It is becoming quite frequent and common that we come across TV programs and news featuring awards or medals giving. In the newspapers we often read about awards for the best singer, the best director, the best actor and actress. There are also the gold, silver, and bronze medals for the athletes. All the contestants have the same longing and the same goal that is to be the winner, to be the best.
In order to be the winner, they go through all kinds of difficult trainings and skill practices. Motivated by their goal to win, they are able to endure all the hard labours.
When they finally reap the harvest of their hard labours and become the winners, they rejoice and celebrate; they sing the songs of victory and joy.
Today we celebrate the solemnity of All Saints Day. These saints, when they were on earth, they longed only for one goal that was to win the crown of glory from God, to be united with God.
Similar to the earthly contestants who endure all kinds of hard trainings to win the corporate awards and medals, these saints endure all kinds of difficulties, trials, and persecutions to achieve their final goal. The trials become endurable for them because of their dream to win the spiritual award from God.
These saints, whose feast we celebrate today, have run their spiritual race and have won the spiritual contest. They are crowned with glory by God and are now living in the presence of God. They are singing songs of praise to God.
The three elements of longing, enduring, and celebrating in winning the spiritual award is well reflected in psalm 62, the canticle of Daniel, and psalm 149. Psalm 62 expresses the psalmist’s longing for God, the Canticle shows us that the three young men could endure the heat of the furnace because their eyes were fixed upon God in heaven, and the psalmist of psalm 149 sings a new song to the Lord.
Let us rejoice for the saints, let us rejoice with the saints. Let us emulate the saints by directing our whole lives and activities completely towards God.
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Stay tuned for the next post by Br Samuel Lim on 03rd Nov 2010.
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