THEY HAVE WASHED THEIR ROBES WHITE

HOMILY FOR THE SOLEMNITY OF ALL SAINTS

Rev. Fr. Ezekoka Peter Onyekachi

The Solemnity of All Saints peals the joyful bells of the afterlife. The saints are those who have been declared pure by God in Heaven. Having made sincere efforts to be pure on earth, God grants them purity in Heaven. Yes, we declare our Credal belief in the Communion of Saints. There are at least four meanings to the word ‘saints’:    

1) all those who have been justified by the grace of Christ, whether they be living or dead;

2) those who, having been justified by Christ on earth, have entered into eternal life;

3) particular figures, especially those featured in the Bible, who are examples of holiness;

4) those whom the Church - either through custom or formal canonisation - has singled out as members of the Church Triumphant so that they may be commemorated in public worship.

(cf. McBrien R: Catholicism pp. 1109-1110).

Today’s celebration focuses on the second group: those who, having been justified by Christ on earth, have entered into eternal life.

All Saints Day reminds us of the communion between the Pilgrim Church and the Church Triumphant. The 1st Reading (Revelation 7:2-4.9-14) speaks of the saints as those who have actually persevered in holiness while they were on earth; and, as a result, God has given them His grace of perseverance in eternal life. Thus, those “whom God has regenerated and effectually called to a state of grace, can neither totally nor finally fall away from that state, but shall certainly persevere therein to the end and be eternally saved” (Berkhof L., Systematic Theology p.545). These people come ‘from all tribes and peoples and tongues’. The saints are without number, impossible to count, and have been gathered from every land. They are those servants of the Lord who have been marked with the great seal of the Lamb on their foreheads. This seal is their mark of identification with the sacrificial Lamb. Truly, most earthly societies are well aware of the importance of identification. Schools have badges, stamps, logos, mottoes, uniforms, and so on. Companies have trademarks and patents. Countries have flags, heraldry and coats of arms. These signs, images and trademarks are seals which express not only the vision and mission of each grouping, but are also the required insignia for authentication. Similarly, this is how the visionary of the 1st Reading perceived the greatest of all the seals on the foreheads of the saints. The seal authenticated their heavenly citizenship.

God will give the command. His command will be to delay the judgement of the great tribulation until every last one of the saints has received the seal. The seal here means the mark of possession, of ownership, of authority, power, protection and preservation. In ancient times, a king’s ring contained his seal. The king would stamp the mark of his ring on all official documents to indicate that their authority and power came directly from him. This is certainly one of the meanings that the seal in the 1st Reading bears. In Genesis 41:42, Pharaoh took his ring and put it on Joseph’s finger as a sign of sovereign power and authority (cf. also Esther 3:10, 8:2). In the case of Daniel, before the divine liberty of Daniel from the den, King Darius confirmed his proclamation with the mark of his signet ring on the stone that was laid over the mouth of the den (Dan. 6:17). In the New Testament, the Christian is sealed with the Spirit of God - the Holy Spirit. The presence of the Holy Spirit in the life of each believer is the seal that authenticates their life of blessedness. It is God Who has put His seal on us, and it is God Who has given us His Holy Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee (2 Cor. 1:22).

In John’s vision, these men who have been marked with the greatest possible seal praised God together with the angels and sang to His honour. They lived a life of blessedness while on earth (cf. the Gospel of Matthew 5:10-12). The word ‘blessed’, which is used in each of the Beatitudes, is a very special word. The Greek  word for ‘blessed’ is makarios which is only used to describe the gods. Its biblical usage for the saints implies that the saints are Godlike. Little wonder, then, that the 2^nd Reading (1 John 3:1-3) speaks of the children of God as Godlike. Makarios describes too that joy which has its secret within itself, that joy which is serene and untouchable and self-contained, that joy which is completely independent of all the events, changes and challenges of life. Thus, the Beatitudes cover the glorious hope and reward that the believer can expect both now and in eternity. We can go ahead, then, to say that being declared eternally ‘blessed’ entails being marked with the seal of life. Thus, the people that have been marked with the greatest seal of all means that they have come out of the great tribulation. They have washed their robes in the Blood of the Lamb, and in doing so have made them white.

The picture of robes whitened by being washed in the Blood of the Lamb is paradoxical. This paradox is a way of saying that this victory and this purity were won by the power of the Lord Jesus and at the cost of everything the Lord Jesus did for humanity in His life and death. Those pictured in white robes, which stand for purity and perfection, are the martyrs who have given up their lives for the sake of Christ. Their status is purity. They have been made pure by God. God is purity Himself: and anyone and everyone who places their hope in Him, He purifies (cf. 1 John 3:3). They now enjoy perfection and beatific vision. In their perfect state, and in being united to Christ, the Lamb, they anchor the whole Church more firmly in holiness and they never cease to intercede for us with the Father. There is fraternal concern with us; and it is in this that our weakness is helped (cf. Catechism of the Catholic Church, no.956).

Do you wish some day to be among the saints that we celebrate today? If your answer is ‘yes’, then you must always be conscious of the presence of God and live out the life of the Beatitudes. Everyone who entertains this hope must purify themselves in their efforts to be as pure as Christ (1John 3:1-3). On this Solemnity, may we be invigorated to live the rest of our life as worthy of sainthood. Amen. May I wish you a Happy Feast Day. God bless you.