In the Church’s liturgical calendar we regularly commemorate the lives of canonised saints. This is different from the celebration of people’s birthdays which is an affirmation of lives lived now, which we do to show love, and appreciation for family and friends. We do this to support them, because no person is an island. Our most important and basic need after the satisfaction of those things required to sustain life is the need for love. The Church tells us if we do not experience love, receive and participate in it our lives are meaningless. If you doubt this bear in mind that the time before and after Christmas are times of great sadness for those who do not have family because it highlights that they are on their own. What would be the point of a having a luxurious house, as in the case of a young computer software creator in California who is a multimillionaire but is depressed because he does not have a partner.
In commemorating the lives of the saints we honour God because their lives show the power of his grace at work. People celebrate moving into a new home, getting established by having housewarming parties, having a place to call home is very important. The Church celebrates the lives of the saints on the date of their death because it marks their entry into their eternal home, which as the name says lasts for ever. As members of the Church we are part of a loving family, so we celebrate the fact that these who are examples have gone to their heavenly home. People own their home because they have saved and prioritised. People go to heaven because they have made the choice for God that is a reason to celebrate. As family we support each other in our lives, and though the saints have gone to their heavenly home, they can still help us through their intercession. St. Therese of Lisieux expressed the desire to spend her time in heaven interceding for us here on earth.
The saints are quite simply those who in heaven. The Feast of All Saints is the celebration of the lives of all those people who are in heaven but are not officially declared to be there as in the case of the canonised saints. It is perfectly legitimate for us to pray to deceased relatives and friends who have passed away to intercede for us on our behalf, and they can certainly help us, and they want us to be with them at the end of our lives. Pope Francis referred to these people as the working class saints. I know of people who have lost a child at a very early age, days old and newly baptised and though that is a great cross they take comfort in the fact that they have their own little saint in heaven to pray to, and they are convinced that prayers are answered through the intercession of their own little saint.
In summation all the saints are in heaven because they have loved God and their neighbour, they have chosen God’s will over their own. They are like the wise virgins who kept the flame of faith, love and hope burning, so when they were summoned to the wedding feast they were ready. They were wise because they have chosen the greatest good God, they have been prepared to set aside lesser loves and friendships for the source of love who can fill their hearts and welcome them to be part of the heavenly family forever. They have a home.
