“The Solemnity of All Saints”
This homily was given at the Pontifical North American College
Vatican City State,
by Rev. Kurt Belsole, OSB
November 1, 2015
It is particularly wonderful to celebrate this solemnity in the city of Rome because the celebration of today’s feast is so closely linked to this city. In walking through the city, so often we pass the Pantheon—originally built as a pagan temple, but then given by the emperor to Pope Boniface IV in the seventh century and transformed into a church. After the Pantheon had been purified, a great number of relics were transferred there and Pope Boniface dedicated it on May 13, 610, in honor of the Mother of God and all the holy martyrs—and so, in the church of Rome, the feast of All Martyrs was celebrated on May 13th. Perhaps due to the difficulty of procuring food in Rome in the springtime for the great numbers of pilgrims who came for this feast, Pope Gregory IV in the 9th century transferred the feast to November 1st and extended it to include all the saints. I think of that whenever I pass the Pantheon. How good it is to be here!
And so, today, the Church celebrates the ancient feast of All Saints–the great multitude mentioned in the Book of Revelation–which no one could count from every nation, race, people, and tongue—a testament to the great victory of the Lord.
It is hardly a catch-all as it is sometimes described: a day to celebrate all of the saints who otherwise get missed in celebrations throughout the year.
Much more, it is a celebration of sanctity—to which we all aspire—to be saints. We celebrate not only the unknown saints, but all the saints:
• From the Mother of God
• To the apostles
• To the martyrs
• To pastors, virgins, and all holy men and women.
It is the feast of those who stand before the throne and the Lamb in robes washed white in the blood of the Lamb–having survived the great period of testing and holding the palm branches of victory.
It is the feast of the vast number of saints to whom we are joined by faith in the Son of God–by our common baptism and by our sacramental life–and by our incorporation into the Mystical Body.
A significant example of that communion that we share with the saints whom we celebrate today can be seen in this community of our Seminary–persons previously unknown to one another, we have come together here for four or five years only because of our faith in Jesus Christ and our call to priesthood—to a seminary community that is built on our common communion of faith in the Lord, our communion in his Body and Blood, and our common call to priesthood–and nothing less—a noble and marvelous vocation—and a vocation where we all strive after sanctity.
For us as priests and future priests, our task is first of all to enter into the intimacy of the Lord’s first disciples, to stay close to him, and then to follow Jesus’ example in putting a human face on each person in the multitude–to help them become saints–embracing their conditions as their way to the Kingdom–and letting them know that God will never abandon or forsake them.
But first, today, here and now–we enter more deeply into these mysteries in the sacred liturgy and celebrate our communion in Christ, with the Father and the Holy Spirit in the presence of all the angels—and all the saints. To the glory of God to whom be all praise and glory, wisdom and thanksgiving, honor, power, and might, for ever and ever. Amen.
Source: Rev. Kurt Belsole, OSB, Saint Vincent Archabbey, Latrobe, PA
www.liftupyourhearts.church