SOLEMNITY OF ALL SAINTS, YEAR C.
1st November 2022
Apocalypse 7:2-4,9-14; 1 John 3:1-3; Matthew 5:1-12a.
Today we celebrate the holy men and women who stood firm in faith during their lives on earth. Their number is uncountable according to the first reading from the book of the Apocalypse. It read: ‘…I saw a huge number, impossible to count, of people from every nation, race, tribe and language; they were standing in front of the throne and in front of the Lamb, dressed in white robes and holding palms in their hands’. It is very possible that we have a loved one in heaven because God sees and rewards every good action.
On our part we should be hopeful that one day we shall be counted among the saints in heaven. The beatitudes of today’s gospel makes this possible. Each of us can identify with any of them. The challenge before us as we celebrate this feast is to remain faithful in a hostile world. The hostility is not physical but social.
The social media is the greatest challenge to authentic Christian life. Many of the saints we celebrate today did not have to parade their good deeds before the world as the social media is pushing us to do. According to the second reading from the first letter of St. John, ‘ Because the world refused to acknowledge him, therefore it does not acknowledge us’. The modern world will not acknowledge whoever that is not on social media. The pressure is undeniable and seriously misleading. Social media is a virtual reality but Christian spirituality is real and authentic. Parading our Christian life on social media leads to vain glory, while authentic Christian spirituality is allowing the God who sees all that is done in secret to reward us. May the saints we celebrate today intercede for us!
Fr Anthony Ekpunobi, CM.
