The Feast of All Saints
Today is a Holy Day of Obligation, All Saints' Day. Last night, most of us celebrated the vigil on All Hallows' Eve, although we probably didn't acknowledge it as such. All Saints' Day was instituted by Pope Gregory III in the 8th Century as a Feast to honor all saints, both known and unknown, and as a day for the faithful to make up for anything that was lacking in their celebrations of saints' feast days throughout the year. It is followed on November 2 by All Souls' Day, a day to remember those who have gone before us in faith this past year.
This is one of my favorite Holy Days. I have always been particularly fond of the Catholic theological notion of saints. I understand that saints aren't God, but there is some comfort in the thought that a particular saint might intercede on my behalf. I love the Litany of the Saints--we do not pray to the saints. We ask the saints to pray for us. We ask these holy people to help us to be a little bit holier, to be a bit more like them in our everyday lives. And the Feast of All Saints acknowledges those saints who are both known and unknown, canonized and uncanonized. St. John the Baptist and St. Mary Magdalene alongside Dorothy Day and my Grandpa John. It is a feast of all holy people, living and dead. And it's comforting at this time of year, before the dead of winter, at threshold of the seasons.
Lord, have mercy. Christ, have mercy. Lord, have mercy, mercy on us.
St. Mary, pray for us.
St. Joseph, pray for us.
St. Michael, pray for us.
St. John, pray for us.
St. Sarah, pray for us.
St. Catherine, pray for us.
St. Cecilia, pray for us.
St. Thomas, pray for us.
St. Susanna, pray for us.
St. Alice, pray for us.
Holy martyrs, pray for us.
Holy people, pray for us.
Today is also my mom's birthday. Holy people, pray for her too.
This is one of my favorite Holy Days. I have always been particularly fond of the Catholic theological notion of saints. I understand that saints aren't God, but there is some comfort in the thought that a particular saint might intercede on my behalf. I love the Litany of the Saints--we do not pray to the saints. We ask the saints to pray for us. We ask these holy people to help us to be a little bit holier, to be a bit more like them in our everyday lives. And the Feast of All Saints acknowledges those saints who are both known and unknown, canonized and uncanonized. St. John the Baptist and St. Mary Magdalene alongside Dorothy Day and my Grandpa John. It is a feast of all holy people, living and dead. And it's comforting at this time of year, before the dead of winter, at threshold of the seasons.
Lord, have mercy. Christ, have mercy. Lord, have mercy, mercy on us.
St. Mary, pray for us.
St. Joseph, pray for us.
St. Michael, pray for us.
St. John, pray for us.
St. Sarah, pray for us.
St. Catherine, pray for us.
St. Cecilia, pray for us.
St. Thomas, pray for us.
St. Susanna, pray for us.
St. Alice, pray for us.
Holy martyrs, pray for us.
Holy people, pray for us.
Today is also my mom's birthday. Holy people, pray for her too.