Fr. Eric Nicolai preached this meditation at Lyncroft Centre in Toronto on th Solemnity of All Saints, November 1, 2024.

St. John the Apostle tells about his tremendous vision: After this I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands. 10 And they cried out in a loud voice: “Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb.” (Rev 9, 9-10)

The uncountable throng represents the spiritual offspring of Abraham, i.e., those who imitated his faith (Rom 4:11-17).  The Lord had promised to make Abraham the father of many nations (Gen 17:5) and to give him progeny too numerous to count (Gen 15:5). He made him look up to the sky, and look at the stars. These same stars still lok down upon us, and invite us to look up.

Music: Carlos Gardel (1890 – 1935), Soledad, arranged for guitar by Bert Alink.

Thumbnail: Vincent Van Gogh, The Starry Night, 1889, Museum of Modern Art.