Solemnity of All Saints

News Salette

Solemnity of All Saints

Let us hasten to meet the brothers that await us

Sermons of St. Bernard, abbot

(Sermo 2: Opera ominia, Edit Cisterc 5 [1968], 364-368.).

(Century. XII)

Importance of the Saints

                      by 

St. Bernard of Clairvaux

The Importance of the Saints        And Devotion to Them St. Bernard of Clairvaux                      Abbot and Doctor of the Church This excerpt from a sermon by St. Bernard of Clairvaux (Sermo 2: Opera omnia, Edit. Cisterc. 5 [1968], 364-368)  is used in the Roman Office of Readings for the Feast (Solemnity) of All Saints on November 1.   By the early 5th century, a feast in honor of all saints was celebrated in the Christian East on the  first Sunday after Pentecost, as it is to this day.  This festival has been celebrated in the West on November 1  since the mid 8th century.  The Feast is a celebration of the "fullness" of Christ's glory made manifest in the  members of his body who in their lifetime yielded to His Spirit and thus produced neither thirty nor sixty  but a hundredfold.  J.J. Olier, the founder of the Society of Saint Sulpice, said "The feast of All Saints  seems to me to be in some sort a greater than that of Easter or the Ascension.  Our Lord is perfected in this mystery, because, as our head, He is only perfectly fulfilled when He is united to all His members, the saints.   The feast is glorious because it manifests exteriorly the hidden life of Jesus Christ.  The greatness and perfection  of the saints is entirely hte work of His spirit dwelling in them."  Why should our praise and glorification, or even the celebration of this feast day mean anything to the saints? What do they care about earthly honors when their heavenly Father honors them by fulfilling the faithful promise of the Son? What does our commendation mean to them? The saints have no need of honor from us; neither does our devotion add the  slightest thing to what is theirs. Clearly, if we venerate their memory, it serves us, not them. But I tell you, when I think of them,  I feel myself inflamed by a tremendous yearning. Calling the saints to mind inspires, or rather arouses in us, above all else, a longing to enjoy their company, so desirable in itself. We long to share in the citizenship of heaven, to dwell with the spirits of the blessed, to join the assembly of patriarchs, the ranks of the prophets, the council of apostles, the great host of martyrs, the noble company of confessors and the choir of virgins. In short, we long to be united in happiness with all the saints. But our dispositions change. The Church of all the first followers  of Christ awaits us, but we do nothing about it. The saints want us to be with them, and we are indifferent. The souls of the just await us, and we ignore them. Come, brothers, let us at length spur ourselves on. We must rise again with Christ, we must seek the world which is above and  set our mind on the things of heaven. Let us long for those who are longing for us, hasten to those who are waiting for us, and ask those who look for our coming to intercede for us. We should not only want to be with the saints, we should also hope to possess their happiness. While we desire to be in their company, we must also earnestly seek to share in their glory. Do not imagine that there is anything harmful in such an ambition as this; there is no danger in setting our hearts on such glory. When we commemorate the saints we are inflamed with another yearning: that Christ our life may also appear to us as he  appeared to them and that we may one day share in his glory. Until then we see him, not as he is, but as he became for our sake. He is our head, crowned, not with glory, but with the thorns of our sins. As members of that head, crowned with thorns,  we should be ashamed to live in luxury; his purple robes are a mockery rather than an honor. When Christ comes again,  his death shall no longer be proclaimed, and we shall know that we also have died, and that our life is hidden with him.  The glorious head of the Church will appear and his glorified members will shine in splendor with him, when he forms this  lowly body anew into such glory as belongs to himself, its head. Therefore, we should aim at attaining this glory with a wholehearted and prudent desire. That we may rightly hope and  strive for such blessedness, we must above all seek the prayers of the saints. Thus, what is beyond our own powers to obtain will be granted through their intercession.

II National Meeting of Lay Saletinos - PRAYER

PRAYER OF THE 2ND INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE LAY SALETINOS * Cf. Jn 2: 5

MARIA, DAUGHTER OF GOD reconciler, Lady of La Salette, is the confidence that we have children as the mother of our charism and our spirituality. In this moment of prayer we join the whole family Saletina to ask your protection for the Second National Meeting of Lay Saletinos Brazil.

