“Amen. Blessing and glory, wisdom and thanksgiving,
honor, power, and might
be to our God forever and ever. Amen."
Probably one of the most familiar pieces of great choral music is the beloved, Halleluiah chorus from Messiah by George Frideric Handel. Tradition has it that when King George II heard it for the first time, he was so moved by the emotions that it stirred within him, that he stood, thus initiated the tradition to this very day that all stand for its singing.
As much as I love this wonderful piece of music, it was always the final chorus of Messiah that claimed my heart. Handel, in concluding his epic Oratorio of the life of the Savior, brought to a close his magnum opus by setting to music the text taken from the 7th Chapter of the Book of Revelation. Logic gives way to poetry for the author of this final Book of the Bible to paint a dramatic picture of what will be when all of created existence is gloriously transformed in Christ at the end of time. Scripture sings poetically a story of an intimate communion of all peoples around the throne of the Living God in loving adoration. The brokenness of humanity will be eternally healed as with one heart and mind, the human family of the redeemed sing an endless song of praise and thanksgiving.
On this All Saints Day, we capture a glimpse of that destiny that awaits you and me as we venerate the women and men down through the centuries who kept their eyes on the eternal prize that is promised by the God of mercy and unfailing love. While we Catholics cherish the names and stories of those famous Saints that have endeared themselves to us, today we remember the countless unnamed Holy Ones who have been the friends of the Lord through the simplicity of their lives, unmarked and unnoticed by the world. The countless parents who selflessly sacrificed daily in love for their children; the men and women of integrity who lived daily the Gospel-values they professed with courage and conviction; the priests and religious who brought the Good News of Christ to God’s people, not counting the cost; those who have died for their faith in godless dictatorships down through the centuries and to this very day. Today, we give thanks to God for the witness of their lives as we, with unfailing hope, look to the day of our eternal communion with them.
“Amen. Blessing and glory, wisdom and thanksgiving,
honor, power, and might
be to our God forever and ever. Amen."