by Amanda Thompson
Remember the scene in the seventh book or the last movie of Harry Potter when Harry is about to meet with Voldemort for the final time and he thinks he is going to die. He unlocks the Resurrection Stone and the spirits of his mother, father, Sirius, and Remus who have died appear. They reassure him that they are always with him. They don’t interfere except to love him through this last and final battle against Voldemort. This gives him strength beyond his own physical capabilities. This is the power of love that is beyond any earthly power. This scene reminds me of the Communion of Saints.
All Saints Day is a holy day of obligation. It is when the Church officially celebrates the Saints. Some of these Saints are those who are canonized and some of them are the people who have been unrecognized Saints in our lives, such as the family members and friends who have passed away but exemplified the love of God in profound ways.
The Catholic Church believes that these models of faith are people who showed us how to love God and love neighbor in the truest way, the way that Jesus did. They have now gone, but are always with us, praying for us, celebrating with us, and loving us with their stories of great faith.. As we celebrate these amazing men and women, we learn more about how to become one of them, recognized by the Church or just our own communities. We pray for them to intercede for us and be with us like Harry did!
