The Gospel reading chosen for last night’s All Saints Vigil was John 1:35-51. At first I thought, “Hmm, interesting choice.” Our priest-friend Father Richmond Dzekoe, an Iowa State grad student from Africa, preached really well on it. So for the second time in less than a week, I had a “Look At Me!/Look Beyond Me” moment.
One important characteristic of a saint, according to Fr Richmond, is when someone is attracted to you because of something about you, be sure not to clutch them all to yourself, but to hand them on to Christ. As the Gospel reading suggests:
The next day John was there again with two of his disciples, and as he watched Jesus walk by, he said, “Behold, the Lamb of God.” The two disciples heard what he said and followed Jesus. (John 1:35-37)
This was really excellent. Good for me to hear, because as students graduate and move on with their lives, it is indeed very difficult to let many of them go. But they need to go into the wide world, and be saints for others, leading others to Christ. The same will be true one day of my daughter, and the day is drawing nearer than I might think. As all parents must, we turn our children over to Christ, so they can themselves draw others to him in turn.
Have a blessed All Saints’ Day. Aspire to greatness, you know.
Catholic Sensibility 