In the first, he reminded us that all of us are saints to one degree or another. Even the most righteous person in history (he used the Virgin Mary as his example) is only partially as holy as God; yet even the worst person in history (no example given) has some part of God's grace. Jesus tells us what makes a saint in the Beatitudes from his Sermon on the Mount (today's Gospel reading). Most importantly, according to those Beatitudes, the more that we try to be saints, the more that we experience true joy in our lives ("blessed be").
In the second homily, our pastor spoke about how our prayers for those who have passed on to the next life are not so much for them, but for ourselves. Jesus has conquered death for all who wish to dwell with Him. Our prayers for the departed are more of a reflection for us; they show our love and devotion to our loved ones. However, God will help those who wish to be with Him in eternity whether they are prayed for or not. This does not mean that our prayers are not appreciated, just that God provides for us in ways beyond our understanding.