Become a saint

Readings: RV 7:2-4, 9-14; PS 24:1bc-2, 3-4ab, 5-6; 1 JN 3:1-3; MT 5:1-12a

Do you want to become a saint?

In the first few hundred years of the Church, Christians were not allowed to gather like we do today. In fact, some of them were killed because of their belief in Jesus Christ, and they were called Martyrs. The local churches would remember each of their martyrs on the anniversary of their death. But eventually, there were more martyrs than days in the year, so it made sense for a common feast day. The date selected was eventually May 13, when in the seventh century, Pope Boniface IV rededicated the Pantheon in Rome to the Blessed Mother Mary and the Martyrs.

In the eighth century, Pope Gregory III dedicated a small chapel in St. Peter’s to all the Saints of Rome and designated November 1st as a local feast day. A hundred years later, Pope Gregory IV officially transferred the feast on May 13th to November 1st, combining the feasts of martyrs and saints. And in the eleventh century, Pope Gregory VII, mandated November 1 as All Saint’s Day, which we celebrate today.

All Saint’s Day was also known as All Holy’s Day. Another word used for holy, is hallowed, just as we say in the Our Father, “hallowed be thy name”. So the feast day was also known as All Hallows Day. And just like December 24th is called Christmas Eve, October 31st was called All Hallows Eve, which eventually was shortened to Halloween.

When we think of Halloween, we most commonly think of the kids dressing up and collecting an abundance of goodies. This is similar to what we, as God’s children, can also expect. God loves us so much he wants to give us an abundance of his love, for us to share eternity with him in heaven.

In the first reading from Revelation, we hear about the seal on the foreheads and being dressed in white. This is the same thing that happens to us at our Baptism. The sign of the cross is traced on our foreheads and we are dressed in white. Through this sacrament, we become a child of God.

But life isn’t always easy. There are challenges for us throughout our lives. For some, these challenges are the same challenges the members of the early church experienced. We hear of Christians being killed because of their belief in Jesus Christ. For others, we endure other type of challenges, such as spiritual struggles, deaths of loved ones, illnesses, financial difficulties, and many more. But God is there with us. As we hear in the Gospel reading, Jesus gave us the Beatitudes, giving us strength and encouragement, to remind us we are blessed.

So my challenge to you, is to learn the Beatitudes, as Jesus taught us, and make them a part of your life. And by living out the Beatitudes, when we are struggling, or when things are going well for us, it will help draw us closer to God.

And by living out the Beatitudes, everyday of our lives, we will eventually be invited to once again put on a white robe, and be welcomed into heaven where we will receive an abundance of God’s love, to live out eternity in heaven, as a saint.