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Today we celebrate a Doctor of the Church, Saint Peter Chrysologus, which means “of the golden words.” As bishop of Ravenna, Peter Chrysologus taught and led his diocese, showing them his commitment to the faith and to the Church’s authority. His writings have come down to us as masterful treatments on what we believe.
To paraphrase Dante’s famous opening lines from the Inferno, I find myself “within a dark wood where the straight way was lost.”
This week’s Gospel story recounts Jesus telling the disciples that the Kingdom of Heaven is like 10 virgins going out to meet their bridegrooms.
Saint Charles Borromeo lived during the time of the Protestant Reformation, and helped with the reform of the whole Church during the final years of the Council of Trent. He also reformed the Catholic life of his diocese. Charles Borromeo was a member of the Medici family, but unlike many of his relatives, he devoted his life to the Church.
Pained by opportunities missed, and the many violations of life, still we give thanks.
The weeks leading up to today’s election has been wrought with strife, mistrust, and vitriol. As children of God, we should strive to do better. To be better.
Due to racial and social prejudices, Saint Martin de Porres might have grown to be a bitter man, but he did not. Instead, he turned to the needs of others and generously cared for the poor and downcast. He was known for his goodness to, and love of others, regardless of their race.
In this world darkened by despair and deep division, we fumble dimly, to see past self-interest, fears, and endless feuding.
Following the ancient tradition within the Church of offering prayers for the faithful departed, today we offer our prayers for all of our deceased relatives and friends, trusting in the power of prayer and the infinite mercy of God.
While many saints have a specific feast day on which we celebrate their lives and work, the vast majority of the saints of heaven do not. Today we celebrate All Saints, those men, women, and children who have gone before us and on whose shoulders we stand in our faith.
