Martyrs

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Wednesday, 22 November 2023 : 33rd Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Cecilia, Virgin and Martyr (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Red

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today we listened to the words of the Scriptures in which we are reminded of the challenges and difficulties that we may have to endure as we carry out our lives faithfully as Christians, that is as those who follow the Lord and walk in His ways. We are also presented with the reminders of what we all need to do in living our lives faithfully as followers of the Lord, that we have to be active and committed in living our lives sincerely and with devotion, in following God as best as we are all able to. Each and every one of us are reminded that without action and contribution in our lives, and without actively living our Christian faith, then we cannot truly be the followers and disciples of Christ.

In our first reading today, we heard from the Book of the Maccabees, in which the sufferings of the seven brothers, sons of the same mother, were recounted to us, the sufferings and persecution which they endured because of their adherence to the Law of God, the Jewish practices and customs that ran contrary to the desires and demands of the Greek King of the Seleucid Empire, at that time, King Antiochus IV Epiphanes, who imposed a wide-ranging ban on the local practices of the peoples throughout his vast Empire, demanding and enforcing his will that he wanted everyone to follow the ways and practices of the Greeks, abandoning their own faith, beliefs and practices, to become like the Greeks in all things.

And this king was truly ruthless and determined in his efforts to impose his will on the entire Empire. However, this came to direct conflict with many among the Jewish people, the descendants of the Israelites living in the regions of Judea, Galilee, Samaria and elsewhere, because they mostly believed in the Lord their God, the one and only true God, and hence, they could not bear themselves to worship other gods, or abandon their Lord and Master for those pagan gods and false idols. The Lord their God was their one and only Master, and remains so, to this very day. All of us also worship the same God, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the One Who had sent unto us, His Beloved Son, Our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ.

In that encounter and event described in our first reading today, it was detailed how the king persecuted greatly all those who chose willingly to remain faithful to God, and the seven brothers, each of whom were adamant in their commitment to God and in refusing each of the king’s efforts to sway and persuade, coerce and force them to abandon their faith in the Lord. They chose to suffer and die, one by one, from the oldest to the youngest, and the mother, who had to witness all of these, she also remained firmly faithful to the Lord, encouraging all of them and remaining steadfast with them. Despite everything that the king had tried to do to convince them to do otherwise, none of the seven brothers and the mother betrayed the Lord. They all died as martyrs of the faith.

In our Gospel passage today, we then heard of the parable which the Lord related and told to His disciples and followers, of a variation of the well-known parable of the silver talents. In this parable, we heard of how a man entrusted to his servants some sums of silver talents or pounds, for them to take care of while he went on his journey to a distant land to be crowned king there. Each of the first two servants mentioned invested their silver well, and made good gains from the silver, doubling what they had been entrusted with. Meanwhile, the third and last servant mentioned did not do anything to the silver, and returned it to his master intact as how it was entrusted to him. We heard how those who had done well in investing their silver were rewarded and entrusted with the care of many cities, while the one who had been lazy and did nothing, was punished and his silver taken away, ending up with nothing.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, this parable has a symbolic meaning in showing us that the Lord has entrusted each and every one of us with various talents, abilities, gifts and opportunities in life, and some of us did receive more than others. However, each one of us are also therefore expected to make good use of those gifts and opportunities, and we should not be idle or ignorant of what we can and should do in using the blessings that God had given to us. And how do we use these blessings and gifts, opportunities and other things that God had granted to us? It is by remaining steadfast and faithful in our lives, in living our lives honourably and worthily in accordance to the path that the Lord Himself has shown and taught to us. All of us have been reminded of this today, and the courage and faith of the seven brothers and their mother mentioned in our first reading today served as one good example of what it means for us to be truly faithful to God.

Today, the Church celebrates the feast of a great woman and servant of God, whose faith and devotion to God, and the dedication to Him, to the point of suffering and enduring grievous tribulations for His sake, should be a great inspiration for all of us Christians to follow. St. Cecilia was well-known as the patron saint of musicians, but she is also a great martyr of the Faith, as she had to bear great sufferings for the sake of the Lord, in her obedience to Him and in her steadfastness in refusing to abandon her faith in Him. She was born into Roman nobility and despite her vow of virginity before God, as a Christian, was forced by her family to marry a pagan nobleman named Valerian. St. Cecilia according to tradition, warned Valerian that an Angel of the Lord watched over her and if he tried to violate her sacred virginity, he would be struck down.

