ALL SAINTS DAY 2ND NOVEMBER 2025

Desperate time calls for desperate strategies, the Book of Revelation from which our first reading of today is taking from, was written during the initial persecution of Christians. The core message of the book is that, those who are persecuted and are faithful to the end, to God and to their faith will be rewarded with eternal peace with God.

The early persecution of Christians by the Roman Empire, was the imposition of ‘its immorality, its materialism, its consumerism, and above all its demand that all its subjects should worship the Emperor as Lord”. The early Christians were faced with the test of either accepting the rules of the empire which is contrary to the Christians’ faith or to keep and respect the demanding standards of Christianity.  

Christians are faced with the same decision today. This persecution in our days has come in another forms and dimensions. Where do we stand, what is our position? Do we stand with Jesus Christ and His teachings as handed down to us through the Church?

“Who is my Lord, Christ or the standards for which the Emperor stood, carelessness about sexual morality, materialism, consumerism…” and self-serving selfishness?  We should tailor and build our morality to that of Our Lord Jesus Christ.

St. John in the second reading clearly show us that we are products of God’s Love, and so we must remain in His love. Remaining in God’s love is keeping God’s commandments and doing what is right.

Doing what is right is summarised by Jesus Christ in the eight beatitudes in today’s Gospel. We should be poor in Spirit, we should accept what we can not change with hope and trust. We should be meek and kind, we should be righteous in our dealings, we should show mercy. We should cultivate the spirit of purity, be people of peace, and should stand firm in faith even in the face of aggression and persecutions, for the kingdom of God awaits us as our reward here and here after. Living in God’s Love and living the life of the beatitudes is what make us Saints here on Earth and also in Eternity. Happy Feast Day to You All.   

 Fr. Jerome Otitoyomi DUKIYA. C.S.Sp.