GET A MENTOR

… Have A Saint-Friend

EDOKA PETER-PAUL

O

ur existence on earth is temporal, but it should also be full of accomplishment; by doing what we can stand before the presence of God to give adequate and joyous report. Today, the Celebration of All Saints is a reminder that there is a state of life after here, that there is a better life outside this earthly one. And the good news is that, there are some persons who were here yesterday and today, they are there, living that glorious life that God has promised those who endure and persevere. They should be our MENTORS!

In the Book of Revelation 7:9, the Bible holds that there were enormous crowd , people from different tribe, nation, and language, and they stood before the throne of God and before the Lamb (Jesus) dressed in white robes and holding palm branches in their hands. These people will spend eternity in the presence of God, and there will be no more pain, no more tears, and no more dead. These people are the Saints we celebrate today. These people were human beings like you and I- male and female who passed through the trials and temptations of this world, but were patient and prayerful and positive about the Kingdom of God, that today, they are enjoying His presence, seeing Him face-to-face.

It’s true that we shall see God on the last day and be happy forever because Saint John wrote in his Third Letter (1 John 3:2-3) that when Christ appears, we shall be like Him, because we shall see Him as He really is. But again, there is a demand of those who wishes to ‘see God’s face’, there is a task to carry out, there is a price to be paid. And the price is what we are all called and reminded this day to strive at paying it with our life every day. In verse 3 of that same chapter, Saint John states that, “Everyone who has this hope in Christ keeps himself pure, just as Christ is pure.

We should therefore be firm in our resolution to imitate those whose song are being sang today-because they strive at making themselves pure that is why they are standing in the presence of God, and that is why we are singing their praises today. We all desire to be where they are, we all wish to be among those with the glorious body, singing ‘Alleluia’ and praising God day and night for the rest of our lives-because, as the saying goes, ‘No matter the number of years you spend on earth, you will spend longer years when you die’; but the question now is: Where will you spend those ‘longer years’, with God or without God?’

The Sermon on the Mount in the Gospel of Matthew chapter 5, Jesus gave us what I call, Map to True Happiness. Each verse starts with: “Happy are those who …” And now, to conclude this speech, I say to us all, Happy are those who go home and read that passage of the Bible and the live by it, for that people shall be among All Saints when the time is right.