Daily Gospel Reflection for November 1, 2018

Today's Gospel: Matthew 5:1-12A - Solemnity of All Saints When I was a child, I imagined the communion of saints to be comprised of extraordinary men and women, heroes and heroines throughout the ages. These lofty ideals of those canonized also meant the unlikelihood of attaining perfect sanctity myself, so I believed. It wasn’t until I was much older and somewhat jaded by betrayal, death, and mental illness that perforated my family tree that I understood the path to holiness is a jagged, narrow road. Many begin the journey, but few complete it, and it’s not because of opportunity. It’s because of indolence. So many of the saints entered the world in poverty or abusive homes and survived similar betrayals, deaths, and mental illness that plagued my own family. It wasn’t that they were somehow set apart through elitism or that God particularly favored a select few to become saints. Instead, it was that they cooperated with God’s grace every day. And when they didn’t, they confessed their sin and started anew. I can do the same. In fact, I am called to holiness. God’s desire is that each of us achieves sainthood, perhaps not through formal canonization, but to be with Him in Heaven for all time. That’s the heart of a Father who loves each of His children intimately, uniquely, and individually. I am chosen. I am called by God to do something that only I can do. The same is true for you.

Ponder:

Do you really believe you are called to be a saint? What is in the way of you making that first step towards holiness today?

Pray:

Heavenly Father, I hand you my misery and imperfection, asking You to transform my heart from one that strives for human perfection to one that longs to be holy. Amen.

Copyright 2018 Jeannie Ewing Jeannie Ewing shares her heart as a mom of two girls with special needs in Navigating Deep Waters: Meditations for Caregivers and is the author of From Grief to Grace: The Journey from Tragedy to Triumph and A Sea Without A Shore. Jeannie is a frequent guest on Catholic radio and contributes to several Catholic magazines. Please visit her at lovealonecreates.com. Receive CatholicMom.com newsletters in your inbox, including the Daily Gospel Reflection each morning! * indicates required