{"id":109975,"date":"2025-11-01T13:45:56","date_gmt":"2025-11-01T20:45:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.thomryng.com\/amateurmonk\/?p=109975"},"modified":"2025-11-01T13:47:00","modified_gmt":"2025-11-01T20:47:00","slug":"for-all-the-saints-2025","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.thomryng.com\/amateurmonk\/for-all-the-saints-2025\/","title":{"rendered":"For All the Saints"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

H<\/span>appy Feast of All Saints! This is the day when we celebrate all the saints, known and unknown: the Church Triumphant. We ask them to pray for us. I, for one, could use all the help I can get!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This day has been a feast since the sixth or seventh century, thanks to the abbots of Cluny<\/a>, and it was fixed on November 1 in the Roman calendar by Pope Gregory III in the mid-8th century.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is normally a holy day of obligation, meaning that all Catholics are required to attend Mass on this day. Since this year it falls on a Saturday, the US Bishops in their wisdom have dispensed the obligation. But you should still go to Mass! Our parish of\u00a0Saint Patrick<\/a>\u00a0had Mass already this morning at 9:00 AM. It was glorious!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Earlier today, Pope Leo proclaimed<\/a> Saint John Henry Newman<\/a> a Doctor of the Church<\/a>, the 38th individual so honoured, as well as co-patron of Catholic education alongside the Universal Doctor himself, Saint Thomas Aquinas. When I started teaching adult catechesis, I could say that John Henry Newman was the most-quoted non-saint in the Catechism. When he was named a saint in 2019, I knew that his being named a Doctor was only a matter of time. <\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"The<\/a>
The Forerunners of Christ with Saints and Martyrs (about 1423-24)
by Blessed Fra Angelico<\/span><\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

There have been occasions when I can feel the almost physical<\/em> presence of the Saints close around me, particularly during the Sanctus<\/em> of the Mass. It doesn’t happen particularly often, but when it does, it’s a real consolation to me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here is what Saint Bede the Venerable has to say about this day:<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"\"
Saint Bede the Venerable
(c. 673 – 735)<\/span><\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n
\n

T<\/span>oday, beloved, we celebrate in the joy of one solemnity, the festival of All Saints,<\/em> in whose companionship the heaven exults; in whose guardianship the earth rejoices; by whom triumphs the Holy Church is crowned; whose confession, as braver in its passion, is also brighter in its honor\u2014because while the battle increased, the glory of them that fought in it was also augmented. And the triumph of martyrdom is adorned with the manifold kind of its torments, because the more severe the pangs, the more illustrious also were the rewards; while our Mother, the Catholic Church, was taught by her Head, Jesus Christ, not to fear contumely, affliction, death, and more and more strengthened\u2014not by resistance, but by endurance\u2014inspired all of that illustrious number who suffered imprisonment or torture, with one and equal ardor to fight the battle for triumphal glory.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

O truly blessed Mother Church! so illuminated by the honor of divine condescension, so adorned by the glorious blood of triumphant martyrs, so decked with the inviolate confession of snow white virginity! Among its flowers neither roses nor lilies are wanting. Endeavor now, beloved, each for yourselves, in each kind of honor, to obtain your own dignity\u2014crowns, snow white for chastity, or purple for passion. In those heavenly camps, both peace and war have their own flowers wherewith the soldiers of Christ are crowned.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For the ineffable and unbounded goodness of God has provided this also, that the time for labor and for agony should not be extended\u2014not long, not enduring, but short, and, so to speak, momentary; that in this short and little life should be the pain and the labors, that in the life which is eternal should be the crown and the reward of merits; that the labors should quickly come to an end, but the reward of endurance should remain without end; that after the darkness of this world they should behold that most beautiful light, and should receive a blessedness greater than the bitterness of all passions; as the apostle beareth witness, when he saith, \u201cThe sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that shall be revealed in us.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With how joyous a breast the heavenly city receives those that return from flight! How happily she meets them that bear the trophies of the conquered enemy! And with triumphant men, women also come, who rose superior both to this world, and to their sex, doubling the glory of their welfare; virgins with youths, who surpassed their tender years by their virtues. Yet not they alone, but the rest of the multitude of the faithful shall also enter the palace of that eternal court, who in peaceful union have observed the heavenly commandments, and have maintained the purity of the faith.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But above all these things is the being associated with the companies of angels and archangels, thrones and dominations, principalities and powers, and the enjoyment of the watches of all the celestial virtues\u2014to behold the squadron of the saints, adorned with stars; the patriarchs, glittering with faith; the prophets, rejoicing in hope; the apostles, who in the twelve tribes of Israel, shall judge the whole world; the martyrs, decked with the purple diadems of victory; the virgins, also, with their wreaths of beauty. But of the King, who is in the midst, no words are able to speak. That beauty, that virtue, that glory, that magnificence, that majesty, surpasses every expression, every sense of the human mind. For it is greater than the glory of all saints; but to attain to that ineffable sight, and to be made radiant with the splendor of His countenance, it were worth while to suffer torment every day\u2014it were worth while to endure hell itself for a season, so that we might behold Christ coming in glory, and be joined to the number of the saints; so is it not then well worth while to endure earthly sorrows, that we may be partakers of such good, and of such glory?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What, beloved brethren, will be the glory of the righteous; what that great gladness of the saints, when every face shall shine as the sun; when the Lord shall begin to count over in distinct orders His people, and to receive them into the kingdom of His Father, and to render to each the rewards promised to their merits and to their works\u2014things heavenly for things earthly, things eternal for things temporal, a great reward for a little labor; to introduce the saints to the vision of His Father\u2019s glory; and \u201cto make them sit down in heavenly places,\u201d to the end that God may be all in all; and to bestow on them that love Him that eternity which He has promised to them\u2014that immortality for which He has redeemed them by the quickening of His own blood; lastly, to restore them to Paradise, and to open the kingdom of heaven by the faith and verity of His promise?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Let us consider that Paradise is our country, as well as theirs; and so we shall begin to reckon the patriarchs as our fathers. Why do we not, then, hasten and run, that we may behold our country and salute our parents? A great multitude of dear ones is there expecting us; a vast and mighty crowd of parents, brothers, and children, secure now of their own safety, anxious yet for our salvation, long that we may come to their right and embrace them, to that joy which will be common to us and to them, to that pleasure expected by our fellow servants as well as ourselves, to that full and perpetual felicity\u2026. If it be a pleasure to go to them, let us eagerly and covetously hasten on our way, that we may soon be with them, and soon be with Christ; that we may have Him as our Guide in this journey, who is the Author of Salvation, the Prince of Life, the Giver of Gladness, and who liveth and reigneth with God the Father Almighty and with the Holy Ghost.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

(Saint Bede the Venerable, Sermon 18. It appears as today\u2019s lessons for Matins in the Divine Office of 1960)<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Although not an official part of the liturgy for this day, it is traditional in many places in the world to sing or chant the Litany of the Saints<\/em> on this day. This is one of my favourite chants.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Will you pray it with me?<\/p>\n\n\n\n