Vatican City, Nov 1, 2012 / 10:38 am
Pope Benedict said that the solemnity of All Saints should help people reflect on the link between the Church on earth and the heavenly Church "that celebrates the never-ending feast."
"In the saints we see the victory of love over selfishness and death: we see that following Christ leads to life, eternal life, and gives meaning to the present, every moment that passes, because it is filled with love and hope," the Pope said Nov. 1 from the window of his study overlooking St. Peter's Square.
"Only faith in eternal life makes us truly love the history and the present, but without attachment, with the freedom of the pilgrim, who loves the earth because his heart is in Heaven," he said.
Pope Benedict recalled that the feast of All Saints reminds us of the communion of saints, "a reality that begins here on earth and that reaches its fulfillment in heaven."