Almost 1,000 years ago, Saint Bernard of Clairvaux asked himself why it is that we celebrate and remember the saints.
He wrote, “why should our praise and glorification, or even the celebration of this feast day mean anything to the saints? What do they care about earthly honors when their heavenly Father honors them by fulfilling the faithful promise of the Son?”
Saint Bernard answered his own question, “calling the saints to mind inspires, or rather arouses in us, a longing to enjoy their company. We long to share in the citizenship of heaven, to dwell with the spirits of the blessed, to join the assembly of patriarchs, the ranks of the prophets and the great host of martyrs.”
In other words, this feast reminds us we too are called to be saints, to one day join the multitude of men and women who stand before the throne of the Lamb in heaven, praising and adoring him without end. The feast is more for us, than for them.
This feast also reminds us that we belong to a communion of saints. That all of us who are baptized, the living and the dead, those on earth, in purgatory or in heaven, we are all bound together in Christ. Our souls are united; we are all connected in Christ and we can count on each other’s prayers and company.
This feast also allows us to celebrate the fruits of God’s creation. To praise the creature (the saints in this case) is to praise the creator. If I praise a work of art, the artist will not get jealous or upset, rather, he will accept the praise of his work. The creature and creator are not competing, but to acknowledge the beauty, virtue and holiness of the creature is to give praise to the creator.
We gather for Mass this morning in the presence of Christ and the whole communion of saints. As we intimately become one with Christ at the Eucharist, we become one with all the saints in heaven. May Christ and all his saints come to our aid with their prayers, and may their holiness of life encourage us to attain heaven.
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