Pope: Saints Are Flowers in God's Garden

The world is a garden where the Spirit of God has called forth with admirable imagination a multitude of men and women saints.

VATICAN CITY (Zenit) - Benedict XVI says the communion of saints is like a botanical garden -- a wide variety of personalities and charisms, all marked with the seal of the Creator.

The Pope affirmed this Saturday when he prayed the midday Angelus with crowds gathered in St. Peter's Square for the occasion of All Saints' Day.

"When one visits a botanical garden, he is impressed by the variety of plants and flowers, and spontaneously thinks of the fancy of a Creator who has made on earth a marvelous garden," he said. "An analogous sentiment washes over us when we consider the spectacle of sanctity: The world seems to be a 'garden' where the Spirit of God has called forth with admirable imagination a multitude of men and women saints, of every age and social condition, of every language, people and culture.

"Each one is distinct from the others, with the uniqueness proper of the human person and of a particular spiritual charism. All of them have, though, the 'seal' of Jesus, that is, the imprint of his love, witnessed by way of the cross."

The Holy Father said that the goal of sanctity "to which all the baptized are called," is reached by following the path of the beatitudes.

"During their earthly lives, in fact, [the saints] have been poor of spirit, sorrowful for sin, humble, hungry and thirsty for justice, merciful, pure of heart, peacemakers, persecuted for justice," he said. "And God has made them participants in his own happiness: They have foretasted it in this world, and in the world beyond, they enjoy it in plenitude. Now they are consoled, inheritors of the earth, satisfied, forgiven, they see God of whom they are children. In a word, 'theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.'"

The Pontiff suggested that the celebration of the saints rekindles the "attraction for heaven."

"[It] moves us to quicken our step on this earthly pilgrimage," he said. "We feel burst into flame in our hearts the desire to unite ourselves forever with the family of the saints, of which already now we have the grace to form a part."

"May this beautiful aspiration burn in all Christians and help them to overcome every difficulty, every fear, every tribulation," Benedict XVI concluded. "Let us place, dear friends, our hand in the maternal hand of Mary, Queen of the saints, and allow ourselves to be guided by her toward the heavenly homeland, in the company of the blessed spirits 'of every nation, people and tongue.'"

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