While attending Mass at my parish on All Saints Day, I heard a quote that struck me and stayed with me. It was from French poet and writer Leon Bloy, who wrote, “The only real sadness, the only real failure, the only great tragedy in life, is not to become a saint.”
We are all called – indeed, destined – to be saints, to take our place with our heavenly Father after our Earthly life has concluded. We were created with a destiny to be united with Him, a destiny we do not merit on our own, but are given to us out of love, as sons and daughters of the Almighty, so great is His love for us. It is up to us, in our lives, by our actions, to fulfill this destiny or to discard it.
We are not alone in our journey to this destiny, this universal calling. He has given us fellow travelers for the journey: as guides, as guide posts, even as wrong way signs. We are also called to be signs to others, by our words, acts, and prayers.
Let us remember this month all our members who have died, especially those this year, and pray for them that they find their way to Him and fulfill that ultimate destiny to which we are all called.