6th November. Friday. Feast of all the Irish Saints

For tomorrow’s weekday readings, click  Next Entry (above). See all later dates via Calendar (below)

1st Reading: Hebrews 11:2 12:1-4, 15, 13:1

Celebrate the faith of our ancestors

It was by faith our ancestors received approval. Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight and the sin that clings so closely, and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus the pioneer and perfecter of our faith, who for the sake of the joy that was set before him endured the cross, disregarding its shame, and has taken his seat at the right hand of the throne of God.

Consider him who endured such hostility against himself from sinners, so that you may not grow weary or lose heart. In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood.

See to it that no one fails to obtain the grace of God; that no root of bitteness springs up and causes trouble, and through it many become defiled. See to it that no one becomes like Esau, an immoral and godless person, who sold his birthright for a single meal. You know that later, when he wanted to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no chance to repent, even though he sought the blessing with tears. Let mutual love continue.

Gospel: Luke 6:20-26.

The short form of the beatitudes: How to draw close to God

Jesus looked up at his disciples and said: “Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God. “Blessed are you who are hungry now, for you will be filled. “Blessed are you who weep now, for you will laugh.

“Blessed are you when people hate you, and when they exclude you, revile you, and defame you on account of the Son of Man. Rejoice in that day and leap for joy, for surely your reward is great in heaven; for that is what their ancestors did to the prophets.

“But woe to you who are rich, for you have received your consolation. “Woe to you who are full now, for you will be hungry. “Woe to you who are laughing now, for you will mourn and weep. “Woe to you when all speak well of you, for that is what their ancestors did to the false prophets.

An Island of Saints and Scholars

Former generations of Irish schoolchildren were taught to regard ancient Ireland as “an Island of Saints and Scholars.” While we might be reluctant to claim the title for our country today, we can still look back with pride on many heroic Irish Christians of times past. The Feast of All the Saints of Ireland was instituted in 1921, by Pope Benedict XV, after he beatified Oliver Plunkett in 1920. Here are three points related to today’s feast:

1) Only four canonised saints: Only four saints, St Malachy (1094-1148), St Lawrence O’Toole (1128-80) and St Oliver Plunkett (1625-81) and St Charles of Mount Argus (1821-93), have been officially canonised. All the other Irish saints, such as Saints Patrick, Brigid, and Colmcille, are saints, as it were, by acclamation of the local Church.

2) The scope of the feast: The scope of this feast, while it includes canonised saints, is wider. It also includes those who had a reputation for holiness and whose causes for canonisation have not yet been completed, such as Blessed Thaddeus MacCarthy (1455-92), the seventeen Irish martyrs of the 16th and 17th centuries, Blessed Edmund Ignatius Rice (1762-1844), Blessed Columba Marmion (1858-1923) and the Servant of God Matt Talbot (1856-1925) and people like Legion of Mary envoys Edel Quinn and Alfie Lamb, whose causes have already been introduced. But it also includes those whose lives of sanctity were known only to their families, friends or members of their parish diocese or religious community.

3) Island of Saints and Scholars: The feast echoes the theme of “the island of saints and scholars” which was so strong in Ireland up to the middle of the twentieth century, but which might be somewhat harder to illustrate in 2014. Still, even today we can pick out points of fraternity, tolerance and concern for the disadvantaged among our fellow citizens; and signs that concern for scholarship has not perished from our sainted isle!

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Heroes to imitate

Today we remember and celebrate all those men and women from the time of Saint Patrick onward, who witnessed to the gospel in our land by the way they lived. We thank God for how they kept the flame of faith burning, very often through difficult and dangerous times. They enjoyed a living relationship with the Lord, and that relationship shaped all that they said and did. The first reading describes them as many witnesses in a great cloud around us. Innumerable people have lived saintly lives in every generation. Some of them are canonized, some are on the way to be canonized; many others will never be canonized. They are an encouragement to us all to keep running steadily in the race we have started, in the words of today’s first reading.

The witness of our saints inspires us and encourages us to be faithful to the Lord in our own time, to keep walking in his way. We look to them for the courage we need to keep the faith and to share the faith. We look to them, because we know that in looking to them we are looking to the Lord who revealed himself through them in a special way. We all need each other’s witness. In turn, our own efforts to reach sanctity can make it easier for those in our circle to follow in the way of the Lord. As St Paul says, everyone’s life and death influence others. We easily forget just how much our own struggle to be faithful to the gospel can have an impact for good. To the extent that any one of us grows in holiness, we make it easier for others to do the same. Today’s feast encourages us to be part of that great crowd of witnesses who help others to keep going in the race they have started. (Martin Hogan)