Hence, that was also how St. Cecilia managed to convince her husband to become a Christian himself, as when he asked to see the Angel mentioned by St. Cecilia, he did see the Angel of God after he was baptised by the Pope at that time, Pope St. Urban I. At that time, the Christians in Rome and elsewhere throughout the Roman Empire were persecuted for their faith, and this eventually led to the martyrdom of St. Cecilia and her husband, together with other Christians that had been arrested and made to suffer and die, when they refused to betray the Lord and abandon their faith in Him, just like those of the seven brothers mentioned in our first reading passage today. St. Cecilia was one of those great martyrs of the Church, whose courage and dedication to God, and whose commitment to virtue and holiness, and the purity of her sacred virginity, inspired countless Christians throughout history, right up to this day.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, having heard all of these courageous and faithful examples of our holy predecessors, let us all therefore as Christians living in our present day world be filled with faith and commitment to God, inspired and strengthened by the virtues and the courage of those who have gone before us. Let us all not be easily swayed or threatened to abandon our faith, and let us all commit ourselves anew to the Lord. May the Lord, our loving God and Master, continue to guide and strengthen us in our journey of faith, in our pursuit of His salvation and truth, now and always. May He inspire us all to become great role models and inspirations ourselves, in how we live our lives with great faith and charity. Amen.

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Wednesday, 22 November 2023 : 33rd Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Cecilia, Virgin and Martyr (Gospel Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Red

Luke 19 : 11-28

At that time, Jesus was now near Jerusalem, and the people with Him thought that God’s reign was about to appear. So as they were listening to Him, Jesus went on to tell them a parable. He said, “A man of noble birth went to a distant country in order to be crowned king, after which he planned to return home. Before he left, he summoned ten of his servants and gave them ten pounds of silver.”

“He said, ‘Put this money to work until I get back.’ But his compatriots, who disliked him, sent a delegation after him with this message, ‘We do not want this man to be our king.’ He returned, however, appointed as king. At once he sent for the servants, to whom he had given the money, to find out what profit each had made. The first came in, and reported, ‘Sir, your pound of silver has earned ten more pounds of silver.'”

“The master replied, ‘Well done, my good servant! Since you have proved yourself faithful in a small matter, I can trust you to take charge of ten cities.’ The second reported, ‘Sir, your pound of silver earned five more pounds of silver.’ The master replied, ‘And you, take charge of five cities!'”

“The third came in, and said, ‘Sir, here is your money, which I hid for safekeeping. I was afraid of you, for you are an exacting person : you take up what you did not lay down, and you reap what you did not sow.’ The master replied, ‘You worthless servant, I will judge you by your own words! So you knew I was an exacting person, taking up what I did not lay down, and reaping what I did not sow? Why, then, did you not put my money on loan, so that, when I got back, I could have collected it with interest?'”

“Then the master said to those standing by, ‘Take from him that pound, and give it to the one with ten pounds.’ But they objected, ‘Sir, he already has ten pounds!’ The master replied, ‘I tell you, everyone who has will be given more; but from those who have nothing, even what they have will be taken away. As for my enemies who did not want me to be their king, bring them in, and execute them right here in front of me!'”

So Jesus spoke, and then He passed on ahead of them, on His way to Jerusalem.

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Wednesday, 22 November 2023 : 33rd Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Cecilia, Virgin and Martyr (Psalm)

Liturgical Colour : Red

Psalm 16 : 1, 5-6, 8 and 15

Hear a just cause, o YHVH, listen to my complaint. Give heed to my prayer, for there is no deceit on my lips.

Hold firm my steps upon Your path, that my feet may not stumble. I call on You, You will answer me, o God; incline Your ear and hear my word.

Keep me as the apple of Your eye; under the shadow of Your wings hide me. As for me, righteous in Your sight, I shall see Your face and, awakening, gaze my fill on Your likeness.

