Fr. Lawrence Jagdfeld, O.F.M., Administrator
Franciscans around the world celebrate the Feast of All Saints of the Seraphic Order today, November 29. Thus those of us who follow in the footsteps of the little poor man from Assisi begin and end the month with a festival honoring the men and women who have gone before us in faith. The Franciscan Order is called the Seraphic Order because St. Francis was visited by one of the seraphim on Mount Alverna when he received the sacred stigmata two years before his death. The chief duty of the seraphim in heaven is the praise of God. St. Francis joins with those angelic creatures as he and his followers praise God with the entire heavenly court.
Coincidentally, the first reading for Thursday in the 34th Week of Ordinary Time features a song of praise, a canticle from the Book of Revelation. Salvation, glory and might belong to our God. (Revelation 19:1b)
The occasion for singing this song is the destruction of Babylon. By the time the Book of Revelation was written, the great Assyrian Empire had fallen. Babylon was no longer the great city it once had been. It is generally accepted that the term "Babylon" refers to the Roman Empire which, at the time this Book was written, controlled most of the then known world. Christians were being persecuted by Rome. In fact, the sacred author of Revelation is himself in exile because of his faith, imprisoned there by Rome.
Today we look to the Kingdom of God and realize that it will supplant all earthly governments. We join with the heavenly choir as it sings of the triumph of God over all the earth. As we draw near to the end of another liturgical year, we look forward to the day when Christ will return with salvation for all people.