Readings for the Solemnity of All Saints[1][2]
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible
Commentary:
Reading 1 Rv 7:2-4, 9-14
St. John’s vision of the heavenly kingdom unfolds in this passage with an image of those who have gone from this life to the next and now stand before the throne of God. Hebrew numerology provides the one hundred and forty four thousand number (from each of the tribes of Israel) representing a huge number (1,000 times 12 times 12) and follows that with uncounted Saints from the Gentiles beginning with the martyrs (those who have washed their robes in the Blood of the Lamb).
Responsorial Psalm Ps 24:1bc-2, 3-4ab, 5-6
R. Lord, this is the people that longs to see your face.
Psalm 24 is a processional song. It recalls that God is the great creator and he calls his people to be faithful. It asks the question who can come into his presence and answers only those who are sinless (completely reconciled to God). The who achieve that beatified state will receive the reward of eternal life from the savior.
Reading II 1 Jn 3:1-3
Once again the notes from the NAB to a very nice job of describing the intent of these verses: “The greatest sign of God's love is the gift of his Son (John 3:16) that has made Christians true children of God. This relationship is a present reality and also part of the life to come; true knowledge of God will ultimately be gained, and Christians prepare themselves now by virtuous lives in imitation of the Son.”
Gospel Mt 5:1-12a
This section of the Sermon on the Mount begins the first of five great discourses in St. Matthew’s Gospel. He begins using a formula common in the Wisdom literature of the Old Testament with “Blessed are the poor in spirit.” This designation identifies those without material resources, completely dependent upon God. (This distinction is for the devout poor). The discourse continues blessing they who mourn, who are meek, who “hunger” for righteousness (to adopt the Lord’s law of love in their hearts), the merciful, the clean of heart (those who are reconciled to God), the peacemakers, the persecuted, and finally those who will be reviled because they profess faith in Christ.
Reflection:
The annual ritual that attempts to overshadow the celebration today has passed. The children and teens are now recovering from their sugar highs and, in some places, near hypothermia. The costumes both gruesome and cute are put away for another year and we can now focus on a truly important celebration of the universal Church- the Solemnity of All Saints. Each year at the Vatican following the Angelus, the Pope makes a short address to mark the occasion. In 2003, Pope John Paul the Great said the following of this day:
“Today we celebrate the Solemnity of All Saints. It invites us to turn our gaze to the immense multitude of those who have already reached the blessed Homeland, pointing us to the road which leads to that destination.
The Saints and Blesseds of Paradise remind us, as pilgrims on Earth, that prayer, above all, is our sustenance for each day so that we never lose sight of our eternal destiny.” (John Paul II, Angelus, Solemnity of All Saints, Saturday, 1 November 2003)
Listening to the scripture today we hear first from St. John who writes from his tiny cell on the island of Patmos the Book of Revelations (or Apocalypse). He envisions all of those who have turned faithfully to the Lord and have washed themselves clean in the Blood of the Lamb. An obvious metaphor for Jesus, especially because the robes of those so washed were white, free of blemish.
Those who have gone before us have indeed pointed us on our way. I am reminded of parents who constantly point their children in the direction their experience tells them is best and how often that very good advice is shunned. We cannot afford to ignore the directions we are given, first by Jesus who tells us “Blessed are you when they insult you and persecute you and utter every kind of evil against you falsely because of me. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward will be great in heaven.”
Today as we recall all of those Saints who have gone before us in faith we ask ourselves, with all of these examples, what is the best way for me to follow? The answer to that question can only be found in the depths of prayer and the illumination of the path through the lives of all those varied and winding journeys taken by the Saints we remember today. From the Holy Innocents who died never having tasted life to the colored path taken by the likes of St. Augustine, the path we follow must be the one were Christ leads us.
