Commentary on the Introit and Prayers of the Mass of All Saints

The SOLEMNITY of ALL the SAINTS

"The glory of all the angels and saints of the triumphant Church is presented to us at one time on the feast of All Saints; rejoicing at their triumph, this feast enkindles us by their example."

Catechism of Christian Doctrine ("of St. Pius X")

ENTRANCE ANTIPHON

Gaudeamus omnes in Domino, diem festum celebrantes sub honore Sanctorum omnium, de quorum sollemnitate gaudent Angeli, et collaudant Filium Dei.

Let us all rejoice in the Lord,

as we celebrate the feast day

in honour of all the Saints,

at whose festival the Angels rejoice

and praise the Son of God.

The Angels share in the glory of the Saints in Christ. This feast is a celebration of all the children of God, known to us and unknown to us, who look on the Face of God at this very moment, and forever. It is not about the other children of God in the next life who are the souls in Purgatory. We will remember them in a special way tomorrow. Eventually they will arrive in heavenly glory too.

Some of the holy ones were, by the grace of Christ, victorious in the struggle against the world, the flesh and the devil. Others, like little children were brought without personal merit, without cooperation, but by pure mercy, into glory. Forever they all will sing the mercies of the Lord.

COLLECT

Omnipotens sempiterne Deus, qui nos omnium Sanctorum tuorum merita sub una tribuisti celebritate venerari, quaesumus, ut desideratam nobis tuae propitiationis abundantiam, multiplicatis intercessoribus, largiaris.

Almighty ever-living God,

by whose gift we venerate in one celebration

the merits of all the Saints,

bestow on us, we pray,

through the prayers of so many intercessors,

an abundance of the reconciliation with you

for which we earnestly long.

Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,

who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,

one God, for ever and ever.

We "venerate the merits of all the Saints". Since the Lord will have said to each on of them, "Well done, good and faithful servant," when He calls them to enter into the joy of their Master, we do the same. Worthy is the Lamb! and He has through the merits of His Holy Wounds, transformed and enable the saints to be worthy. It is a gift of grace. But they had to cooperate. Worthiness is an inner quality. These are the ones who loved the Lord "with all their heart, with all their soul, with all the mind and with all their strength" and loved others as Christ loved them.

We seek mercy "through the prayers of so many intercessors". This implies discrete acts of prayer and not just a state or attitude of prayer. It seems clear that when we request their prayers, this results in more prayers on their part. Our request for intercession gives joy to them, the joy of being instruments of the Mercy of God, through the Blood of the Lamb.

To put it another way, in some way the Saints and Heaven itself, depend on what we do. They can only do so much, and then the rule is applied "whoever [on earth] asks, receives". So let us plead for their intercession often!

PRAYER OVER THE OFFERINGS

Grata tibi sint, Domine, munera, quae pro cunctorum offerimus honore Sanctorum, et concede, ut, quos iam credimus de sua immortalitate securos, sentiamus de nostra salute sollicitos.

May these offerings we bring in honour of all the Saints

be pleasing to you, O Lord,

and grant that, just as we believe the Saints

to be already assured of immortality,

so we may experience their concern for our salvation.

Through Christ our Lord.

"May we experience their concern for our salvation." Does this not imply that the prayers of the Saints would sometimes have visible results in our lives. Have we not felt the graces they have obtained for us?

PREFACE OF ALL SAINTS

The glory of Jerusalem, our mother.

...Nobis enim hodie civitatem tuam tribuis celebrare, quae mater nostra est, caelestisque Ierusalem, ubi iam te in aeternum fratrum nostrorum corona collaudat. Ad quam peregrini, per fidem accedentes, alacriter festinamus, congaudentes de Ecclesiae sublimium glorificatione membrorum, qua simul fragilitati nostrae adiumenta et exempla concedis. Et ideo, cum ipsorum Angelorumque frequentia, una te magnificamus, laudis voce clamantes: Sanctus.

...today by your gift we celebrate the festival of your city,

the heavenly Jerusalem, our mother,

where the great array of our brothers and sisters

already gives you eternal praise.

Towards her, we eagerly hasten, as pilgrims advancing by faith,

rejoicing in the glory bestowed upon those exalted members of the Church

through whom you give us, in our frailty, both strength and good example.

"Through the Saints, God gives us, in our frailty, both strength and good example" Their intercession and merits obtain many mercies for us. And if we know about their lives, we learn from and are inspired, since they are "living gospels for all men to hear".

[The Communion Antiphon is a quote from today's Gospel.]

PRAYER AFTER COMMUNION

Mirabilem te, Deus, et unum Sanctum in omnibus Sanctis tuis adorantes, tuam gratiam imploramus, qua, sanctificationem in tui amoris plenitudine consummantes, ex hac mensa peregrinantium ad caelestis patriae convivium transeamus.

As we adore you, O God, who alone are holy

and wonderful in all your Saints,

we implore your grace,

so that, coming to perfect holiness in the fullness of your love,

we may pass from this pilgrim table

to the banquet of our heavenly homeland.

Through Christ our Lord.

Is this prayer not asking that we would arrive at such perfection of charity by the time of our last hour, that we would go straight to Heaven?