A Great Cloud of Witnesses

Clouds witness this morning's sunrise.
After writing about the faith of the outstanding holy men of the Old Testament, the author of the Letter to the Hebrews starts chapter 12 by saying that we are surrounded by a "great cloud of witnesses."  I thought of the great cloud of saints down through the history of the Church who have witnessed to faith and of the great cloud of holy people right now in the Church who show us what it means to have faith.  I remembered a quote from Dorothy Day in which she said that it was not the official Church leaders but "the saints who keep appearing throughout history who keep things going."
This cloud of witnesses encourages us "to keep our eyes fixed on Jesus, who leads us in our faith and brings it to perfection."  His faith in his Father's love enabled him to go through the pain of the cross to the joy of resurrection.  A faith-full life is never clear sailing.