November 1st—the Solemnity of All Saints—is among my favorite celebrations in the Church’s liturgical calendar. Only the Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity and Corpus Christi (the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ) eclipse All Saints Day in significance for me personally.
One of my favorite aspects of Catholicism is the beautiful reality of the Communion of Saints. Prayer is a bridge to God, and intercessory prayer reminds us that we don’t have to walk the journey of faith alone. Just as we ask our family and friends to pray for us here on earth, we can turn to our heavenly brothers and sisters to intercede for us before God.
The saints are guides to Christ. They reflect the love of Jesus in unique ways, much like individual mirrors reflecting the same divine light. Some were scholars and theologians. Others were parents, missionaries, martyrs, or ordinary people who lived extraordinary lives of faith.
What unites them isn’t their personalities, accomplishments, or even the particular struggles they faced. It’s their love for Jesus Christ and their willingness to cooperate with God’s grace.
All Saints Day reminds us that the Church is much bigger than the people sitting next to us in the pews on Sunday. We belong to a spiritual family that stretches across centuries and extends beyond the boundaries of earthly life.
And the best part? These holy men and women aren’t simply examples of holiness from the past. They’re actively praying for us today and encouraging us toward our ultimate destination: Heaven.
Who are the Saints?
According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, “Being more closely united to Christ, those who dwell in heaven fix the whole Church more firmly in holiness. . . . They do not cease to intercede with the Father for us, as they proffer the merits which they acquired on earth through the one mediator between God and men, Christ Jesus . . . . So by their fraternal concern is our weakness greatly helped” (CCC 956).
In other words, the reason we honor the holy men and women in union in Heaven with God is because they draw of closer to unity with God. November 1st is not meant to be a Holy Oscars or a rolling out of a theological red carpet.
The Saints Point Us to God
Saints are witnesses to the faith and reflect the light Holy Trinity. I am reminded St. Jean Marie Baptiste Vianney when he said, “We are all like little mirrors, in which God contemplates Himself. How can you expect that God should recognize His likeness in an impure soul?” This likening of the human soul as a reflection, a mirror of God’s love can be found even earlier in Church tradition. St. Theophilus of Antioch [circa 2nd century A.D.] declared,
A person’s soul should be clean, like a mirror reflecting light. If there is rust on the mirror his face cannot be seen in it. In the same way, no one who has sin within him can see God.
Below I formed a list, a sort of personal litany of saints, and applicable holy writings that have helped me grow in holiness and polish my soul to better reflect the love of the Holy Trinity.
Along with the names of canonized saints who personally influenced me, I outlined several Christian writers who lived fairly recently or are currently alive and are not officially canonized. Nevertheless, the books from the suggested reading still helped me grow in my Catholic faith.
***Note: I added the book(s) that I have actually read that have impacted me and deepened my relationship with God through the saint. This is in no way an exhaustive list –it is merely a list of saints whose writings and/or witness influenced me positively***
November Nourishment for the Soul
- Mary- The World’s First Love: Mary, Mother of God by Venerable Fulton Sheen
- Joseph
- Athanansius: On the Incarnation; Life of St. Antony
- Pope John Paul II: Fides Et Ratio; Redemptoris Misso; Veritatis Splendor
- Maria Faustina: Diary: Divine Mercy in My Soul
- Francis de Sales: Introduction to the Devout Life
- Augustine: Confessions
- Louis de Montfort: True Devotion to Mary
- Terersa of Avila: Interior Castle
- Catherine of Siena
- John of the Cross: Dark Night of the Soul
- Therese of Lisieux: The Autobiography of Saint Therese of Lisieux: The Story of a Soul
- Luke: Acts of the Apostle; Gospel According to Luke
- Josemaria Escriva: The Way
- Pope Pius XII: Humani Generis
- James: The Letter of St. James
- Maximilian Koble
- Bernadette
- John Bosco
- Pope Pius IX
- Pope Leo XIII
- Thorlak
- Francis of Assisi
- Ignatius of Loyala
- Ambrose: De Incarnationis Dominicæ Sacramento [on the Incarnation and Sacraments]
- Jerome: Homilies
- John Chrysostom
- Thomas Aquinas: The Summa Theologica
Suggested Reading
- G.K. Chesterton: Orthodoxy
- S. Lewis: Mere Christianity; Screwtape Letters; Space Trilogy
- Bishop Robert Barron: Catholicism
- Peter Kreeft, P.H.D.: Socrates Meets Jesus: History’s Greatest Questioner Confronts the Claims of Christ; Prayer for Beginners; Between Heaven and Hell
- J.R.R. Tolkien: The Hobbit; The Lord of the Rings
Called to Reflect God’s Light
One of the greatest things I love about All Saints Day is the reminder that holiness isn’t reserved for a select few. God calls each of us to become saints. Whether we are parents, teachers, priests, religious, or simply trying to survive another Monday, we all have opportunities to reflect God’s love in our daily lives.
The saints weren’t perfect people who never struggled. They experienced doubts, temptations, suffering, and setbacks. Yet through God’s grace, they continued striving toward Heaven. Their lives remind us that holiness isn’t about drawing attention to ourselves but pointing others toward Jesus Christ.
My hope is that this personal litany inspires you to learn about a saint you haven’t encountered before or revisit the writings of an old heavenly friend. After all, the saints aren’t simply historical figures to admire. They are our brothers and sisters in Christ who continue to pray for us.
The goal isn’t merely to know more about the saints. It’s to become one.
All you holy men and women, pray for us! 🙏
Continue Your Journey with the Saints
A Holy Kaleidoscope—The Diversity Of The Saints In Light Of Christ
3 Lessons from St. Therese of Liseux—Changing Lives One Day at a Time
Finding Comfort in the Communion of Saints and Hedgehogs
