Mark, My Words: November 1, 2020
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The last two years that I lived at Saint Bernard’s, there was young priest who is a Marathon runner. If you’ve ever run a marathon, you know that doing so is both exhilarating and exhausting. While there are moments in which you feel the energizing gush of a runner’s high, there are also moments when you feel like you’ve hit a wall – and all you want to do is stop.
When we think of the trials and tribulations inherent in running a marathon, it’s easy to see why the author of the Letter to the Hebrews uses a race as a metaphor for our pursuit of Heaven. The famous quotation from the 12th chapter of the Letter to the Hebrews states: “Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us rid ourselves of every burden and sin that clings to us and persevere in running the race that lies before us, while keeping our eyes fixed on Jesus, the leader and perfecter of faith.” There is some important theology imbedded within in that it’s good for us to consider today as we celebrate the Feast of All Saints.
The first point is that we’re not alone in this life. Though invisible to our physical eyes, through the eyes of faith we know that the saints are in Heaven – surrounding us like “a great cloud of witnesses.” The saints are not passive spectators in our race for Heaven. No, as dear friends who love us more than we can imagine, the saints pray for us and intercede for us, gaining for us the graces we need to persevere in our race for Heaven.
The second point, which is that in order to run the race of this life well, in order to join in the Communion of Saints that surrounds us, we must strive with all our might to be pure, to be holy, to rid ourselves of sin. Of course as Catholics we know that we are saved by God’s grace, that our salvation is a product of God’s mercy and isn’t dependent upon personal holiness, per se. However, it’s in striving for holiness that we desire Heaven all the more and come to understand it as our greatest good – as the pearl of great price – so that we might be properly detached from this life and cooperate with God’s saving grace. God’s gift of salvation is freely given and always available to us all. What keeps us from accepting that gift, though, is sin. Sin is the obstacle that keeps us accepting God’s mercy and grace.
Those who do not desire Heaven as their greatest good because of their attachment to sin, run the risk of not making it to Heaven. Thus, we must rid ourselves of every burden and sin that clings to us! As we come to know the saints and rely upon their timely assistance, they help procure for us the graces we need to overcome our sins and grow in holiness.
As we learn of their heroic stories, we are inflamed with a desire to imitate their holiness. Thus, the saints serve as our heavenly helpers and the models upon whom we can pattern our lives. We must keep our eyes fixed on the Lord, for it’s when we take our eyes off of Him that we get into trouble.
As we celebrate this beautiful feast of All Saints Day, may we give thanks to the great cloud of witnesses that surrounds us, who help us by their intercession and witness to grow in holiness and to run the race of life that lies before us. With their help, may we be freed from our sins, run our personal race well, and one day join them in the Heavenly kingdom!