The beatitudes make it clear – there are may paths but what is common is our need to listen to the word of God and follow where he leads, never giving up never becoming disheartened. At the end of our journey through this life to the next, what the Lord will look at with his intensely loving stare is what we have done for his greater glory with what he gave us. Let us pray we are not found lacking. Pax
[1] After Links to Readings Expire
[2] The picture today is Virgin in Glory with Saints by Giovanni Bellini, 1510-15
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible
Commentary:
Reading 1 Rv 7:2-4, 9-14
St. John’s vision of the heavenly kingdom unfolds in this passage with an image of those who have gone from this life to the next and now stand before the throne of God. Hebrew numerology provides the one hundred and forty four thousand number (from each of the tribes of Israel) representing a huge number (1,000 times 12 times 12) and follows that with uncounted Saints from the Gentiles beginning with the martyrs (those who have washed their robes in the Blood of the Lamb).
Responsorial Psalm Ps 24:1bc-2, 3-4ab, 5-6
R. Lord, this is the people that longs to see your face.
Psalm 24 is a processional song. It recalls that God is the great creator and he calls his people to be faithful. It asks the question who can come into his presence and answers only those who are sinless (completely reconciled to God). The who achieve that beatified state will receive the reward of eternal life from the savior.
Reading II 1 Jn 3:1-3
Once again the notes from the NAB to a very nice job of describing the intent of these verses: “The greatest sign of God's love is the gift of his Son (John 3:16) that has made Christians true children of God. This relationship is a present reality and also part of the life to come; true knowledge of God will ultimately be gained, and Christians prepare themselves now by virtuous lives in imitation of the Son.”
Gospel Mt 5:1-12a
This section of the Sermon on the Mount begins the first of five great discourses in St. Matthew’s Gospel. He begins using a formula common in the Wisdom literature of the Old Testament with “Blessed are the poor in spirit.” This designation identifies those without material resources, completely dependent upon God. (This distinction is for the devout poor). The discourse continues blessing they who mourn, who are meek, who “hunger” for righteousness (to adopt the Lord’s law of love in their hearts), the merciful, the clean of heart (those who are reconciled to God), the peacemakers, the persecuted, and finally those who will be reviled because they profess faith in Christ.
Reflection:
The annual ritual that attempts to overshadow the celebration today has passed. The children and teens are now recovering from their sugar highs and, in some places, near hypothermia. The costumes both gruesome and cute are put away for another year and we can now focus on a truly important celebration of the universal Church- the Solemnity of All Saints. Each year at the Vatican following the Angelus, the Pope makes a short address to mark the occasion. In 2003, Pope John Paul the Great said the following of this day:
“Today we celebrate the Solemnity of All Saints. It invites us to turn our gaze to the immense multitude of those who have already reached the blessed Homeland, pointing us to the road which leads to that destination.
The Saints and Blesseds of Paradise remind us, as pilgrims on Earth, that prayer, above all, is our sustenance for each day so that we never lose sight of our eternal destiny.” (John Paul II, Angelus, Solemnity of All Saints, Saturday, 1 November 2003)
Listening to the scripture today we hear first from St. John who writes from his tiny cell on the island of Patmos the Book of Revelations (or Apocalypse). He envisions all of those who have turned faithfully to the Lord and have washed themselves clean in the Blood of the Lamb. An obvious metaphor for Jesus, especially because the robes of those so washed were white, free of blemish.
Those who have gone before us have indeed pointed us on our way. I am reminded of parents who constantly point their children in the direction their experience tells them is best and how often that very good advice is shunned. We cannot afford to ignore the directions we are given, first by Jesus who tells us “Blessed are you when they insult you and persecute you and utter every kind of evil against you falsely because of me. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward will be great in heaven.”
Today as we recall all of those Saints who have gone before us in faith we ask ourselves, with all of these examples, what is the best way for me to follow? The answer to that question can only be found in the depths of prayer and the illumination of the path through the lives of all those varied and winding journeys taken by the Saints we remember today. From the Holy Innocents who died never having tasted life to the colored path taken by the likes of St. Augustine, the path we follow must be the one were Christ leads us.
The beatitudes make it clear – there are may paths but what is common is our need to listen to the word of God and follow where he leads, never giving up never becoming disheartened. At the end of our journey through this life to the next, what the Lord will look at with his intensely loving stare is what we have done for his greater glory with what he gave us. Let us pray we are not found lacking. Pax
[1] After Links to Readings Expire
[2] The picture today is Virgin in Glory with Saints by Giovanni Bellini, 1510-15
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