Reflection for for All Saints Day

Many of us, from the time we are small, are bombarded with images of the good life – sharp cars, exotic travel, beautiful houses, lots of electronic toys. We often try to filter out dissident images – people who are poor, or needy, or not very successful. As much as possible, we want to live the good life. That’s not all bad, but what does this have to do with All Saints Day? Well, a saint is someone who has broken out of the world, out of the market place, out of the good life, and who has learned to see the way Jesus sees. Simply put, a saint sees things differently. They are people who see and act on what they see. They are men and women who see with the eyes of Jesus, who see what’s important, what takes priority.

And today this feast reminds us that we also need to see with the eyes of Jesus. Religion is not primarily a set of beliefs, or a collection of prayers, or a series of rituals. Religion is first and foremost a way of seeing. Christians see as Jesus saw. Politicians often see differently. Wall Street and Hollywood often see differently. Terrorist countries and factions often see differently.

I think it is interesting that the Church has chosen the Gospel of the Beatitudes for this feast. At first glance, some might ask what does this have to do with saints. But the Beatitudes reveal a lot about Jesus. Just go down the list, and you will see that Jesus is talking about people who have fallen through the cracks of life – the poor, the sorrowing, the lowly, the hungry, the thirsty, the persecuted. Jesus is saying – “I’m concerned about these people. They have my compassion, they have my attention, they have my concern, they have my blessing. And they need yours as well.”

Many of us were fortunate enough to see Mother Teresa become St. Teresa. She knew the importance of being poor in spirit, of being meek, merciful, clean of heart, a peacemaker. She understood the importance of having a special place in her heart for the least among us, those on the margins – the poor, the forgotten, the lonely, the outcasts.

Pope Francis, though not canonized, calls us and shows us how to see through the eyes of Jesus by what he says and what he does. He gives us a totally different picture of what it means to be Pope. He challenges us to be modern-day saints.

Many of the saints – both canonized and those still alive - are people who saw things differently, people who saw with the eyes of Jesus. And then we think – they were great, but I can never do that. Ah, but we can.

A number of years ago, Joey Russell, when he was 9 years old, saved up his allowance to buy a postcard of the original Titanic, signed by an actual survivor of the ship’s sinking. Later, the mania surrounding the release of the movie about the Titanic assured Joey an excellent deal if he ever decided to sell the card. And he did decide to sell it – but not for his own benefit. He saw something else. The mother of his best friend needed a bone marrow transplant and the family could not afford the procedure. They would need at least $60,000 and without the transplant she might die. Joey offered to sell his card to help raise the money. When talk show host Ellen DeGeneres heard about Joey’s act of kindness, she invited him to her show and introduced him to the cast of the musical Titanic. But there was more. Ellen and the Titanic producers had arranged to buy Joey’s postcard for $60,000. Now his best friend’s mom could get her transplant. Joey could have seen all the things he could buy for himself with the postcard profits. But in the tradition of sainthood, he saw otherwise. He saw through the eyes of Jesus.

Most of us know about at least some of the saints in heaven – canonized and not canonized - who have gone before us and have shown us the way. And many of us also know saints who are still living on earth, striving to be faithful to the call to discipleship. They all show us that there is more than one way to holiness. Their lives are different. The spirit of God was and is at work in each of their hearts and minds. And that same Spirit wants to work in our hearts and minds as well. If Mother Teresa could do it, if Pope Francis can do it, if Joey Russell could do it, maybe, just maybe, you and I can do it, too. We can see life and the world around us through the eyes of Jesus.

If you have a brief faith reflection on today’s reading that you would like to share, please send it to me at deaconruss@holyspiritunoh.org.