All Saints Day

Homily for the Solemnity of All Saints

I am sure that there were many a jack-o’-lantern decorating the neighborhoods of Frankfort yesterday. Being a Christian can be compared to being a jack-o’-lantern. God picks you from the field, brings you in, and washes all the dirt off you. Then he cuts off the top and scoops out the yucky stuff. He removes the pulp of impurity and injustice and seeds of doubt, hate, and greed. Then He carves you a new smiling face and puts His light of holiness inside you to shine for the entire world to see. Our Solemnity of All Saints is a celebration of the many people who have let God’s light shine on the world around us. At our baptism, our parents were presented with a lighted candle as a symbol of the light that God had given us. As they were handed that candle, the priest or deacon addressed them in these words: “This light is entrusted to you to be kept burning brightly, so that your children, enlightened by Christ, may walk always as children of the light and, persevering in the faith, may run to meet the Lord when he comes with all the Saints in the heavenly court.”

In the opening verses of Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount, we encounter the Beatitudes — a series of blessings that reveal the heart of God for those who may feel unworthy, broken, or overlooked. Jesus offers a radically different vision of the kingdom of God, where the world’s standards of success and power are turned upside down. The Beatitudes are not merely words of encouragement; they are a divine invitation to see life, others, and ourselves from God’s perspective.

Jesus begins by saying, “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” To be poor in spirit is to recognize our need for God’s grace. It is an acknowledgment that no matter our material wealth, intelligence, or accomplishments, we are spiritually bankrupt without Him. In this humble posture, God promises us the riches of His kingdom. When we realize we cannot earn our way to God but rely solely on His mercy, we discover the depths of His love and the joy of being part of His kingdom.

Grief and loss are universal experiences, yet Jesus says, “Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted”. Mourning goes beyond personal sorrow. It includes mourning over sin and the brokenness of the world. God’s comfort comes when we turn to Him in our pain, trusting that He sees, understands, and will one day make all things new. Mourning is not a sign of weakness, but a pathway to healing and hope.

Meekness is often misunderstood as weakness, but in God’s kingdom, it is a sign of strength. “Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth”. The meek are those who submit to God’s will and live with gentleness and humility. They do not seek power for personal gain but trust in God’s justice. This promise assures us that God honors the humble and that true authority is found in serving others.

Jesus calls us to long for righteousness as we would for food and water. “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled” (Matthew 5:6). This hunger reflects a deep desire to see God’s will done on earth—to live in right relationship with God and others. The beauty of this promise is that God satisfies those who earnestly seek Him. We are not left empty but are filled with His presence and peace.

Each of the Beatitudes offers us hope and direction. They remind us that God sees the struggles and heartaches of life, yet in His kingdom, everything is being redeemed. The world may view the poor, the meek, and the persecuted as weak or insignificant, but God calls them blessed.

As we embrace the spirit of the Beatitudes, we reflect the character of Christ. Our lives become a testimony of God’s grace, shining as lights in a world that desperately needs to see His love. Let us take heart in these promises, trusting that no matter our circumstances, we are blessed because we belong to the kingdom of God.