Celebrating three days of hope
As we celebrate All Saints’ Day—or Hallowmas—may we be blessed with the grace of holiness, remembering that our citizenship is in heaven even as we build God’s Kingdom here in our corner of the world.
Solemnity of All Saints
Readings: Revelation 7:2-4, 9-14; Psalm 24, R. Lord, this is the people that longs to see your face.; 1 John 3:1-3; Gospel – Matthew 5:1-12a
Today, the Solemnity of All Saints is the central celebration of a Triduum that celebrates the memory of our departed loved ones. The Hallowmas, the old English name of All Saints Day, commemoration begins on Oct. 31, Hallow’s Eve. This evolved into Halloween and took on a more secular, if not commercial, form. Nov. 2, All Souls’ Day, completes the Triduum.
There are three reminders of this commemoration that will be most helpful for us to pray with and reflect on.
Remembering the saints in our lives
First, the commemoration is a time to remember the saints in our lives—both the known or “official” Saints and the unknown saints, who have made and continue to make our lives better.
It is a special day when we remember that we are all part of the communion of saints, reaffirming what we pray in the Creed: “I believe in the Holy Catholic Church, the Communion of Saints…”
For us Filipinos, it carries an added significance as a special time to gather as a family to remember departed loved ones. Undas, or Todos los Santos, as we call it, is one of the busiest travel times in the year when hundreds of thousands flock to their home provinces to be with family in remembering the dead.
In most cases, it is a time not just of grieving, but of remembering with love and gratitude our loved ones who have made a difference in our lives.
Second, the Triduum is a celebration of hope. It is a renewal of our hope in the Resurrection. As we often pray, “One day, we shall be reunited where there are no more tears and suffering.”
As St. Paul wrote, “Our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.” (Philippians 3: 20) This great source of hope that inspires us to live our life here on earth within the horizon of heaven and the Resurrection.
Three promises of hope
The Gospel for today’s solemnity is the Beatitudes in Matthew. The Beatitudes give us three promises of hope.
One, it reminds us we are “blessed” by God. To be blessed is not simply happiness or joy, but to be favored with God’s grace and love in this life and more so in the life to come. It is the proleptic presence of God’s Kingdom in our life, already here, but not fully fulfilled.
Two, the Beatitudes are a description of Jesus’ own life and ministry. For us who pray for the grace prescribed by St. Ignatius of Loyola in the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius of Loyola—Lord, that I may see thee more clearly, love thee more dearly, follow thee more nearly—the Beatitudes are one of the best Scripture passages to contemplate.
In Ignatian prayer and spirituality, to contemplate a Scripture passage is to enter the scene described with multiple senses—of putting on the life and ministry of Jesus.
And finally, the Beatitudes are both a portrait of Jesus and of a life of holiness we can pray for. We open our lives to the holiness of Jesus. It leads us to a holy union with Jesus—loving him more dearly and following him more closely.
As we celebrate All Saints’ Day—or Hallowmas—may we be blessed with the grace of holiness, remembering that our citizenship is in heaven even as we build God’s Kingdom here in our corner of the world.
May we all be blessed.
