the saint who loved me most
"Dearly beloved, we are God's children now; what we shall later be has not yet come to light. We know that when it comes to light we shall be like Him." —1 John 3:2
God is holy. He "is a consuming Fire" (Heb 12:29), and He wants us to be consumed with the desire to be holy as He is holy (1 Pt 1:16). Nevertheless, even baptized people often have a weak desire for holiness. On this holy day celebrating all the saints, the Lord especially tries to increase our desire for holiness.
Today, focus on the saint you know best, the saint who loved you the most. This person is usually not a famous saint but a family member or friend who truly laid down his life for love of you. You care about this saint more than all the other saints. Although this person is probably not canonized, you know from your personal experience of his or her love that, if he or she is not in heaven, hardly anyone is. Because you love and admire this person, you want to be a saint too.
This love can motivate you (see 2 Cor 5:14) to desire to be holy more than you desire anything else in life. Then you will be holy (Mt 5:6), for the Lord will make you holy by His grace. However, God's holiness is not forced on you but accepted only by those who desire it.
The saint who loved you most is a key to desiring holiness the most. On this holy day, use your key.
Prayer: Father, may Your name be recognized as holy because I, Your child, am holy (see Mt 6:9).
Promise: "These are the ones who have survived the great period of trial; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb." —Rv 7:14
Praise: (Pope) St. Gregory III dedicated a chapel to all saints and martyrs on this date in the eighth century. All Saints, from St. Aaron to St. Zygmunt Gorazdowski, pray for us.
Rescript: †Most Reverend Joseph R. Binzer, Auxiliary Bishop, Vicar General of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, March 11, 2019
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