A Divali 2024 message by Fr Robert Christo
October 31, 2024
All Saints’ and All Souls’: Why Back-to-Back and in November?
November 1, 2024
Solemnity of All Saints
“Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.”
Matthew 5: 1 – 12
The solemnity of All Saints commemorates all the saints throughout the Church; those who are officially recognised and those who live unnoticed but make a tremendous impact on others, nonetheless.
The Saints live the characteristics of God, one of which is mercy. The Beatitudes say: “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.” Mercy lies at the heart of the Christian life, as it reflects God’s boundless love and forgiveness. Saints, like St. Faustina, remind us of the importance of both receiving and offering mercy. She also reminds us that God’s love seeks us out even in our sinfulness. Mercy, however, is not just an emotion— it is love in action: forgiveness, compassion, and kindness toward others.
Though mercy can be difficult, it breaks cycles of anger and resentment, offering freedom and healing to both giver and receiver. Through acts of mercy we imitate Christ, whose mission on earth was one of mercy. As we extend mercy, we reflect God’s heart and experience His transforming love in our own lives.
