Saints, Souls, and the Will Of God

By Rev. Fred Zagone, SJ, University Chaplain

Statues of St. Mother Theresa and St. Mary, Mother of God on Campus are an everyday reminder of their presence and prayers for all as companions on the journey and part of the Communion of Saints.

This week we have the feast of All Saints and the Feast of All Souls: Celebrations for those who have died.

A saint is someone who has died and has gone to heaven in the presence of God. A soul is that which is in each of us that gives us life but we also refer to “the souls” as all who have died. We pray for them. We hope they are praying for us!

Every morning I pass the photo of my mother on my bookshelf. I pray that she rests in peace even ten years after her death. And I ask her to intercede with my concerns, the needs of my family, the demands of our crazy world.

In the Eucharistic prayer at Mass, we say the words, “make us worthy to share eternal life with Mary, the virgin Mother of God, with Joseph her husband, with the apostles, and with all the saints who have done your will throughout the ages.” Someone pointed out to me that right there you have the definition of a saint. A saint is someone who has done the will of God.

In the Our Father we say, Thy will be done and again we are proclaiming the necessity for each of us to seek and fulfill the will of God.

St. Ignatius said we are sinners, called to be companions of Christ. Called to live like saints. Called to live the will of God yet acknowledging that we are not always successful. The fact is, we might not be saints while we are alive. We may not be a saint at the moment of death. But because of God’s love for us, God can take us as we are, and invites us to become the saints that perhaps we didn’t quite achieve becoming during this lifetime. This is what we call forgiveness.

As we approach Thanksgiving, we can be most thankful for these gifts. AMEN

Saints of God, come to their aid!

Hasten to meet them, angels of the Lord!

Receive their soul and present them to God the Most High.

Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord,

And let perpetual light shine upon them.

May they rest in peace. Amen.

Frederick Zagone, S.J.

University Chaplain