All Saints: Celebrating Their Glory
On All Saints Day, we honor the saints that are in Heaven and, while they suffered on earth, they are victorious and are in Heaven having received their Crown of Glory.
We celebrate our brothers and sisters who have won the victory and share in the Crown of glory. We celebrate the Church Victorious. These words imply there was a battle and a struggle. The Church recognizes the victorious saints and celebrates them in Glory. These saints teach us a lesson. They did not take Heaven for granted. In this first audio, recorded at the Shrine of Lady of the Island, find out more about this Feast Day and also how the saints desire to help us … even today.
Turning to the Saints to Help Us
Whether we turn toward the saints or not, they are part of our lives. Their presence have three elements: Manifestation (a showing forth of something), Exemplarity (a modeling of something), and Assistance (providing help or guidance).
We are all members of one single body of Christ. When we are baptized, we become members into the body of Christ. So when someone dies, they are not cut off from the rest of the body. Life in Christ continues, even when our physical bodies are no longer.
The saints have an interest in us. The do not wait until we show in an interest in a saint. Rather, glorious in Heaven in their victory, they desire to share that glory with us. We desire Heaven. But Heaven, Our Lord and the saints desire us as well. The saints long to be united with us. What a beautiful image!
As we honor the saints, we must realize: We remain alive even after death. When we die we stand before the Judgement seat of Our Lord. The saints are those that have also stand before the Lord and are victorious. The saints are not in the earth waiting for the resurrection. Rather, they are in Heaven and are gloriously alive at the side of Our Lord. Not the full glory they will eventually receive , but they do live in glory.
Listen to this first conference on the Saints. Hear how the three elements enter into the lives of the saints. Listen to what made the saint’s lives different than most of us. Hear how their love of the Lord, and the respect for God influences their lives, and how that might influence our own lives.
Praying With the Saints
After a brief discussion about plenary indulgences, this session is dedicated to the Litany of the Saints. This prayer, which is at least 1500 years old, is first dissected as the prayer is explained section by section. Listen to the significance and order on how the saints are revealed in prayer. the prayer ultimately is prayed by the community at The Shrine of Our Lady of the Island. Join in and pray this special prayer. A pdf copy of the handout is available for viewing, and you may download it by selecting the link below. Follow along with the document as the prayer is said and join in with the community.