MARY, MOTHER OF THE BELOVED SON, Messenger of the Word, know that your presence among us remembers that we should "do whatever Jesus tells us" (*).

In this Second Meeting of Lay Saletinos want to renew, strengthen and increase our commitment to reconciling mission in the world today. With an open heart to your grace, we will do everything to generate new life, for conversion and transformation.

MARY, WIFE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT, Force Reconciled as cuidastes Jesus and you take care of the Church, also take care of each of us, the whole family and especially Saletina our meeting in Curitiba.

MARY, MOTHER OF DIVINE HOPE, Beautiful Lady, here we are, comforted by your kindness. Then Volvei our heart for your son and pray without ceasing for us who have recourse to thee.

Amen.

In Brazilian Language:

Notícias Salette

Solenidade de Todos os Santos

Apressemo-nos ao encontro dos irmãos que nos esperam

Dos Sermões de São Bernardo, abade

(Sermo 2: Opera ominia, Edit. Cisterc. 5[1968],364-368)

(Séc. XII)

Todos os santos:

Para que louvar os santos, para que glorifica-los? Para que, enfim, esta solenidade? Que lhes importam as honras terrenas, a eles que, segundo a promessa do Filho, o mesmo Pai celeste glorifica? De que lhes servem nossos elogios? Os santos não precisam de nossas homenagens, nem lhes vale nossa devoção. Se veneramos os santos, sem dúvida nenhuma, o interesse é nosso, não deles. Eu por mim, confesso, ao recordar-me dele, sinto acender-se um desejo veemente.

Em primeiro lugar, o desejo que sua lembrança mais estimula e incita é o de gozarmos de sua tão amável companhia e de merecermos ser concidadãos e comensais dos espíritos bem-aventurados, de unir-nos ao grupo dos patriarcas, às fileiras dos profetas, ao senado dos Apóstolos, ao numeroso exército dos mártires, ao grêmio dos confessores, aos coros das virgens, de associar-nos, enfim, à comunhão de todos os santos e com todos nos alegrarmos. A assembleia dos primogênitos aguarda-nos e nós parecemos indiferentes! Os santos desejam-nos e não fazemos caso; os justos esperam-nos e esquivamo-nos.

Animemo-nos, irmãos. Ressuscitemos com Cristo. Busquemos as realidades celestes. Tenhamos gosto pelas coisas do alto. Desejemos aqueles que nos desejam. Apressemo-nos ao encontro do que nos aguardam. Antecipemo-nos pelos votos de coração aos que nos esperam. Seja-nos um incentivo não só a companhia dos santos, mas também a sua felicidade. Cobicemos com fervoroso empenho também à glória daqueles cuja presença desejamos. Não é má esta ambição nem de nenhum modo é perigosa a paixão pela glória deles.

O segundo desejo que brota em nós pela comemoração dos santos consiste em que Cristo, nossa vida, tal como a eles, também apareça a nós e nós juntamente com Ele apareçamos na glória. Enquanto isto não sucede, nossa Cabeça não como é, mas como se fez por nós, se nos apresenta. Isto é, não coroada de glória, mas com os espinhos de nossos pecados. É uma vergonha fazer-se de membro relegado, sob uma cabeça coroada de espinhos. Por enquanto a púrpura não lhe é sinal de honra, mas de zombaria. Será sinal de honra quando Cristo vier e não mais se proclamará sua morte, e saberemos que nós estamos mortos com Ele, e com Ele escondida nossa vida.

Aparecerá a Cabeça gloriosa e com ela refulgirão os membros glorificados, quando transformar nosso corpo humilhado, configurando-o à glória da Cabeça, que é Ele mesmo. Com inteira e segura ambição cobicemos esta glória. Contudo, para que nos seja lícito espera-la e aspirar a tão grande felicidade, cumpre-nos desejar com muito empenho a intercessão dos santos. Assim, aquilo que não podemos obter por nós mesmos, seja-nos dado por sua intercessão.

OREMOS: Deus eterno e todo-poderoso, que nos dais celebrar numa só festa os méritos de todos os Santos, concedei-nos por intercessores tão numerosos, a plenitude da vossa misericórdia. Por Nosso Senhor Jesus Cristo, vosso Filho, na unidade do Espírito Santo.

Amém.