Eyes Raised, Hands Joined, Feet Bare!
The beginning of the month of November brings with it two successive days in the life of the Church, which put us in touch with the very meaning of life. The first is on Nov. 1, when we celebrate the Solemnity of All the Saints. The second is on Nov. 2, when we commemorate the Memorial of All the Souls. Both of these celebrations are complementary, reminding us of the reality of holiness, which the saints possess, as well as the reality of sin, which exists in this world, from which the saints are not exempt. The saints are in the fullness of God’s kingdom in heaven, while the souls are still preparing for that kingdom by facing their sins which prevent them from having the fullness of God’s life. However, the souls for whom we pray are a true part of the communion of the Church. They are in a more perfect state of life than we are in this world.
Holiness is that to which we are all called in this life and in the fullness of life to come. Being a sinner is a reality, and it is true holiness that recognizes the sinfulness that exists in life and the resolve to overcome it. Saints are not those who have never sinned, but those who have sinned and rely upon God’s mercy despite their failures. The saints in heaven were most likely souls in purgatory at one point in the mystery of the timelessness which is eternity. The saints remind us of the joy that we can possess in this life through holiness as well as the lack of joy that sin causes.
Pope Francis recently named 21 new cardinals of the Catholic Church whom he will formally install at the beginning of the season of Advent this year. Shortly after naming them, he composed a brief letter to them, reminding them of their new role within the Church and the characteristics they needed to possess to live this role. In typical Jesuit style, the pope named three characteristics which apply, not only to the cardinals, but to all of us in life, especially as we pursue the role of holiness on our journey to become saints and strive to overcome the sinfulness that is part of our lives.
The first of these characteristics is eyes raised. As we go through this life, our eyes must be raised to God in heaven in union with all the saints who are there with Him. They must also be raised to the souls, who are in union with the Lord in a special way as they continue to purge themselves of the sins which were part of their lives in this world. To keep our eyes raised is to realize that life goes far beyond what we see each day before us in this world. It also enables us to purge ourselves of the limitations which life imposes upon us as we go through it so that we may be more in union with God each day and ultimately with Him in heaven, as well as with all of those who have gone before us. The first characteristic of the saints and of the souls is eyes raised.
The second characteristic which the pope stressed to the cardinals is hands joined. He stressed that prayer must be the center of their lives and that it is prayer “which the Church needs most.” How important this is for us to realize in our lives as we keep our eyes raised to heaven. We are called to a real and intimate union with God, which will come to its fulfillment in heaven. However, that begins here and now in this world through our prayer, which deepens our union with God. Prayer is not something which is separate from this world but which joins us more closely to it the more we come to know the reality of God. Pope Francis expressed, “Prayer is the realm of discernment that helps me to seek and discover God’s will … and to follow it.” Again, the saints and the souls have their hands joined.
The third characteristic which must be part of our lives is feet bare. Our feet must be on the ground while we look to heaven with hands joined. When we do so, we realize that what is before us in this world is important. We must be joined to those around us in a manner that lifts them up to help them better appreciate their call to holiness and to respect the unique person that God has made each one to be. There is no question that the saints and the souls lived with their feet on the ground of this earth. Indeed, they have bare feet.
As we celebrate the Solemnity of All the Saints and commemorate the Memorial of All the Souls, we do so in union with all of our loved ones who have gone before us. We pray to them as saints in heaven, and we pray for them as souls in purgatory. However, our union with them is a real one which reminds us of our journey through this life to ultimately be again with them and with God in His kingdom. As the Pope Francis told the newly named cardinals, the key to our life is to have our eyes raised, our hands joined and our feet bare. This is the way, not only to get to heaven, but to live fully in this life. It is the way of the saints!
Most Reverend Gerald M. Barbarito
