(Mt 5, 1-12a)

Today’s liturgy honoring the Solemnity of All Saints of God, from the prayers, the singing, to the readings and hymns, resonates, drawing our souls beyond space and time, flying up to the high heavens to contemplate the Saints, those who responded to God’s call to become Saints and who have constantly strived with God’s grace to reach the ultimate goal of Sainthood.

God is Holy

“Holy” in the original Hebrew is “kadash”. The root word means “to cut off, or separate”. The word “holy” means “set apart for a specific purpose”.

All holiness comes from God himself. God is thrice holy (Is 6:3). His name is holy (Ps 33:21). He shows us that he is holy through his theophanies (Sinai, Exodus 19).

Holiness is being set apart to belong to God, and this applies to the people of Israel: “You shall be holy to Me, for I, the LORD, am holy, and I have set you apart from the peoples to be My own” (Lev 20:26). “Holiness” is an attribute that goes with what is set apart to belong to God. 

Place: Holy Land (Ex 3:5), holy city of Jerusalem (Is 48:2), sanctuary (Ex 26:33), temple (Is 64:10). People: priest (Lv 21:6), prophet (Wis 11:1), holy people (Lv 19:2). Objects: holy things (Ex 29:33), objects of worship, vestments. Time: Sabbath (Ex 20:11; 31:14), Jubilee Year (Lv 25:12). These are realities reserved for God, not for worldly purposes. Only God is holy.

God calls us to be saints

God constantly calls us to be holy:  “You shall be holy, for I am holy”  (Lev 11:44);  “You shall be holy to Me, for I, the LORD, am holy, and I have separated you from the peoples to be My own ” (Lev 20:26).

The Apostle Peter repeats the will of God in the book of Leviticus and tells us:  “For it is written: You shall be holy, because I am holy”  (1 Pet 1:16).

Holiness is not a privilege reserved for a few, but belongs to the Christian vocation (Eph 1:4). Holiness is not a human effort but a gift from God, who is holy. The human contribution is simply to allow oneself to be drawn by God into his divine world without resistance.

Jesus calls us all to be holy by imitating God Himself. The First Letter of Peter also invites Christians to “be holy in all their conduct” (1 Pet 1:15-16). To be holy is to imitate Jesus, the Son of God, because “You alone are holy, You alone are Lord, You alone are Most High” (Gloria).

Living the Beatitudes  to become a saint

In his Apostolic Exhortation on the Call to Holiness in the World of Today, Gaudete et Exsultate, Pope Francis speaks of the Beatitudes (nos. 63-94). He writes: “The word ‘happy’ or ‘blessed’ becomes synonymous with ‘holy’” (no. 64). In other words, the blessed are those who are holy in the eyes of God. In the liturgy of All Saints, the Church offers us the Gospel reading of the Beatitudes. The Beatitudes are the paths to holiness. Jesus lived them out in his own life.

Today the Saints urge us: strive to be saints! Pope Francis advises us: Do not be afraid to be saints. To be a saint does not require being a bishop, a priest or a religious. We are often tempted to think that holiness is only for a few. It is not. We are all called to be saints by living our lives with love and by bearing witness in everything we do, wherever we are. Are you called to the consecrated life? Be a saint by living this commitment joyfully. Are you married? Be a saint by loving and caring for your husband or wife, as Christ cares for the Church. Do you work for a living? Be a saint by working with dedication and care in the service of your brothers and sisters. Are you a parent or grandparent? Be a saint by patiently teaching your children to follow Jesus. Are you in a position of authority? Be holy by forgetting your own interests to serve the common good. (cf. Catechesis, General Audience, November 19, 2014).

All Saints of God, pray for us. Amen.

Father Anton Nguyen Van Do