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Wednesday, 22 November 2023 : 33rd Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Cecilia, Virgin and Martyr (First Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Red

2 Maccabees 7 : 1, 20-31

It happened also that seven brothers were arrested with their mother. The king had them scourged and flogged to force them to eat the flesh of a pig which was prohibited by the Law.

More than all of them, their mother ought to be admired and remembered. She saw her seven sons die in a single day. But she endured it even with joy for she had put her hope in the Lord. Full of a noble sense of honour, she encouraged each one of them in the language of their ancestors. Her woman’s heart was moved by manly courage, so she told them :

“I wonder how you were born of me; it was not I who gave you breath and life, nor I who ordered the matter of your body. The Creator of the world Who formed man in the beginning and ordered the unfolding of all creation shall in His mercy, give you back breath and life, since you now despise them for the love of His laws.”

Antiochus thought she was making fun of him and suspected that she had insulted him. As the youngest was still alive, the king tried to win him over not only with his words, but even promised to make him rich and happy, if he would abandon the traditions of his ancestors. He would make him his Friend and appoint him to a high position in the kingdom.

But as the young man did not pay him any attention, the king ordered the mother to be brought in. He urged her to advise her son in order to save his life. After being asked twice by the king, she agreed to persuade her son. She bent over him and fooled the cruel tyrant by saying in her ancestral language : “My son, have pity on me. For nine months I carried you in my womb and suckled you for three years; I raised you up and educated you until this day.”

“I ask you now, my son, that when you see the heavens, the earth and all that is in it, you know that God made all this from nothing, and the human race as well. Do not fear these executioners, but make yourself worthy of your brothers – accept death that you may again meet your brothers in the time of mercy.”

When she finished speaking, the young man said, “What are you waiting for? I do not obey the king’s order but the precepts of the Law given by Moses to our ancestors. And you who have devised such tortures against the Hebrews, shall not escape the hands of God.”

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(Usus Antiquior) Dedication of the Archbasilica of our Saviour, Feast of St. Theodore, Martyr (Double II Classis) – Thursday, 9 November 2023 : Offertory, Secret Prayer of the Priest, Communion and Post-Communion Prayer 

Liturgical Colour : White

Offertory

1 Paralipomenon (Chronicles) 29 : 17, 18

Domine Deus, in simplicitate cordis mei laetus obtuli universa; et populum Tuum, qui repertus est, vidi cum ingenti gaudio : Deus Israel, custodi hanc voluntatem, Alleluja.

English translation

O Lord God, in the simplicity of my heart, I have joyfully offered all these things; and I have seen with great joy Your people, which are present. O God of Israel, keep this will, Alleluia.

Secret Prayer of the Priest

Secret (only to be used in the Archbasilica of St. John Lateran itself)

Annue, quaesumus, Domine, precibus nostris : (ut, quicumque intra templi hujus, cujus anniversarium dedicationis diem celebramus, ambitum continemur, plena tibi atque perfecta corporis et animae devotione placeamus) ut, dum haec vota praesentia reddimus, ad aeterna praemia, te adjuvante, pervenire mereamur. Per Dominum nostrum Jesum Christum Filium Tuum, qui Tecum vivit et regnat in unitate Spiritus Sancti Dei, per omnia saecula saeculorum. Amen.

English translation

Bow down to our prayers, o Lord, we beseech You (that all of us who are within the precincts of this temple, the anniversary of whose dedication we celebrate, may please You with full and perfect devotion of body and soul) that, while we pay our vows here below, we may, by Your assistance, be worthy to attain unto everlasting rewards. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son, Who with You lives and reigns in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, forever and ever. Amen.

Secret (Commemoration of Dedication)

Deus, qui sacrandorum tibi auctor es munerum, effunde super hanc orationis domum benedictionem Tuam : ut ab omnibus, in ea invocantibus Nomen Tuum, defensionis Tuae auxilium se nitatur. Per Dominum nostrum Jesum Christum Filium Tuum, qui Tecum vivit et regnat in unitate Spiritus Sancti Dei, per omnia saecula saeculorum. Amen.

English translation

O God, You who are the author of the gifts that are to be consecrated to You, pour forth Your blessing upon this house of prayer, that the help of Your defense may be felt by all who here invoke Your Name. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son, Who with You lives and reigns in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, forever and ever. Amen.

