Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

Congratulations to all of you with All Saints’ Day! Last week we celebrated the descent of the Holy Spirit on the Apostles and all the consequences of this event, i. e. their successful missionary work (last week’s troparion said it well, that the apostles were able to draw into their nets the whole world and bring a great multitude of people into the Church). After such a feastday some of the following thoughts could come to mind: How can I come become more like the apostles? How can I receive the Holy Spirit? Perhaps the answer that comes to us is that for us, sinful people living in the immoral 21st century, in a post-christian country like Canada, it’s impossible to personally experience the descent of the Holy Spirit and receive the Grace of the Holy Spirit like the holy apostles were able to do.

Today’s feastday refutes these thoughts and gives us a certain hope, because we celebrate the memory of absolutely all the saints from the apostles to the saints of the 20th century, including an innumerable number of individuals from all times, all countries, and all social classes. These people have pleased God, but because of their meekness and humility have gone unnoticed by the members of the Church and the Church authorities. Today’s feastday was established to worthily honour these officially not canonized people. It’s probable that among these unofficial saints are people that we have known, who have treated their neighbours in a particularly attentive manner and had blazing love for Christ. If there exists such a diverse choir of saints, we have no reason to fret and must simply and constantly strive towards God, knowing that we are also capable of entering into their community and acquiring the Holy Spirit.

Often we place worldly cares above spiritual ones and thus distance ourselves from Christ. We take jobs that make it difficult to live as Christians, we cheat or lie to get ahead, we pick worldly entertainment instead of prayer and fasting, etc. Remembering today’s Gospel reading, let’s strive to always place Christ first in our lives, instead of our homes, jobs or even family members. Whenever an important step or decision needs to be made, let’s ask the following questions: Is this pleasing to Christ and will it bring me closer to holiness or sainthood? If we live like this, we can hope that we will also become saints. Of course not officially canonized ones with icons, church services and akathists, but ones that are unnoticed by everyone but God.

priest Alexis