On this Solemnity of All Saints, the Church celebrates all the saints: those officially recognised through canonisation and those known to God alone. This solemn celebration honours men and women who, throughout their lives, bore witness to their faith through prayer, courage, humility, patience and love of neighbour. Guided by sincere intentions, they distinguished themselves through their generosity, compassion, mercy and dedication to the service of others. Some were also renowned for the miracles attributed to their intercession and for their profound fidelity to God. Their lives, handed down through writings and testimonies, reveal individuals wholly devoted to love and to seeking God’s will. Filled with God’s grace, they became witnesses of hope and models of Christian life. Through their lives, the Kingdom of God is already made manifest among us, illuminating the path of all who long to live in his presence.
In the Gospel of Matthew (Mt 5:1–12a), proclaimed on this feast, Jesus establishes a profound connection between happiness and the Kingdom of Heaven through his teaching on the Beatitudes. He thus reveals the true meaning of happiness, which finds its fulfilment in communion with God, with others and with oneself, through a life shaped by God’s will. In this foundational teaching, Saint Matthew presents the Beatitudes as Christ’s proclamation of blessedness upon those who practise righteousness, show mercy, are pure in heart and work for peace. Jesus also gives special attention to those who endure persecution, insults and hardships for the sake of their faithfulness to God. Great is their reward in heaven. Christ thus teaches us that true happiness is rooted in fidelity to God and in love, even in the midst of trials and difficulties.
On this Solemnity of All Saints, let us follow Jesus along the path of holiness and joyfully commit ourselves to the service of God. Let us welcome his call with confidence, take Christ as our model and faithfully carry out the works to which he invites us. Let us generously offer our lives to him in gratitude for his love and the wonderful things he has done for us. Let us allow ourselves to be guided by his grace and by the Holy Spirit, who enables us to fulfil his will. This celebration reminds us that holiness is a path open to everyone, for the saints are men and women who welcomed God’s call and responded to it in their everyday lives. May Saint Francisco Coll intercede for us, may the Most Holy Virgin Mary of the Annunciation pray for us, and may God pour out his abundant blessings upon each one of us.
Siater Francine Oria AKANON
Saint Francis COLL Vicariate
