Prologue

In many ways, holy mother Church applies her effort to this end, that she advance her children to desire heavenly things. And if you wish to consider this properly, it would seem that the whole of her effort strives for this, which, having disdained earthly things, directs us to desire heavenly things; this is evident from the first founder of the Church, our Savior, who in His proclamation and in His zeal of instruction, says at Matthew 3:2, Do penance so that we might remove ourselves from earthly affairs; for the kingdom of heaven is at hand: which he says to entice us to desire heavenly things. Among the different things provocative of a desire for heavenly things, he recalls and impresses upon our hearts today the glory of the saints for which we strive. If it is agreeable, we will ask God at the beginning (of this sermon) that He give me something worthy to say on behalf of the fitting nature of so great a celebration, that it be to His honor, of all the saints, and the salvation our our souls.