BIG C CATHOLICS

Fr. Ignatius Manfredonia Franciscan Friars of the Immaculate Bloomington, IN ( Click here for today’s readings ) Today we celebrate the Solemnity of All Saints. Who are the saints and exactly how did they get to heaven? In today's first reading, St. John asked this question to the angel who is guiding him and revealing these things to him. John says who are these people wearing white robes? So who are these souls in heaven that we celebrate today? The Feast of All Saints refers to every human person who is in heaven. We know about 9,000 of these souls. The Roman Martyrology lists them by name, however, the great majority of the souls in heaven we don't know… In Saint John's vision he states that there is a great multitude, which no one could count, from every nation, race, people, and tongue. Now, how do we square that with the gospel when our Lord says that there will be few who will be saved? Our Lord said that many travel down that wide and easy road that leads to

Feast Day - December 27th  Saint John the Apostle, the son of Zebedee and Salome, was one of the twelve Apostles of Jesus. John was called by our Lord in the first year of His ministry. He is also known as John the Evangelist, John of Patmos and the Beloved Disciple. John's older brother and fellow Apostle was Saint James the Great. Jesus referred to the brothers as "Boanerges," meaning "sons of thunder." John was the longest living Apostle and the only one that did not receive the crown of martyrdom. Together with Peter and James, John witnessed the raising Jairus’ Daughter, the Transfiguration of Christ, the Olivet Discourse and the Agony of our Lord in the Garden of Gethsemane. John was the disciple who reported to Jesus that they had "'forbidden' a non-disciple from casting out demons in Jesus' name." Jesus stated in reply, "There is no one who performs a mighty deed in my name who can at the same time speak ill of me. He