Solemnity of All Saints

REFLECTION:

As we celebrate the Solemnity of All Saints, I am reminded of a definition of sainthood from a book I once read as a Lenten reading — The Holy Longing by Fr. Ronald Rolheiser. In it, he quotes Søren Kierkegaard who said, “A saint is someone who can will the one thing.”

That line stayed with me because it captures, in just a few words, what holiness really looks like. To “will the one thing” means to live with an undivided heart — to align everything we are and everything we do toward one purpose: union with Christ.

In a world that pulls us in so many directions, our hearts can easily become divided. We chase success, comfort, or approval, and lose sight of what really matters. But the saints — ordinary people who let God’s grace shape their lives — remind us that holiness is not about perfection; it’s about focus. It’s about constantly returning to that one center: God.

Fr. Rolheiser offers us a practical path for this through what he calls the four non-negotiable pillars of Christian spirituality, a balanced way of living that helps us “will the one thing” in the midst of daily life:

1. Private Prayer and Private Morality – Saints cultivate an inner life with God. They pray not just when it’s convenient, but because they cannot imagine life without God’s presence. They choose integrity even when no one sees. To will the one thing is to let prayer and conscience guide our every choice.
2. Social Justice – Saints see Christ in others, especially in the poor, the forgotten, and the struggling. To will the one thing means to let our love for God overflow into compassion and action — to help build the kingdom of God here and now.
3. Mellowness of Heart and Spirit – True holiness bears the fruit of gentleness. Saints aren’t harsh or proud; they are patient and kind, even when life tests them. To will the one thing is to let God soften our hearts, shaping them into instruments of peace.
4. Community as Constitutive of True Worship – Saints don’t walk the journey alone. Holiness is born and sustained in community. To will the one thing is to recognize that we need each other — to pray, to forgive, to serve, and to worship together as one body in Christ.

When we hold these four pillars together, we find balance. Prayer without justice can become self-focused; justice without prayer can lose compassion. Mellowness without community can fade into isolation; community without prayer can lose its depth. The saints show us that holiness is not found in one extreme, but in the harmony of a life wholly centered on God.

To “will the one thing” is to make every part of our life — prayer, relationships, work, and service — flow from one love and return to that same love: Christ Himself.

Reflection Question:
Which of these four pillars do I need to strengthen so that my heart may be more focused on “the one thing” God desires for me?