“Blessed are the poor in spirit...blessed are they who mourn...blessed are the meek...blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness...blessed are the merciful...blessed are the clean of heart...blessed are the peacemakers...
In the gospel of Matthew, Jesus paints the portrait of what it means to be a saint, what it means to be blessed. Living life detached of possessions, filled with compassion, grounded in humility, always ready to offer mercy and willing to invite Jesus, who is the prince of peace, into every situation no matter how difficult it is. Jesus uses the term "blessed" to describe this way of living. The word "blessed" comes from the Latin word, "benediction," which is made up of two words: "bene," which means well; and "diction," which means to speak. When we are blessed, God is speaking well of who we are and what we are about – living lives of holiness in the world.
I love the saints! I love the fact that the Church has given us great examples of human beings who have lived the gospel with their lives in their given culture, time period and environment. Without the witness of the saints, I would not be a priest. It is their witness that inspires me. It is their compassion, their faithfulness; their striving to be who Christ calls them to be that ignites a flame of faith deep within me. Thank God for the saints!
That is why I am excited about this coming All Saints Day! This weekend, we are going to be giving away the book “Rediscover the Saints,”where Matthew Kelly offers great portrayals of the saints and how they lived blessed lives. This book was meant to be given
away last Easter, but I am happy to give it out on the day we celebrate All Saints.
I will be offering a 3-week Advent Saint Series (December 3, 10 and 17), where you are invited to come to the Church on Thursdays in Advent at 7:30 p.m. to unpack the lives of the saints who each welcomed the Lord into their lives so well! By reflecting on their journey during Advent, they will help us learn how to prepare for the coming of the Lord in Christmas!
May God’s peace and joy be with you,
Fr. Jeremy
