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WOF Radio > Sermons > Sermon Archive for 2009 > Sermon 460 : The Communion of Saints : Solemnity of All Saints

Current rating: 4.3 (21 ratings)

Sermon 460 : The Communion of Saints : Solemnity of All Saints

11/1/2009

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The magnificent diversity of the Saints indicates to us that we have been called to holiness. Holiness is about more than a kind of humanisn, but a deliberate and sincere discipline of life by which we imitate Christ and accept his presence in all the circumstances of our lives.

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Comments

Allan

Good sermon. one thing you did not touch on is reflected in my
own experience.Saint edith picked me, I did not choose her
When she appeared to me she only said her name was edith and
that was important. I never heard of a saint edith.after she
appeared I went to the computer
and looked her up.When I found out about her. I realized she had chosen well when she picked me.
I was so lost at that time and her face of compassion has led me back to the catholic church,
and into a life of service to
God I could not have imagined for myself.I am so glad she picked me.
Allan

10/28/2009 9:58:04 AM

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Ely Black

Thank you for another great sermon. Could you please suggest what you think is the best book for the lives of the saints?

10/29/2009 11:11:43 PM

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Michael Jaffray King

Once again absolutely brilliant. You are such a good and engaging teacher. I learn so much from your talks.. So very pleased to have made contact with you late on in my life. GBY!! and My prayers and support little as it is you can count on for as long as I live

10/31/2009 2:25:29 AM

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Feli

I wait for every Sunday sermon. Fr. Barron's sermons filled my spirt and give me a clue to follow Jesus in a concrete way. Many thanks for his inspiring words on fire. I'm from Argentine in South America, anyway I feel very close to fr. Barron's sermons, they are catholic that mean universal.

11/1/2009 5:04:04 PM

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John Campbell

Thank you Fr. Barron! I am so grateful for your works...

11/1/2009 5:55:12 PM

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Giovanni Secchi

Fr. Barron, Gratias tibi!
Here are my notes I wrote down, while reflecting on the topic. Although with some delay, I do not want to keep them to myself.

Full of respect and reverence we look upon the Saints as role models, who went on the narrow way (Matt 7:14) until they have been welcomed in their home in Heaven (-> 1. Reading, Rev 7:9). We learn from their lives and they could say to us what St. Paul says in 1Thes 4:1 "[...]brethren, we beseech and exhort you in the Lord Jesus, that as you learned from us how you ought to live and to please God, just as you are doing, you do so more and more." - In trivial situations we experience how joyful it is to find the destination and origin we have longed for. How much more is that true for our home in Heaven! As we say to our Blessed Mother Mary in the 'Salve Regina': "To you we cry, the children of Eve;
to you we send up our sighs,
mourning and weeping in this land of exile." ("exsules filii Evae"). The movement towards the future in Heaven is in the same time a return to the lost homeland. The 'Parable of the Prodigal Son' (Lk 15:11–32) outlines the structure of the return perfected in Heaven through the bond of love and union with God (-> Rev 19:7, marriage of the Lamb). St. Augustine says it so beautifully to our Lord: "[...] for thou hast made us for thyself and
restless is our heart until it comes to rest in thee" ("[...]quia fecisti nos ad te, et inquietum est cor nostrum, donec requiscat in Te"; Confession, I) --- The Saints recognised and proclaimed by the Church are the known ones, how gigantic must be the number of those, whose names we don't know. All of them are our brothers and sisters, who have been part of the past and are now graced with the blessing of God's presence in Eternity. Their examples encourage us on our personal progress towards Heaven. At any rate, we must not overemphasise an adversative view that only distinguishes between 'us' and 'them'. This would distort the reality that we all are called to Holiness. The memorial days of the Saints remind us of our own destination. In that sense, the celebrated Saints are reminders. --- Describing the feelings of the sleepy fellow humans who evitate the narrow way to eternal life, Mother Angelica once said "Saints can be like a pain in the neck, isn't it?" (if I recall it correctly). I keep in mind, that we ourselves are called to be also strong (Eph 6:10-17), and if embarrassment has encouraged us to do better, it should stimulate us to reach the maturity, which makes us, what we are supposed to be: humble servants and 'reminders' (encouraging the neighbour).

We are on pilgrimage on the way to our Heavenly home, as St. Paul says in Philippians 1:23 "[...] My desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better." - And yes, our home is prepared and waiting for us, as Jesus says in Jn 14:2 "In my Father's house there are many mansions. If not, I would have told you: because I go to prepare a place for you." - This bible passage caught my attention very much, so that I had a closer look to the implications. The word "oikía" (applied here for God "Father's house") replaces in Septuagint Greek the hebrew word "bayit", a very loaded term for a DWELLING for man (Ju11:31) and for the HOUSE of God (in Shiloh, Ju18:31) and God's TEMPLE (in Jerusalem, 1Ki 6:5) and HOUSEHOLD (Pr 24:27) and for FAMILY (Gen 24:38) and DYNASTY (of David, 1 Ki 12:26) and (royal) COURT (of Pharaoh, Gen 50:4). All these aspects can be seen in regard to our Heavenly home.

11/3/2009 4:38:33 AM

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Dante

Hello Father,

I really loved this sermon. It's one of the most beautiful sermons I have ever heard from WOF, and I've been listening every week since last year.

God bless you always!

11/3/2009 9:51:51 AM

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Winnie

Yearning for a thought provoking sermon on All Saints Day - I looked back. Just a word, Fr Barron - keep the archives posted. I loved it, in 2011.

11/1/2011 8:16:08 PM

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Mara

I'll sound off..1. I tend to take notes, but in the margins of my Bible, not on a srpteaae sheet or notepad. This helps me gain a better understanding of the context of the passages. Since I teach a Home Bible Study, these notes help me to clarify the subjects/topic for my students .2. We have an American flag and a Christian flag. I don't see this as an issue; aren't we called to support (not quite the right word) those that have been placed in positions of leadership? The kids in church all know and recite the Pledge of Allegiance (and know what it means).3. This is a loaded question. Infants go to the nursery and children under 4th grade go to Power Hour (children's church). Otherwise, families tend to sit together, but there are groups, too. Some teens sit together, the young adults/singles sit together, etc. I would say most people prefer that the younger kids and infants go to their respective locations. It is much less distracting for those in the sanctuary, and the kids are being taught the same biblical precepts on their level of understanding.4. No formal liturgy in my church, no historic creed, no recitation of the Lord's Prayer. Not sure why this is, but I would imagine that it hsa to do with the fact that most people don't take the time to try to understand what they are reciting. As for the significance, I've attended churches in the past that recited the Apostles' Creed and sang the Doxology every week. Unless someone (the pastor?) takes the time to explain them, there is no edification of the church body, and people do it because that is the way it has always been done .

7/9/2012 10:48:35 AM

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marie

I was just meditating on the communion of saints as an array of different colors so to speak ,from God , but referring to our brothers from the other churches. Because we may have different doctrines but we still form the BODY of CHRIST. As Mgr Hughes beautifully put it in a meditation on the subject" we will be surprised when we get there, all the barriers of our moral ism will crumble"
Thanks father Barron. I ca,t spent one week without listening to you. It's my food for the week.

11/1/2012 9:26:41 AM

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