All Saints Day

 

  I have a beautiful statue of St Anthony in the corner of my backyard. St Anthony is one of my favorite saints.  This summer I have enjoyed sharing St Anthony with my two year old granddaughter .  We hold hands as we walk up the garden path and then we say, “Hi, Jesus!  Hi, St. Anthony !”  My granddaughter is fascinated with the statue. She always smiles and touches baby Jesus.  I was pleasantly surprised one day when she put both arms around Jesus and whispered, “I love you!”  It was such a sweet moment and I wanted to cry with joy.  When she started walking away I asked her, “ What is St Anthony doing?”  In her very cute two year old voice she said, “He’s holding baby Jesus.”

 I think she summed up in one sentence why St. Anthony is a saint. He always kept his gaze on Jesus and held him close to his heart.  Sure he was an incredible preacher and a wonder worker, but it was his great love for Jesus that made him a saint.   I think that is the common thread all the saints share.  Their love for Jesus was obvious to everyone around them.

  As we celebrate All Saints Day today be sure to thank those men and women  who inspired your faith by their life stories.   Learn as much as you can from them and imitate their virtues.  Live your life in such a way that  everyone (even a child ) will look at you and  say, “They’re holding baby Jesus!”

-Susan