Secret (Commemoration of St. Theodore)

Suscipe, Domine, fidelium preces cum oblationibus hostiarum : et, intercedente Beato Theodoro Martyre Tuo, per haec piae devotionis officia ad caelestem gloriam transeamus. Per Dominum nostrum Jesum Christum Filium Tuum, qui Tecum vivit et regnat in unitate Spiritus Sancti Dei, per omnia saecula saeculorum. Amen.

English translation

Receive, o Lord, the prayers of the faithful with offerings of sacrifices, and, by the intercession of Blessed Theodore, Your martyr, may we pass through these offices of pious devotion to heavenly glory. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son, Who with You lives and reigns in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, forever and ever. Amen.

Communion

Matthew 21 : 13

Domus mea domus orationis vocabitur, dicit Dominus : in ea omnis, qui petii, accipit; et qui quaerit, invenit; et pulsanti aperietur.

English translation

My house shall be called the house of prayer, says the Lord. Every one who asks therein will receive, and he who seeks, shall find, and to him who knocks, it shall be opened to him.

Post-Communion Prayer

Post-Communion (Commemoration of Dedication of Basilica of St. John Lateran)

Deus, qui de vivis et electis lapidibus aeternum majestati Tuae praeparas habitaculum : auxiliare populo Tuo supplicanti; ut, quod Ecclesiae Tuae corporalibus proficit spatiis, spiritualibus amplificetur augmentis. Per Dominum nostrum Jesum Christum Filium Tuum, qui Tecum vivit et regnat in unitate Spiritus Sancti Dei, per omnia saecula saeculorum. Amen.

English translation

O God, who from living and chosen stones had prepared for Your majesty an eternal dwelling, help Your people who call upon You, so that what is profitable to Your Church in material growth may be accompanied with an increase of that which is of the Spirit. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son, Who with You lives and reigns in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, forever and ever. Amen.

Post-Communion (Commemoration of St. Theodore)

Praesta nobis, quaesumus, Domine : intercedente Beato Theodoro Martyre Tuo; ut, quod ore contingimus, pura mente capiamus. Per Dominum nostrum Jesum Christum Filium Tuum, qui Tecum vivit et regnat in unitate Spiritus Sancti Dei, per omnia saecula saeculorum. Amen.

English translation

Grant us, we beseech You, o Lord, by the intercession of Blessed Theodore, Your martyr, that what we touch with our lips we may receive with pure hearts. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son, Who with You lives and reigns in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, forever and ever. Amen.

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(Usus Antiquior) Dedication of the Archbasilica of our Saviour, Feast of St. Theodore, Martyr (Double II Classis) – Thursday, 9 November 2023 : Holy Gospel 

Liturgical Colour : White

Sequentia Sancti Evangelii secundum Lucam – Continuation of the Holy Gospel according to St. Luke

Luke 19 : 1-10

In illo tempore : Ingressus Jesus perambulabat Jericho. Et ecce, vir nomine Zachaeus : et hic princeps erat publicanorum, et ipse dives : et quaerebat videre Jesum, quis esset : et non poterat prae turba, quia statura pusillus erat.

Et praecurrens ascendit in arborem sycomorum, ut videret eum; quia inde erat transiturus. Et cum venisset ad locum, suspiciens Jesus vidit illum, et dixit ad eum : Zachaee, festinans descende; quia hodie in domo tua oportet me manere. Et festinans descendit, et excepit illum gaudens. Et cum viderent omnes, murmurabant, dicentes, quod ad hominem peccatorem divertisset.

Stans autem Zachaeus, dixit ad Dominum : Ecce, dimidium bonorum meorum, Domine, do pauperibus : et si quid aliquem defraudavi, reddo quadruplum. Ait Jesus ad eum : Quia hodie salus domui huic facta est : eo quod et ipse filius sit Abrahae. Venit enim Filius hominis quaerere et salvum facere, quod perierat.

English translation

At that time, Jesus entering in, walked through Jericho. And behold there was a man named Zachaeus, who was the chief of the publicans, and he was rich, and he sought to see who Jesus was, and he could not see Him because of the crowd, for he was of low stature.

