Happy All Saints Day!

Today at Mass I’ll be celebrating the memories of my favorite members of the Communion of Saints. Please join me by saluting your own special people who based their lives on the Beatitudes -- Jesus’ road map for a holy and successful life.

Picture the Beatitudes as a jigsaw puzzle of that map. Then label each Beatitude with the names of loved ones who brought those Beatitudes to life for you.

I’ll start with my favorite, “Blessed are the peacemakers for they shall be called children of God.” in honor of my mom’s decades of soothing hurt feelings and keeping her six pugnacious children on speaking terms. I suspect legions of you experienced something similar with your parents so   blessings to   these beloved “children of God.”

Many of the same names could go on the piece that says, “Blessed are the merciful for they will be shown mercy.” In addition to your parents, please bless the teachers who gave you a second chance when you needed it most or a boss who forgave you an error because they remembered doing something similar. If you’ve received mercy, pass it on to someone else. They might use the  gift to give back like a beloved former student athlete now doing great things for young people.

Then we move to some of the tougher Beatitudes.  Pictures of Jesus proclaiming the Beatitudes tend to be sappy but some Beatitudes call for taking risks.   Jesus blesses those who endure insults, persecution and false accusations for his sake and challenges us to hunger and thirst for righteousness. I’ve awarded these pieces to my friend Jane who fought for close relatives that society stigmatized. Her mentally ill sister inspired Jane to start an advocacy group that has become a major local force. She also was active in the Caring Catholic Families group that advocates for the Church to embrace LGBTQ people such as her trans granddaughter. I’m sure Jesus has rewarded her lifetime of making “good trouble” with a spot in the Kingdom of Heaven.

I also particularly resonate to “Blessed are those who mourn for they will be comforted” because it evokes thoughts of  people who have helped me through rough times as well as the  memory of my Jesuit friend Fr. Dick Hauser. Dick not only wrote a. wonderful book on the topic but quietly consoled grieving friends such as a colleague who lost his teenage son to cancer.  My friend told me how often Dick stopped to check on how he was doing. May this inspire us to do the same.

I could go on and on but I’ll let each of you celebrate your own uncanonized saints on their special day. Alleluia!