Category: All Saints

What type of saint could you be?

Next week we celebrate one of the most important feasts in the Church’s year –  the Feast of All Saints.  We remember all the holy people who have existed – especially those whose holiness was never recognised publicly. Think of the good, generous people whom you have known who have died.  This is the day to celebrate their holiness.  There have been all sorts of saints – gentle and calm people, outgoing and vivacious people, quiet followers and outstanding leaders. They have followed all sorts careers –  mothers, fathers, sailors, nurses.  Each had their own unique personality, each their own way of life.

As you celebrate the saints you have known, you can be inspired to own the type of saint you could be. With your unique personality, you can reflect the glory of God’s love to those around you.  What is it that you do well that you can offer in love?  Some show love by listening, others by cracking a joke, some show love by being there, others by working hard. We can’t do everything but we can embrace the person God has made us to be and offer that in love.  No matter how small we may think our gifts are, when we use them with love, they becomes great in the eyes of God.  When each of us, does his or her part, we become a loving community glorifying God with joy.

Loving Father, your Spirit draws us together into a family of love.  With the help of Jesus our brother may we truly embrace the gifts you have given us and show your love to the world in the way we use them.  We ask this in Jesus’ name confident that you will hear us.

Sr Kym Harris

What type of Saint would you make?

Before you laugh, no wait till you finish laughing and then think.  If the person you imagined yourself to be seems staid or boring, stop and wonder why. We tend to think that being good closes us down and makes us dull.  But what happens to you when someone loves you deeply and passionately?  Looks out for your best interests?   Encourages you to be the best person you can be?  You certainly don’t become boring.  You become your best, brightest and most loving self. 

‘Think of the love that God has lavished on us.’  That is the essence of our Christian faith.  Saints are people who live their lives believing that to be true.  They live lives lavished in love.  Basing their lives on God’s love for them, they can be loving to the unlovable and do things others deem difficult or impossible.  In other words, they live their lives dancing to the music of God’s love. 

This week the Church celebrates the Feast of All Saints, all the wonderful people who have lived their lives by love.  Let us celebrate these great ‘lovers’ we have known and try to live by them.  As we face challenging situations, we can think, ‘I am lavished by God’s love’ and let that love inspire us to do things differently.  When we feel fear, we can say to ourselves, ‘I am wrapt in God’s love,’ and step out across our fears.  When we feel dull and boring, we can imagine how God wants us to be lavished in divine love.

Loving God, you lavish me with your love.  Let me rest in that love, be inspired by that love and then show that love to those around me, especially my family.  Let me become the saint you want me to be.

Sr Kym Harris osb 

You….a saint in the making.

This Friday, we celebrate one of the most important feasts in the Church’s year – the Feast of All Saints.  We remember all the holy people who have existed – especially those whose holiness was never recognised publicly. Think of the good, generous people whom you have known who have died.  This is the day to celebrate their holiness.  There have been all sorts of saints – gentle and calm people, outgoing and vivacious people, quiet followers and outstanding leaders.  There have also been cranky people who mellowed and outrageous sinners who repented.  They followed all sorts of careers – mothers, fathers, sailors, nurses and possibly some careers we wouldn’t recommend to our children!   Each had a unique personality, a distinctive story.

As you celebrate the saints you have known, you can be inspired to own the type of saint you could be. With your unique personality, you too can reflect the glory of God’s love to those around you.  What is it that you do well that you can offer in love?  Some show love by listening, others by cracking a joke, some show love by being there, others by working hard. We can’t do everything but we can embrace the person God has made us to be and offer that in love.  No matter how small we may think our gifts are, when we use them with love, they become great in the eyes of God.  When each of us, does his or her part, we become a loving community glorifying God with joy.

Loving Father, your Spirit draws us together into a family of love.  With the help of Jesus our brother may we truly embrace the gifts you have given us and show your love to the world in the way we use them.  We ask this in Jesus’ name confident that you will hear us.

Sr Kym Harris osb