A Reflection for All Saints’/All Souls’ Day
by Sister Mercedes Rojo, OSF
In Spain and all Latin American countries this is a very special celebration. It is a time when we remember and honor our family members who had passed on. On this feast, I take time looking at photos of my parents, my brothers, aunts and uncles who have passed on. I take time to remember moments of joy as well as hard moments…. I take time to be with each one… talk to them about those moments… ask them how they think about what we can learn from their new vision of those events.
I believe that they will tell us about the importance of seeing life with a new light. And invite us to be attentive to the daily GRACE we receive. Why? Because we are on a journey. A journey of grace. And if we allow it, we can receive the grace of a NEW HEART. Remember Ezekiel’s promise: “ I will give you a new heart and a new spirit. I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.” (Ezekiel 36:26). It is good to notice that Ezekiel does not say it is a replacement…. This promise is about my own heart now, a heart transformed by God’s grace: a heart softer, more compassionate, welcoming to all, and more receptive to God’s movement within me, and willing to grow. Yes, a new heart transformed by God’s grace.
Let us this month remember the “saints” in our families, remember the blessings we received from them, and ask them to intercede to God for us, so that we will continue to be open to God’s presence in our lives, to be attentive to God’s “nudges” and “challenges” and be courageous to answer with fidelity knowing that God is walking this journey with us.
Sr. Mercedes Rojo, OSF, is the Spiritual Assistant of St. Francis Fraternity (Folsom, PA)
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