Blessed are the Saints
“Blessed are the poor in spirit.
“Blessed are those who mourn.
“Blessed are the meek.
“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness.
“Blessed are the merciful.
“Blessed are the pure in heart.
“Blessed are the peacemakers.
Today we celebrate All Saints Day, a day when we commemorates all saints, known and unknown. Tomorrow we celebrate All Souls Day, commemorating "all the Faithful Departed" including family and friends, specifically ones who have died in the last year. At church on Sunday, you will often hear the "necrology" a list of the names of those in your parish who have died in the last year.
However when the church tells me to remember all saints known and unknown, I cannot help but think of the saints living and dead in my life who have brought blessings to my life. One way to do that would be to go through the list of blessings above from Matthew's version of the Sermon on the Mount, and add names to your list of saints...those who are poor in spirit, those who mourn and such.
Today as I prepare for the funeral of one of those people in my life, it is fitting to go through this list and think of all the ways my friend was a saint to many. I pray that you might do the same and discover a new and different way to celebrate this beautiful day, this All Saints Day.
Thank you for this…I have so many Saints I have been blessed to love and be loved by - both in eternity and still living. To incert them in the ‘blessed are..’ is a prayer I am now holding dear and lifting up. Your own Mother (dear Owene) was and is one of the saints who was a bridge for me during difficult terrain. Giving thanks for all the Saints.