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JOHN PAUL II ANGELUS
Monday, 1 november 1999
Dear Brothers and Sisters!
1. Today we are celebrating the Solemnity of All Saints. On this festive
occasion the pilgrim Church on earth lifts her gaze to heaven, to the immense
throng of men and women to whom God has given a share in his holiness. As the
Book of Revelation teaches, they come "from every nation, from all tribes and
peoples and tongues" (Rv 7: 9). During their earthly life they were
committed to always doing his will, to loving him with all their heart and their
neighbour as themselves. For this reason they also suffered trials and
persecutions, and now enjoy their great and eternal reward in heaven (cf.
Mt 5: 11).
Dear friends, this is our future! This is the most genuine and universal
vocation of all humanity: to form the great family of God's children
by striving to anticipate its essential traits here on earth. We are drawn to
this goal by the shining example of our many brothers and sisters whom, down the
centuries, the Church has recognized as blesseds and saints, offering them as
examples and guides to everyone. Today we call upon their common intercession,
that every person will open himself to God's love, the source of life and
holiness.
2. Tomorrow this supplication will become an intense, unanimous prayer to the
Father of mercy for all the faithful departed. In every part of the world
the Eucharistic sacrifice will be offered in suffrage for them; it is the pledge
of eternal life for the living and the dead, as Christ himself said: ; "I am
the bread of life.... He who eats this bread will live for ever" (Jn.
6: 48, 58).
On these days, those who can will visit cemeteries to pray at the graves of
their loved ones. Today I too will go down to the Vatican Grottoes to pray at
the tombs of my Predecessors. I will also go in spirit to the cemetery in
Kraków, where my own deceased loved ones are buried, and to the other cemeteries
of the world in order to pray especially at the forgotten graves.
The liturgy, in fact, teaches us to pray for everyone, in the name of that bond
of solidarity that joins the Church's members to one another: it is a bond
stronger than death itself. May no one lack the support of our prayer.
3. In this spiritual climate, we feel Holy Mary's living, consoling presence
closer to us than ever. Today we call upon her as the Queen of All Saints, as we
contemplate her at the centre of the heavenly assembly of the blessed spirits.
Tomorrow we will entrust the souls of the faithful departed to her, the Mother
of Mercy.
For the People of God she is a sign of consolation and sure hope. We see in her
the living icon of Christ's words: "Blessed are the pure in heart, for
they shall see God" (Mt 5: 8). Through her intercession may we make
our own this Gospel beatitude.
After praying the Angelus, the Holy Father appealed for peace in Chechnya.
On today's solemnity I would also like to ask you to implore from the Lord,
through the intercession of all the saints, the precious gift of peace for
Chechnya, a land very dear to us.
© Copyright 1999 - Libreria Editrice Vaticana
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