And running before, he climbed up into a sycamore tree that he might see Him, for He was to pass that way. And when Jesus came to that place, looking up, He saw him and said to him, “Zachaeus, make haste and come down, for this day I must abide in your house.” And he made haste and came down, and received Him with joy. And when all saw it, they murmured, saying that He is going to be a guest with a man who was a sinner.

But Zachaeus standing, said to the Lord, “Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor, and if I have wronged any man of anything, I will restore to him fourfold.” Jesus said to him, “This day salvation has come to this house, because he is also a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man comes to seek and save those who were lost.”

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(Usus Antiquior) Dedication of the Archbasilica of our Saviour, Feast of St. Theodore, Martyr (Double II Classis) – Thursday, 9 November 2023 : Gradual and Alleluia 

Liturgical Colour : White

Tradition of the Faith and Psalm 137 : 2

Locus iste a Deo factus est, inaestimabile sacramentum, irreprehensibilis est.

Response : Deus, cui astat Angelorum chorus, exaudi preces servorum Tuorum.

Alleluja, Alleluja.

Response : Adorabo ad templum sanctum Tuum : et confitebor Nomini Tuo. Alleluja.

English translation

This place was made by God a priceless mystery, it is without reproof.

Response : O God, before whom stands the choir of angels, hear the prayers of Your servants.

Alleluia, Alleluia.

Response : I will worship toward Your holy Temple, and I will give glory to Your Name. Alleluia.

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(Usus Antiquior) Dedication of the Archbasilica of our Saviour, Feast of St. Theodore, Martyr (Double II Classis) – Thursday, 9 November 2023 : Epistle 

Liturgical Colour : White

Lectio libri Apocalypsis Beati Joannis Apostoli – Lesson from the Book of the Apocalypse of Blessed John the Apostle

Apocalypse 21 : 2-5

In diebus illis : Vidi sanctam civitatem Jerusalem novam descendentem de caelo a Deo, paratam sicut sponsam ornatam viro suo.

Et audivi vocem magnam de throno dicentem : Ecce tabernaculum Dei cum hominibus, et habitabit cum eis. Et ipsi populus ejus erunt, et ipse Deus cum eis erit eorum Deus : et absterget Deus omnem lacrimam ab oculis eorum : et mors ultra non erit, neque luctus neque clamor neque dolor erit ultra, quia prima abierunt.

Et dixit, qui sedebat in throno : Ecce, nova facio omnia.

English translation

In those days, I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of Heaven, from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.

And I heard a great voice from the throne, saying, “Behold the tabernacle of God with men; and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself with them shall be their God, and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and death shall be no more, nor mourning, nor crying, nor sorrow shall be any more, for the former things are passed away.”

And He who sat on the throne said, “Behold, I make all things new.”

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(Usus Antiquior) Dedication of the Archbasilica of our Saviour, Feast of St. Theodore, Martyr (Double II Classis) – Thursday, 9 November 2023 : Introit and Collect 

Liturgical Colour : White

Introit

Genesis 28 : 17 and Psalm 83 : 2-3

Terribilis est locus iste : hic domus Dei est et porta caeli : et vocabitur aula Dei.

Response : Quam dilecta tabernacula Tua, Domine virtutum! Concupiscit, et deficit anima mea in atria Domini.

Response : Gloria Patri et Filio et Spiritui Sancto, sicut erat in principio, et nunc, et semper : et in saecula saeculorum. Amen.

English translation

Terrible is this place : it is the house of God, and the gate of heaven; and shall be called the court of God.

Response : How lovely are Your tabernacles, o Lord of hosts! My soul longs and faints for the courts of the Lord.

Response : Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

Collect

Collect for the Dedication of Archbasilica of our Saviour

Deus, qui nobis per singulos annos hujus sancti templi tui consecrationis reparas diem, et sacris semper mysteriis representas incolumes : exaudi preces populi tui, ut praesta; ut, quisquis hoc templum beneficia petiturus ingreditur, cuncta se impetrasse laetetur. Per Dominum nostrum Jesum Christum Filium Tuum, qui Tecum vivit et regnat in unitate Spiritus Sancti Dei, per omnia saecula saeculorum. Amen.

