All Saints’: A Feast on Which to Answer the Call to Greatness

“And one of the ancients answered, and said to me: These that are clothed in white robes, who are they? and whence came they? And I said to him: My Lord, thou knowest. And he said to me: These are they who are come out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and have made them white in the blood of the Lamb. Therefore they are before the throne of God, and they serve him day and night in his temple: and he, that sitteth on the throne, shall dwell over them.” —Revelation 7

Today is the feast of All Saints, the eve of which has gradually turned into the popular holiday Halloween (a contraction of “All Hallows’ Eve”). We live in a world which celebrates and justifies mediocrity. Perhaps never before in history has there been such a dearth of great men and women, and particularly a dearth of holy men and women. I’ve had the great honor to know a few saints in my life, but sanctity is no longer appreciated, even by Christians.

“Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father in heaven is perfect,” said Jesus Christ (Matt. 5:48), but to listen to most pastors and priests from various Christian churches today, one would think Jesus had said, “Do ye therefore as little as you possibly can, because you are going to get into heaven regardless.”

But this is the perfect time for Christians to take up Jesus’s challenge once more, while remembering and honoring all those who went before.