Happy Feast of All Saints

Happy Feast of All Saints and Happy Month of November--Month of the "Poor Souls!"

(These stained glass windows from Holy Martyrs Church show Saints of every stripe: men and women, adults and children, clergy and lay.) This year the Boston baseball team, the Red Socks, won the World Series. For the first time in my life, I was able to watch at least a part of each game in the play offs and in the World Series itself. When the game ended, a veritable explosion of players in red socks piled out onto the field with hugs, tears of joy, and smiles all around. Today the players were the main attraction as a parade of Duck Boats carried the players and their bosses, as well as their family members through the main streets of Boston for a crowd of at least a million.

It was a joyful event as spectators waved to their team and reveled in yet another Boston victory. A few days ago Sister Maureen reminisced about witnessing the Chicago Cubs fans hailing their team's win in the 2016 World Series after a drought of 106 years! She said, "It reminded me of what heaven's going to be like when new arrivals come. There was a sense of true happiness and contentment as the Cubs fans waited for their team to pass by in their parade." The Feast of All Saints, November 1st, reminds us that we are headed for an unending victory celebration once we pass into the halls of heaven. I may seem a bit biased, however, I was truly impressed by our hometown players who persevered even when they faced formidable opponents. In New York the roar of the Yankee's fans turned to silence when Boston's players moved ahead. It was a moment of silent awe when Boston's players, then considered the underdogs, amazed everyone with their victory. The Mass readings for these days have featured St. Paul's advice to the Ephesians about respecting and loving one another, being humble and kind to one another. When the Red Sox began winning often, their manager reminded them that pride comes before a fall. "Stay humble," he was reported to have said, and to add, "Don't be arrogant!" Each team member praised his fellow players. Many of the players remembered that their far-off goal as Little Leaguers was to one day play in the World Series. In this game of life, we are all in the Little League! However, we are meant to be in our own version of the World Series! Reading the Lives of the Saints, watching films about them and trying to imitate some of their virtues will help us to win or final victory. One day we'll grow-up to be real Saints, crowned on the home plate of heaven. It may sound corny, or trivial, yet there is so much to learn from sports, specifically baseball. When the Red Socks started practice in Florida, they had already aimed to make it to the World Series. They certainly aimed high! We are called to aim high, to take part in spiritual exercise so as to build up the muscle of our spiritual lives. As St. Paul says, "We are to put on Christ." Sometimes we round the bases, other days we slide in the mud and get messy because we fell into a rut of distraction or routine. That is a form of spiritual "auto pilot!" Every day is a gift. Every day is a challenge to be our best and to do our best for God, in union with our Mother Mary, and together with Jesus who wants to live in us. Happy Feast of All Saints, our own Patrons and our Family's Patrons. Have a Blessed Feast Day and a grace-filled Month of the Holy souls!