English translation

O God, who year by year renews the day of the consecration of this Your Holy Temple, and ever bring us again in safety to the holy mysteries, hear the prayers of Your people, and grant that whoever enters this temple to seek blessings may rejoice to obtain all that he seeks. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son, Who with You lives and reigns in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, forever and ever. Amen.

Collect for the commemoration of St. Theodore

Deus, qui nos beati Theodori Martyris tui confessione gloriosa circumdas et protegis : praesta nobis ex ejus imitatione proficere, et oratione fulciri. Per Dominum nostrum Jesum Christum Filium Tuum, qui Tecum vivit et regnat in unitate Spiritus Sancti Dei, per omnia saecula saeculorum. Amen.

English translation

O God, who encompasses and protects us with the glorious testimony of Blessed Theodore, Your martyr, grant us to profit by imitating him and to be supported by his prayers. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son, Who with You lives and reigns in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, forever and ever. Amen.

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Wednesday, 1 November 2023 : Solemnity of All Saints (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : White

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today the Church celebrates the great Solemnity of All Saints, commemorating and honouring all the glorious saints, holy men and women of God, whom the Church had declared to be truly worthy of God, and by whose lives and examples, they have indeed been worthy and merited the immediate reward of heavenly glory and bliss. Those whom the Church had declared to be saints are deemed to be worthy of universal veneration and honour, because of their great and exemplary works and lives, which have shown true faith and obedience to God. There are many virtuous, faithful and dedicated men and women throughout the history of the Church that have been honoured with such designation, that they may indeed become great role models and sources of inspiration for us all to follow, so that we may also follow in their footsteps.

Today, the Church celebrates the saints, the innumerable holy men and women that have gone before us to the bliss and glory of Heaven, and whose lives we should also emulate in our own, and who we should also follow and be inspired to be like them and to follow them in their footsteps. The saints are the ones who have answered the Lord’s call with faith and conviction, and chose to dedicate themselves in following the path that the Lord had called them to walk in, and showed us all their virtues and good deeds, through the lives of the saints whom we have known, learnt about and celebrated throughout the whole liturgical calendar every year. They are the ones mentioned in our first reading today from the Book of the Revelations or the Apocalypse of St. John the Apostle, as the righteous ones whom the Lord have called and chosen, and who had also lived their lives worthily.

In our first reading passage, we heard of the a hundred and forty-four thousand righteous ones gathered in the presence of God at His Throne, the victorious and triumphant Lamb of God. Those represent symbolically the saints of God, all those holy men and women that had triumphed together with God, and been freed from the bondage of sin and death, saved and redeemed by the Lord, and justified through their faith and actions throughout their lives. This does not mean that the saints numbers are limited by the absolute limit of a hundred and forty-four thousand as mentioned. Rather, that number was used to highlight a rather large number, to show that many people will end up being triumphant and victorious in the end with God, and there are already some who are already enjoying the bliss of Heaven even before the Final and Last Judgment.

They are all clothed in white in the vision of St. John, and according to one of the Elders who guided St. John in the vision, those saints had already washed their garments clean in the Blood of the Lamb, which also symbolically represent our baptism, in us accepting the grace of God brought to us through Christ, Who has shed His Most Precious Blood and died for us on His Cross. This same Precious Blood has washed away from us the taint of our original sin, and as a perfect and most worthy offering, the Lord Himself has delivered us all from the tyranny and dominion of sin. Then, at the same time, some of those saints were also martyrs who have shed their own blood for the sake of the Lord, while others have led a life of virtue and holiness, all of which actions and commitments allow them to enter into the great glory of Heaven.

This does not mean that the saints had always been perfect and immaculate in their lives. Rather, they were sinners just like us, and they have also committed sins, be it simple, venial, or even serious and mortal sins. Yet, what is important is the fact that, they all turned away from those paths of sin and disobedience against God, chose to embrace God’s mercy and love, and either by the virtues of their lives, and/or their courageous defence of their faith, even to the point of shedding their blood and dying for their faith in God, they have been deemed worthy by God and by His Church, to enjoy immediately at the point of death, to enter right away into the glory of Heaven. Some of the saints that we are all familiar with were great sinners earlier on in their lives, and many others were flawed in their character and actions, but they then chose the better path with God.

