The Springtime of the World - Homily for the Sunday of All Saints (2026)

If there is anything America, or rather the whole world desperately needs right now, it is saints. It is the saints who call down God’s mercy and grace on the world. It is the saints who keep the sun shining, the world turning. The saints truly are the salt of the earth, preserving it from rotting away. 

Today we have the great joy of celebrating All Saints. We celebrate All the Saints who shone forth throughout all the world, at every time and place. This feast is the capstone and fulfillment of everything we’ve been preparing for and celebrating since the Triodion began in January. Lent prepared us for Holy Week and Pascha, where we celebrate Christ’s saving dispensation for mankind. At the Ascension we see the deified human body of our Savior ascend to the Throne of God. Finally, on Pentecost, we celebrated the descent of the Holy Spirit. Christ has done everything He can possibly do to save us, He has healed and restored our fallen nature, raised it to Heaven and sent us the Holy Spirit to deify us. In one sense, this is the “final” feast of the Church—the fruit of Christ’s labor. 

The saints show us that is possible to be saved in all places and at all times in any circumstance. They sanctified whatever role they had as Christians. We heard today Christ warn us, “He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me” (Matt. 10: 37). And we see parental love perfected in the saints. St. Meliton was one of the 40 martyrs of Sebaste. He actually survived the cruel tortures. The authorities were hoping he would recover and renounce Christ. His mother, who loved Christ and desired for her son to be with Him in eternity more than with her for a few more years in this life, did not weep for him. She was not desperate to heal his wounds, hoping against hope that he could recover. Rather, she carried him alive onto the cart with the rest of the martyrs to make sure he would be counted worthy of martyrdom.

When one of the new martyrs, St. Philosoph, (the same Philosoph we commemorate every vigil) was arrested by the Bolsheviks, one of his sons volunteered to go with him and another son was ordered to follow. They did not fear death, they did not flee. After being taken away, Philosoph was asked who should be shot first, him or his sons. He bravely answered, “My sons”. What father could stand to watch his children shot? But as a priest, he wanted to pray the funeral service for them. He wanted to give them their last rites, which he proceeded to chant immediately after his sons were executed. He in turn was martyred shortly after.

Happy family life in the world is not precluded amongst the saints. We have many saintly families—the Cappadocians give us two examples in the families of St. Basil and St. Gregory the Theologian. A century later on the other side of Europe, St. Brychdan of Wales, a fifth century king, has 24 of his children numbered among the saints!

While the state of current politics perhaps renders most of us cynical to the idea of having godly leaders, the Synaxarion is populated with pious kings and right-believing queens. The history of the English church is peppered with dozens of kings and queens, princes and princesses numbered among the saints. This is not a question of using power and force. Rather, holiness is always attractive and transformative. Saint Ethelbert the King of Kent converted thanks to the missionary efforts of St. Augustine of Canterbury. He did not force his people to convert, but because he was so beloved 10,000 were baptized a week after he was. They followed their leader because they trusted him as a father.

St. Oswald of Northumbria was an exiled prince raised at the monastery of Iona. He was formed by Iona’s monastic piety and kept what he learned there as the foundation for the rest of his life. While there are pious royalty that frequent church services, his palms were always turned up in prayer, even when he wasn’t at church. Many amongst the nobility give generously to the poor—from their leftovers. But Oswald gave from the best. Once, at a Paschal banquet, he was told the poor were outside asking for alms. He promptly gave them the poor food prepared for his own table and had the silver tray broken up and given as alms. Many rulers support missionary endeavors in their realm, but Oswald even served as an interpreter, going with St. Aidan as he preached throughout the kingdom. Oswald died a martyr’s death in battle against a pagan king. His veneration quickly spread not only across England, but across the sea into France, Germany, Switzerland, and Italy. He was one of the most beloved English saints across Europe.

Holiness is available to anyone willing to repent. Saint Paul persecuted Christians and consented to the death of St. Stephen. But this did prevent Christ from appearing to him and calling him to Himself anyway. In the life of St. Callistratus, we read that 49 of the soldiers present for his torture converted upon witnessing the miracles that took place. Sts. Theonas, Cyprian, and Callinicus are among the magicians who were converted when their spells were unable to work. St. Mary of Egypt, St. Pelagia and many other debauched women and men left everything and followed Christ. 

Holiness is available even for those of us who are otherwise unnoticeable, not noble, not wicked. The countless faithful who live quiet lives. Even when our own plans and dreams for spiritual greatness are dashed to the ground. St. Seraphim of Vyritsa, a God-bearing elder who lived in the Soviet Union, had a spiritual daughter, Olga. She asked him what she should do with her life. She wanted to become a nun, but he told her no. It would be too difficult even though she was pious. So he told her to sell tickets for the Trams in the city. She was to do the same number of prostrations every day as tickets she sold and ask God to save the souls of the customers. He told her, “Many people will be saved by your prayers if you bear your cross to the end.”

She continued doing this for decades. Her job was menial and her impact on the world seemed negligible. In one sense, she was the last, at the bottom. But she was faithful, and God put her first. Because she fulfilled her obedience to her elder and carried her cross to the end, God not only blessed her with long life, but also bestowed upon her one of the highest gifts of the Holy Spirit—the gift of prophesy.

I like this feast because every year there are new additions—not just because more saints have been officially canonized but because of the unknown and hidden saints who finished their course. The saints are the true springtime of the world. They bloom in places that seem dark, dank, deserted. They transform our world into a true spiritual garden, the colors splendid and spectacular, the scent of paradise wafting in the air. They are the rays of sunshine that illumine our life and the world will never be bereft of their light. As we begin the Apostle’s Fast tomorrow, let this first half of the year remind us of Christ’s unfathomable love for us and of the saints earnest efforts to return that love. And by their prayers, may we make a good beginning on their path to heaven. Amen.