THIRTY-FIRST SUNDAY OF YEAR B
(All Saints Day)
31st October 2021

Dear Parishioner

All Saints day, the church gives us the opportunity to celebrate our unsung heroes. The Feast is a celebration in recognition of the efforts made by many "Faithful" who are not officially canonized or beatified by the church. So, All Saints refers to: "The crowd so great that no one could count. They were individuals of all nations and races, of all peoples and languages."

The readings portray two essential things. Firstly that apart from the officially canonized saints, many more have lived heroic and virtuous lives. They are unsung by men, but God recognizes their efforts and struggle. They are: "Those who have washed their robes in the blood of the Lamb," and now, sing: "Victory, salvation, honour, and glory belong to our God because God is Love!" Secondly, it portrays God's love as extending to the entire nations of the world. Hence, today's second reading reminds us of how much God loves us. All Saints (the triumphant church) now enjoy the fullness of this love. We ("the militant church"), who are still on earth also enjoy God's infinite love and are sustained by it in our sojourn daily. However, when we triumph like them, we shall become transformed and share in the fullness of this love. Hence, John tells us: "Brothers, now we are the children of God, but it has not been manifested what we shall look like at the end." We shall look like the glorified Christ and the saints. We shall share in the fullness of God's love.

The gospel gives us a perfect credential of all the Saints that we honour today. They are the real Blessed and Happy. They were poor in spirit. They suffered and wept for the salvation of others. They hungered and thirsted for justices and truth. In the process, they were greatly persecuted and bruised. Despite all these, they were pure in their heart, merciful to all, and worked for peace.

The feast of All Saints leaves us with great hope and promise. They were mortal human beings like each one of us. They came, saw, struggled, and they conquered. The same grace that helped them is still available to us today. The good news is that we shall also enjoy with them the rewards, if we run and endure the way they did.

Our life experiences may vary, sometimes people say things like: "Look, I have been working and doing my best, yet no one recognizes me. Nobody knows that I exist here. No one cares about my efforts. I do not count or mean anything to anybody". But if we understand how God sees things and looks at each of us, we will cease to think in this terms and begin to thank God for everything that happens to us.

The truth is even though others neglect and fail to recognize you, God will not fail to recognize you. For Him you are the apple of His eyes, you count, and you mean a lot to Him. He loves you and is waiting to see you share in the fullness of His love after your sojourn. So, like All Saints, you are among the class of people that the Lord is searching for. All Saints, Pray for us!

Fr Jijo George

Notices:
Please remember to pray for:

Daily for the sick clergy of our Diocese

The sick and housebound

Those who have recently died

Years Mind:
Sunday: Canon Richard Gay
Thursday: Dr Lieutenant Peter William Geddes
Sunday: Cardinal John Carmel Heenan

NEXT SUNDAY'S READINGS - Thirty-Second Sunday Year B

First Reading: Kings I 17:10-16
The widow made a little scone from her meal and brought it to Elijah.

Second Reading: Hebrews 9:24-28
Christ offers himself only once to take the faults of many on himself.

Gospel: Mark 12:38-44
This poor widow has put in more than all.