Now, brothers and sisters in Christ, this means that the same applies to all of us as well, each one of us who are still living in this world. And how do we make sure that one day we can also enjoy the glory of Heaven like that of the saints? It is by heeding what the Lord Himself had taught His disciples and all of us through the Eight Beatitudes, the series of blessings that the Lord pronounced in our Gospel passage today. He praised and blessed all those who are poor in spirit, meaning those who are humble and always seeking God, being aware of their sins and imperfections, as well as those who mourn and suffer because of their faith and commitment to God, and all those who are gentle and loving towards each other, in showing love and compassion to their fellow men and women, and those who show justice and righteousness in their lives, those who show mercy, work for peace and have been persecuted and insulted because of their faith in God.

Essentially all of these are the qualities and signs of what sainthood is all about. These are the parameters, actions and characteristics that defined those who have been officially recognised and canonised to be saints, as great role models and inspirations for their fellow brothers and sisters. And each and every one of us can also be like them as well. As Christians, it is imperative and important for all of us to be ever more committed to God in all of our actions, works and way of life, to be like what the Eight Beatitudes have shown us, that we should be people who are with God’s love, with all the Christian virtues and righteousness, in obeying the Law and commandments of God, in doing God’s will and in showing forth His truth and Good News, revealing His love and kindness to more and more people throughout the world, in all of our every interactions and efforts.

Now, on this day, as we rejoice upon the glory and honour of the glorious saints of God, let us all remember that they are also part of the same Church like us all as well. While we are all still living in this world as the visible aspects and parts of the Church, as the Church Militant, called as such because we are still struggling daily and putting the effort to resist against the temptations and the threats of sin and evil all around us, the saints of God are part of the Church Triumphant, those who have triumphed in their faith, and have now gone to enjoy the beatific vision of Heaven, to rejoice in the joy and gladness, the comfort, peace and happiness that God has prepared for all those who have been faithful and committed to Him. We too can be part of the Church Triumphant one day, if we choose to do so, and do what the saints had themselves done when they were still living in this world just like us.

And more than just being examples and role models for us, the saints also constantly pray for each and every one of us in this world. They are our intercessors and they always pray for our sake, being closer to God, and hence, have the Lord’s listening ears on our behalf. This is where it is important that as Christians, all of us know well what our beliefs are about regarding the saints, as there are misconceptions and misunderstandings on what saints are and how they play a part in our faith and journey in life, both from within and outside the Church. Some misunderstood that the saints were like deities or gods that we pray to in order for them to do things for us, or for them to give us their blessings, but this is not what saints are. Saints pray and intercede for us, and since they are closer to God, their prayers are truly more effective for us, as they are already in a perfect state of grace.

We can definitely pray for ourselves as well, but there is definitely nothing wrong to ask someone else to pray for us as well. And if we can ask our fellow brothers and sisters around us to pray for us, then why don’t we also ask those who have gone before us, and whom we know that they are already in Heaven, to pray for us all as well? This is why we ask the saints to pray for us, on our behalf, and among all of them, the one who is the best to do it for us, is none other than Mary, the Mother of God herself, who is truly the greatest among all the saints. That is why many Catholics also have deep devotion to Mary, as she is always constantly praying for us, as our loving mother, entrusted to us by the Lord Himself, who made us all to be her children as well. Not only that, but just like that of the other saints, Mary is also a great role model and example for us all to follow in our lives, so that our own lives may be holy just like they are holy, and like how our Lord and God is holy.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, lastly, as we honour and glorify the saints today, let us also pray for one another, and ask the saints to pray for all those around us who need help. Let us all strive to live a holy and worthy life at all times, and be exemplary in our way of life, that one day, we too may be found and deemed worthy, to share in the glory of the saints. Let us also pray for the holy souls in Purgatory, all those who are also part of the Church, as the Church Suffering, as those who have already lived a life of faith, and yet, because of their residual venial sins, they have not yet been able to enjoy the bliss of Heaven, unlike the saints. Let us all pray for them, that God may show them His mercy and love, compassion and kindness, especially that we will remember them tomorrow on All Souls Day. May the glorious saints always pray for us all, and for our fellow brothers and sisters in Purgatory, and may the Lord bless us all and our lives, that we may continue to emulate His saints, and lead lives that are truly holy and worthy of Him. Amen.