ALL SAINTS

SUMMARY OF TEACHING BY FR, DOMINIC SANTAMARIA 

ON THE FEAST OF ALL SAINTS

Today is the feast of All Souls.  Fr. Dominic our Spiritual Director gave us a few insights on the saints and why the Church celebrates this feast.

The Saints are given to the Church as our models.  She invites us to emulate their lives by living our ordinary everyday lives with heroic virtue as they did.

As always Fr. Dominic encouraged us to pray Jesus and Mary all the time in order to overcome temptations and to become holy. We must also invite and encourage others to do the same which is not only pleasing to God but will obtain grace for ourselves as well.

Temptations are not a bad thing, when we overcome temptation with God's help  we are not only receive merit but are strengthened so we will not succumb to the same temptation so easily. 

There are a countless number of saints in heaven and the Church has set aside this day to celebrate their lives.

The Saints were tempted just as we are but they have shown us that we can win the battle with God in us, with us and beside us providing all the help we need.

The Saints have shown us the way to live holy lives which is pleasing to God. Here is some advice from same well known Saints in the Church

St. Thomas Aquinas who is considered the greatest and most influential theologian of all time reminds us that God alone satisfies.

St. Therese of Avila who struggled and fought mightily against temptations says that Jesus is with us right in the midst of our temptations and will help us to resist temptations if we call on Him.

St. Bernard of Clairvaux said that the greater the temptations the greater we can rely on God to grant us the grace to overcome it.  The more we are tempted the greater is our capacity to grow in holiness. 

The Saints are models for our lives.  St. Augustine of Hippo said that we are placed on earth in order to become saints by imitating Jesus Christ.  Scripture reminds us that nothing unclean can enter the Kingdom of Heaven .  Suffering  is sent to us in order that we may accept them and unite them with the sufferings of Jesus in this way we receive great merit through suffering in union with Christ.

We know that we must never commit sin but we do so because of weakness, temptations and failures on our part.  The way we can purify ourselves is by living the Beatitudes in our daily lives. And while we continue our daily struggle against sin we must remember not to consider ourselves better or holier than others but leave all judgement to God alone who is the only righteous Judge.