One Minute Reflection – 1 November – ‘With all the Saints…’

One Minute Reflection – 1 November – The Solemnity of All the Saints, Gospel: Matthew 5:1–12

“Rejoice and be glad, for your reward will be great in heaven.”…Matthew 5:12

REFLECTION – “But in the last day of the judgement of God, after we shall have risen again with our glorified bodies through the power of the Lord, these same shall be white and gleaming as snow shining clear in the sun, transparent as crystal…   And Christ our cantor and precentor, shall sing with His glorious sweet voice, an endless canticle of the praise and honour of His heavenly Father and we shall all sing the same, with glad heart and clear voice, eternally and without end.   The joy and glory of our souls, shall flow into our senses and through all our members and we shall look upon ourselves with eyes of glory, hearing and declaring and singing the praise of the Lord with unfailing voices.

Christ shall minister to us and show us His radiant Face and His glorious Body with all the marks of faithfulness and love therein impressed.   And we shall see all the glorious bodies clothed with all the many tokens of love won in the service of God since the beginning of the world…  And our living hearts shall flame with burning love for God and all His saints…

Christ in His human nature, shall rule the right-hand choir, for He is the loftiest and noblest being of all that has been made by God and to this choir belong all in whom He lives and who live in Him.   The other choir is that of the angels, for although they are of a more excellent nature, we have a higher gift in Jesus Christ, with Whom we are one. And on that account, Christ Jesus will be the High Priest between the choirs of angels and of men before the throne of the sovereign majesty of God.   And before His heavenly Father, God Almighty, He will offer and renew all sacrifices which have ever been offered by angels and by men and these same, shall be ceaselessly renewed and remain established in the glory of God.” … Blessed Jan van Ruusbroec (1293-1381) Canon Regular, “Doctor Divinus Ecstaticus” , Mystic, Spiritual Writer – The seven steps of the ladder of spiritual love

PRAYER – Father, All-Powerful and ever-living God, today we rejoice in the holy men and women of every time and place.   May their prayers bring us your forgiveness and love. Blessed Virgin, Mother of God, our trusted guide and loving mother and all you holy Saints of the Church Triumphant, pray for us!   We make our prayer through Christ our Lord, in union with the Holy Spirit, God forever, amen.