Fr Peter Ireorji, MSP - Homily from Thursday, Nov. 1, 2018 Solemnity of All Saints

Today we celebrate the numerous courageous men and women who lived lives of selfless love, a reminder that we too, as those who have gone before us are capable of living such lives. It is a celebration of possibilities, potential and promise. If they could, we also can. The Beatitudes, which Christ taught us, in Matthew 5:1-12a, tell us how to achieve this. The Beatitudes was lived by all the saints in every time and place. Their lives are our guide here below. Their lives were filled with great distress. But they took God at his word, and lived their lives in the hope of heaven. We too have this hope, and everyone who has this hope makes himself pure in heart. It is a humble path, unnoticed by the world, a small, hidden path of little things, done with great love, the path of self-sacrifice and self-denial that can be lived out in imitation of Christ in any state of life. Let us pray to God and persevere in our life with Christ that we may be counted as among the saints. “Rejoice and be glad, for your reward will be great in heaven.” Matthew 5:12a. Shalom!