Solemnity of All Saints’ Day
By Fr. Victor Feltes
The hardest part of writing a homily is figuring out what to preach about. For this All Saints’ Day homily, I prayed to the saints for inspiration, asking what they would preach to you. The response that entered my thoughts was a short phrase: “It’s worth it.” I believe the saints now basking and delighting and shining in the glory of God’s Presence want to encourage you to faithfully endure, “for your reward will be great in heaven.”
Now, my own eyes have not yet seen and my ears have not heard firsthand what the saints now perceive in Heaven. But God has revealed to us glimpses and whispers of these things through the Holy Spirit. For instance, St. Paul once wrote to the Christians in Corinth about a taste he had of Heaven. He recounts the mystical experience of “someone in Christ,” but from the context we can tell that Paul is modestly referring to himself.
Paul writes: “I know someone in Christ who, fourteen years ago (whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows), was caught up to the third heaven.” What is this third heaven he speaks of? The ancient Jews called our earthly sky—where clouds and birds are found—the first heaven. They called the realm of the Sun, Moon, and stars above the sky the second heaven. But the third heaven, the highest heaven, or heaven of heavens, was the dwelling place of God. St. Paul is recounting a time he saw and heard things in a realm beyond this material universe.
He continues: “I know that this person (whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows) was caught up into Paradise and heard ineffable things, which no one may utter.” St. Paul’s experience of Heaven was partly indescribable, and he was humbled to have received such a blessing. He says, “About this person I will boast, but about myself I will not boast, except about my weaknesses. Although if I should wish to boast, I would not be foolish, for I would be telling the truth.” In other words, Paul is saying, ‘I consider myself unworthy to have been graced with such a gift. What and I? I know how weak I am. But I honestly assure you that God chose to bless me with this experience and to preach to you in his name.’
This provides more context for when St. Paul, speaking in part from personal experience, was moved by the Holy Spirit to declare “the sufferings of this present time are as nothing compared with the glory to be revealed for us.” (Romans 8:18) “For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory beyond all comparison, as we fix our eyes not on what is seen but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary but what is unseen is eternal.” (2nd Corinthians 4:17-18) “Therefore, my beloved brethren, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.” (1st Corinthians 15:58)
“For the sake of the joy set before him, [Jesus] endured the cross… and has taken his [glorious] seat at the right of the throne of God.” (Hebrews 12:2) Jesus wants to say to you one day (as he said in his parables): “Well done, my good and faithful servant. … Come, share your master’s joy. … Come, you who are blessed by my Father. Inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.” He wishes us to be blessed; comforted, satisfied, to be like God and see him as he is. In the Book of Revelation, Jesus promises: “Remain faithful until death and I will give you the crown of life.” Jesus Christ and his saints, greatly blessed in Heaven, call out to us and urge us on, promising us: “It’s worth it!”
