven and the Saints.

The priest said that the second reading The Beatitudes, tells us that All Saints Day is all about us.

Can someone please share some theology on this topic?
Click to expand...
The Priest at my parish summed it up best when he said All Saints Day is the day that will eventually be our feast days when we become Saints. Every Saint in Heaven has a feast day. All Saints Day recognizes those who are not canonized in the Church, but are still Saints and are in Heaven praying for us.

The vast majority of us who do become Saints (which is the vocation of every Catholic, every Christian, really) will never be beatified or canonized. So, All Saints Day will be our feast day when we finally go home to Heaven.

In short it’s to remind us of those who have come before us, like relatives and friends, and our personal vocation and desire to become a Saint.

Does that help?
 
He gave a great answer.
Everyone who makes it to heaven is a saint, with or without holy cards. 😉
That’s what we mean by the communion of saints. Everyone who has gone before us that are in heaven. Our Deacon also gave a great homily: He talked about the saints in our lives…those who have passed on that we knew did wondrous things for the church, the poor, the imprisoned, who suffered illness patiently, praising God.
One of our former pastors used to include the saint of the day in his homily:
He’d finish with
“So-and-so is a Saint. How about YOU?”

:harp:
 
graceandglory said:
Attended Mass tonight with a very few faithful at the local parish.
I LOVE the liturgy for All Saints Day! I love scripture about heaven and the Saints.

The priest said that the second reading The Beatitudes, tells us that All Saints Day is all about us.

Can someone please share some theology on this topic?
Click to expand...
There is a very old (as in 1 Corinthians 1:2) understanding that to be in the Church is to be a saint (sanctified). And the three parts of the Church are the Church Triumphant (those in heaven), the Church Suffering (those ‘in Purgatory’), and the Church Militant (those of us alive on earth).

In my understanding, All Saints Day is mainly about the Church Triumphant. I would not say All Saints Day is all about the Church Militant, (and All Souls Day is about the Church Suffering), but we certainly celebrate our hope to become part of the Church Triumphant, and our current union with all Saints.
 
Matthew 5:48. Remember, we are all called to holiness
 
There are many saints commemorated throughout the year. On this day November 1 we commemorate all saint, not just one particular saint, like for instance St. John’s day 24 June

Love one another is do not forget one another. Our love is stronger than death and we will all meet again on the last day.

John 15:9 “As the Father has loved Me, I also have loved you. Remain in my love !”
 
Good answers. I (as a Johnny-come-lately) will just add something specific about the Beatitudes.

Most of the Beatitudes are composed of three parts:

  1. *]“Blessed[/happy] are you…”
    *][Content of Beatitude]
    *][Future fruit of blessing]

    This third part is usually in the future tense—“They will be…”—Scripture scholars identify that this third part of the individual Beatitude will be at the end of time (in heaven).

    The Beatitudes, then, list what will belong to those who are in heaven:

    1. *]They will be comforted
      *]They will inherit the land
      *]They will be satisfied
      *]They will be shown mercy
      *]They will see God
      *]They will be called children of God

      These are sandwiched between the promise that the Kingdom of Heaven belongs to those who are blessed. This section of the Sermon on the Mount ends with comment “Rejoice and be glad, for your reward will be great in heaven,” which summarizes the time of it.

      Hope that helps.
 
Fauken said:
The Priest at my parish summed it up best when he said All Saints Day is the day that will eventually be our feast days when we become Saints. Every Saint in Heaven has a feast day. All Saints Day recognizes those who are not canonized in the Church, but are still Saints and are in Heaven praying for us.

The vast majority of us who do become Saints (which is the vocation of every Catholic, every Christian, really) will never be beatified or canonized. So, All Saints Day will be our feast day when we finally go home to Heaven.

In short it’s to remind us of those who have come before us, like relatives and friends, and our personal vocation and desire to become a Saint.

Does that help?
Click to expand...
Where I am our priest also summed it up as you described.
paduard
 
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