20261101 Solemnity of All Saints

[그리움하나]

(Rev 7:2-4, 9-14; 1 Jn 3:1-3; Mt 5:1-12a): Rather Than Striving to Become Holy, May We Live Our Lives in Holiness…

What is it that all of us with faith ultimately dream of? As we stand at the threshold of November, the Month of the Holy Souls, looking back on the year that is drawing to a close, this very question naturally comes to mind. As we approach that inevitable end we all must one day accept, a solemn reflection arises within us: the ultimate destination of our dream must be the hope and longing to rest in the Kingdom of God.

Therefore, as long as life on this earth is granted to us and we remain in the grace of walking with the breath of heaven, I pray that we never forget a heart of gratitude and live out love wherever our footsteps lead. May our souls be light and pure as we ascend to the Eternal One when our earthly steps come to an end. I also pray that the picture we weave by bestowing meaning upon this life—so that it does not merely scatter away—may become a prefiguration of the Kingdom of Heaven.

I hope we do not stay bound by meaningless conflicts during our journey of complicated relationships. Living in this world, I pray we do not rush to follow the trends of the times, nor become tainted by customs and conventions that teach us to accept "the way society is" as a mark of maturity. We must remain awake so that we do not fall into the "reckless arrogance of never looking up to heaven" by accepting as natural the pressure to live according to humanly imposed standards of comparison.

In the course of life, guarding our original purity and spiritual path often feels like a difficult challenge. Nevertheless, if we keep our hearts set on heaven, we will surely enjoy a freedom unburdened by attachments.

In Revelation 7:14, it is written: “These are the ones who have survived the time of great distress; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.” Indeed, the dust and wounds stained upon our outer robes can never harm the soul fashioned by God—even if that distress should mean death itself.

Prior to this, in verse 13, it is asked: “Who are these wearing white robes, and where did they come from?” To this, 1 John 3:1 echoes in response: “Yet so we are. The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him.”

Indeed, those who belong to the world cannot help but lose interest in heavenly things. In the midst of such indifference, where and how could one recognize the living Jesus Christ? Has the world really changed as much since the time the Lord lived as its outward appearance suggests? Though the forms of our environment and culture have evolved, the essence of human life remains unchanged from two thousand years ago. What matters is not our environment, but the direction and depth of our heart’s focus.

Just as what is lost by those who wander without seeking the Lord differs greatly in fruit and result from the grace received by those who seek Him in hope, 1 John 3:2–3 reminds us: “for we shall see him as he is. Everyone who has this hope based on him makes himself pure, as he is pure.”

During our journey upon this earth, I hope we become people whose hearts are poor enough to hold a sorrow directed toward true compassion.

Looking upon the Lord’s Cross—which appears to offer no resistance, yet transforms the world—may we learn true gentleness.

I hope we become people who allow the loneliness of grieving over what strays from God’s will to mature into righteousness.

May we be steeped in the mercy that springs from the freedom of entrusting everything to the Lord.

I pray for the purity to close our eyes to human greed and to hold love in our hearts in place of harsh words.

I long for an inner peace that never wavers, because we know the path we must walk.

And amidst the weight of real-life experiences that seem impossible to understand, I pray for the courage to embrace trials as the blessing of persecution rather than anguish—waiting in faith for the time when the Lord Himself will illuminate and guide us.

Rather than striving to become saints simply to be holy, may we take our steps today with a heart of gratitude—knowing that this present day, built upon faith and the will to live holily, will become a sweet path of grace where we taste and become steeped in the Lord’s holy steps. On this day, when the sky is as high and clear as our longing for heaven, let us pray with all our devotion that our efforts and faithfulness may serve as the foundation to bring the Good News to other towns as well. Amen.