November 1, 2026
Revelation 7:2-4, 9-14 | 1 John 3:1-3 | Matthew 5:1-12a
November 1 is a very auspicious and solemn day in the Church’s liturgical calendar because we are honoring the saints who were so influential in witnessing to God’s love, hope and charity through their lives.
Nevertheless, upon reading the lives of the saints, we are often a bit surprised to see that many were not the “perfect angels” that they are often described as in popular imagery. In other words, many, if not all, of the saints led lives that exhibited controversy, shortcomings and doubt. This was true in the case of St. Peter, who not only betrayed Jesus three times, but who had beforehand boasted how unrelenting his faith and courage was — yet he was the one whom Christ entrusted with the keys to God’s Kingdom. St. Mary Magdalene, from whom Jesus cast out seven demons, was the first disciple to see the Risen Christ and the first missioner of the Good News. And, of course, we have our colorful and checkered St. Paul, who hunted down and killed Christians before his conversion on the way to Damascus — without him, Christianity might not have proliferated to such a scale where we now have more than 2 billion faithful around the world.
Apart from a few notable exceptions — such as St. Thérèse of Lisieux, St. John Vianney and several others — many of the saints were not so different than you or me; that is, they exhibited all the flaws and weaknesses associated with being human. So why do we hold this day as a solemnity and as a high honor for those who were seemingly subject to fragility, misjudgment and unsavory exploits? I believe the simple yet profound answer to this question lies in their ability to recognize that God’s mercy and love transcended whatever shortcomings and mistakes they were responsible for, namely, the truth that God’s grace is greater than any sin capable of being committed.
The only way that we are rendered unredeemable is when, through our free will, we decide to reject the unwavering and magnanimous mercy and compassion of God. Granted, this does not excuse us from being accountable for our actions, something which St. Paul explicitly mentions in his epistles.
We know that the Beatitudes, which we hear today from the Evangelist St. Matthew, are tall orders to follow. On the surface, they come across as ideals that perhaps only saintly people can adhere to. However, if we hold true and live by the faith of God’s unwavering love for us, despite whatever misdeeds we have committed, the Beatitudes become a source of guidance and hope rather than stumbling blocks.
The fundamental teaching of our faith is that God is the ultimate source of greatness and goodness, and if we allow this to work in our lives, wonderful and even saintly deeds can be made manifest through broken vessels such as ourselves. This is critical now more than ever, especially during a time of pandemic, political and social unrest, and rampant hopelessness and despair that we, as human beings, feel we are incapable of redeeming. However, if we open ourselves to the Spirit, just as the saints in our canon have done, miraculous and life-giving energy will flow through our lives and deeds, and the world will see the justice, equity and love that govern the Kingdom of God. This is God’s mission for all of us. So let us look to the saints, who, even though flawed and damaged, were able to give witness to God’s love, hope and charity in a way that redeemed the world.
Maryknoll Father Daniel S. Kim, born and raised in Southern California in a Korean American family, was ordained in 2017. He ministers in a parish in Hong Kong, where he also serves in diocesan youth ministry. Father Kim also records reflections on the daily Mass readings and longer weekly reflections on the Sunday readings for the Maryknoll Fathers and Brothers.
To read other Scripture reflections published by the Maryknoll Office for Global Concerns, click here.
Featured image: A woman sits by the entrance wall of St Michael’s Golden-Domed Cathedral in Kyiv, Ukraine. The wall is covered in paintings of saints and angels. (Courtesy of Viktor Talashuk/via Unsplash)
