Apocalypse (Revelation) 7:2-4, 9-14

St John has an apocalyptic vision of all those who are redeemed. First, he sees 144,000 people of Jewish origin. The number is symbolic: 12 for the number of tribes, multiplied by 12 for completeness, multiplied by 1000 to emphasise the great number. After the redeemed of Israel, he also sees a huge number of people from every nation, giving praise to God in heaven, after dying as martyrs in a great persecution.

We belong to the universal church with Jewish roots but now made up of people from every nation on earth. The story of Pentecost already mentions more than a dozen nations from the Middle East and the Mediterranean area. In the 21st century, the church extends from northern Europe as far as the of New Zealand and the Zulus of South Africa. While every nation rightly cherishes its own characteristic traditions, we welcome people of every nation as brothers and sisters in Christ.

1 John 3:1-3

St John marvels that we have already become God’s children, and now we share the future hope of being eternally united with God in heaven, seeing him face to face (the Beatific Vision). But it is not enough to rest on our laurels. We are called to live holy lives, fitting for God’s children who aspire to be ready to see God in heaven.

Matthew 5:1-12

Sometimes homilists focus on great saints who did extraordinary things, like courageous martyrs, famous miracle workers, successful missionaries, or powerful preachers. But Matthew’s Beatitudes remind us today that holiness is found in simple everyday attitudes and behaviours.

The first four beatitudes describe the present reality of suffering humanity, awaiting God’s saving help. Indeed, the first beatitude speaks of the “poor in spirit,” perhaps referring to “spiritual beggars” who cry out to God from the depths of their distress. In meekly accepting poverty and need, in mourning and in hungering for justice, Christians take their place with other human beings in longing for God to intervene and bring deliverance.

The second four beatitudes describe an ethical pathway for those seeking to live justly on earth. Rather than responding to difficulties with a vengeful attitude, Jesus’ true disciples are merciful. Amid the world’s distractions and enticements, Jesus’ real disciples have “clean hands and a pure heart,” as today’s psalm says. Rather than encouraging conflict, Jesus’ authentic disciples seek to bring about a world of peace and justice for all. To do so may mean facing persecution and opposition, such as faced the martyrs mentioned in today’s first reading from the Apocalypse.

Being Jesus’ disciples does not exempt us from the struggles of human life. Instead, we are called to put our hope in God while striving to live ethical lives. As one example, we can think of all those caring devotedly for the sick in hospitals or the frail in homes for the elderly. Such people often work long hours with insufficient resources, aiming to provide the best care possible for those in need. So many of these care workers are examples of living the Beatitudes. But in fact, the Beatitudes are given as a call to each one of us.

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The post-communion prayer for the Mass of All Saints begins by reminding us of the intimate association of the many saints we venerate and the one God whom we adore:

As we adore you, O God, who alone are holy and wonderful in all your saints...

The one holy God, Father, Son and Spirit infinitely transcends his creation, yet, he is also present within every part of it, and especially in the hearts of those men and women whom he has made saints.

We venerate and do not adore them; nevertheless we adore within them the one who is the source of their sanctity.

What is this sanctity? What does it mean to be a saint? The post-communion prayer speaks of: coming to perfect holiness in the fullness of your love.

Being a saint is being holy, and being holy is being perfected in the love of God, having a will wholly united with the will of God, willing what he wills, embodying his will in all we think and say and do. This means living in the presence of God, being possessed by his very life.

Here is our universal vocation as Christians. Here is the great work which Grace strives to accomplish within us. And only this sanctity will enable  us, as the post-communion prayer says: to pass from this pilgrim table to the banquet of our heavenly homeland. The Eucharist is our pilgrim table here below, providing food for wayfarers in a passing world. But we look toward a heavenly banquet when the Eucharist has passed away with the form of this world. The substance alone, Christ himself, will remain, but then we shall see him clearly, not in a mirror dimly, but face to face.

BIDDING PRAYERS

Let us pray for all Christians, that we may be holy as our heavenly Father is holy, may be perfectly conformed to the pattern of his Son, be filled with his Spirit.

Let us pray for peace among the nations, that they may renounce hatred, violence and war, may seek the face of him who is our peace.

Let us pray for the faithful departed, that purged of all sin, they may take their place among all the saints and sing the new song to God and to the Lamb.

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The hymns suggested below have been chosen from the Celebration Hymnal for Everyone (CFE) and Laudate (L):

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At the Lamb's high feast (CFE58, L269)

Holy God we praise thy name (CFE257, L708)

Blest are the pure in heart (CFE88, L908)

All ye who seek a comfort sure (CFE31, L212)

For all the saints (CFE176, L371

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