“Follow the saints, because those who follow them will become saints.”
- Pope Clement I
- Pope Clement I
How To Be A Saint
A third grader got it right.
“A saint is someone that
the light shines through.”
She was looking at a stained glass window,
the one St. Francis inhabits.
Every morning the light comes
and Francis lets the light pass through.
Saints are bearers of the light
and love
and life.
Just ask any third grader.
- Robert Morneau
"A New Heart: Eleven Qualities of Holiness"
Today is Priesthood Sunday. My heart’s desire is to be a holy priest. While in the seminary studying to be a priest my favorite three subjects were 1) Sacred Scripture - study of God’s Word; 2) Hagiography - study of the saints; 3) Homiletics — study of oratorical speaking. All of my elective courses in the seminary drew me to taking further Scripture classes, studying more of the lives of the saints, and fine-tuning the art of preaching.
The Church honors on Monday, November 1, All Saints' Day (note this year it is not a Holy Day of Obligation though Mass will be at 8:30 AM). On Tuesday, November 2, we celebrate All Souls’ Day, commemorating and praying for our beloved dead. (There will be a Memorial Mass at 7:00 PM only that evening.) The Church encourages our participation in the celebration of these observances.
Outside one of the lecture halls at Mt. St. Mary’s Seminary is a plaque quoting Daniel 12:3, “Those who teach others in the ways of God will shine like the stars for all eternity.” Msgr. James Mulligan, who was a long-time professor for three decades at the Mount, would often say that single verse from Scripture gave him the daily inspiration to teach us to strive to be saints. The goal of the Christian life is to be holy — more pleasing in the sight of God and more graceful in the sight of one’s neighbor. I’m sure all of our lives have been blessed by certain people whose presence made us feel God’s grace alive — parents, spouses, teachers, mentors, friends, colleagues, neighbors, or fellow parishioners. A couple from our parish came to have their car blessed this past Wednesday before moving to Florida, and with tears and sadness they mentioned how much they will miss St. Joseph Parish — the place and its people. One must find his/her salvation in the time, place and people in which we live. Sometimes the best conditions for discipleship lie simply in embracing and accepting sufferings, challenges and obstacles as opportunities of new growth.
Today on the 31st Sunday in Ordinary Time we read of the encounter of Jesus and Zacchaeus, the story of the "little man" who climbed a tall sycamore tree to go out on a limb in order to get Jesus’ attention. Perhaps we can visualize Jesus walking along a dusty road through Jericho (the City of Palms) attracting a large crowd as he goes. There must have been a great excitement about his presence. Jesus had the reputation for being a miracle worker. Zacchaeus was a short man, a despised and hated tax collector. His curiosity led him up a tree in order to have a better vantage point. Jesus gazed upward and saw the sight of little Zacchaeus swinging from a branch and said to him, "Zacchaeus, come down quickly, for today I must stay at your house." St. Augustine said, “Zacchaeus had given so much importance to seeing Jesus pass by that he earned the pleasure of Jesus’ company at home.” Jesus read his heart and had mercy for him. Zacchaeus is a figure who teaches us that no one is beyond the reach of God’s grace. Jesus has compassion on everyone and invites us to a new life in seeking out and saving the lost. St. Ambrose wrote, “Of all people to choose from, he singled out the chief of the tax collectors. Who can lose hope for themselves when even such a man attained salvation?” God’s mercy and forgiveness is always within reach if we seek it. Repentance is always an on-going process and a life-long decision to seek God. It is when we turn away from sin and evil and seek to grow in holiness that we are lifted up.
The story of Zacchaeus inspires us to deeper conversion by acknowledging our weakness and sinfulness to encounter the Lord’s forgiveness. For when we reject sin and invite the Lord into our homes — our heart and our soul — we, too, experience His great love. As we walk the path of salvation we are ever mindful that we can wander to "ungodly paths." Jesus summons Zacchaeus and each of us to holiness and salvation. Zacchaeus in Hebrew means “clean, pure or innocent." Once Jesus comes in, we are made clean, pure and innocent. Do we go "out on a limb" for those who are "lost?" Do we feel guilty and unworthy of God’s holy presence? Do we allow the murmurings and criticisms and complaints of others to distract us from our goal of seeking Jesus? Do we turn to the saints to ask their intercession to help us on our journey? Do we look to Jesus in prayer to bless the "little ones?" Does God’s mercy and compassion fill our hearts?
This week I’m happy to have two "little ones" come to my house in the rectory: Alex 4, and Daniel Patrick 7, my nephews, along with my brother Dan from Greensboro, NC, for a special Halloween treat. We will take in the Penguins-Flyers game at the new Consol Energy Center. The little ones noted, “It’s a boys’ weekend in Pittsburgh ... plus Grandma!” As we visit her at the Little Sisters of the Poor, we see a home which is half-way to heaven.
I ask for your prayers as I have an endoscopy test on All Saints’ Day at 11:00 AM.
