HOMILY FROM CANON STEPHEN BAILLIE
Homily
31st Sunday of A20
Saints in the Making
There is a patron saint for almost every situation you could imagine. When we’ve lost something, we talk to St Anthony; faced with a hopeless situation, we pray to St Jude. We ask St Christopher to help with a safe journey, and St Cajetan to intercede for a job interview. As we discovered this year, there are even patron saints for pandemics – St Edmund and St Roch. The list goes on. Many people who have a favourite saint they reach out to in times of need.
There is something about the saints that touches even the most cynical of hearts. Turning to a favourite saint is more than mere superstition. As its most basic level it is a reminder that we are not alone, that there is life beyond this one and we are connected to it. At a deeper level it is an opportunity to reflect on these holy woman and men who were shining examples of faith and virtue while alive, and who continue their great work by leading us closer to God.
This All Saints Day, the Beattitudes challenge us to look beyond the difficulties of this life and see the bigger picture. (There has never been a time in the present history that we needed a wakeup call – to look at our lives and see the real need for faith. It is so easy to give up, but as our Bishop John reminds us – ‘the show must go on!’ Yes, we’re tired – we are all tried, but we need to shake ourselves and allow that life in us – to renew our faith – to get time to pray for our dead – to start looking and preparing for Advent and Christmas. To bring the faith alive – these can be exciting times ahead!)
They offer a way of life that leads to eternal life. The saints whose help we seek embodied many of the qualities of the Beattitudes – gentleness, mercy, fighting for justice, working for peace, bearing suffering with dignity. We all know people who embody these qualities – the many saints who may never be canonised but who show us how to live as followers of Christ. As we reflect on those who have gone before us, it leads us to ponder how we are doing: are we saints in the making?
As Pope Francis said – ‘To be a saint is not a privilege for the few, but a vocation for everyone.’
