Words of Spirit and Life

Theme: THE SAINTS ARE SAINTS BECAUSE OF THE GRACE OF GOD

• Apocalypse/Revelation 7:2-4. 9-14;
• Psalm 23 (24): 1-6. R/ v. 6;
• 1 John 3:1-3
• Matthew 5:1-12

Today we celebrate All Saints Day and the first thing we must do is to thank God for our saints, known and unknown saints, because it was solely through God’s grace that our biggest sinners have become our greatest saints (e.g. Peter, Paul and Augustine)! More importantly, today we pray that through the grace of God we may also become saints! Saints with a small “s” and Saints with a big “S”!

The gospel today tells us that the poor in spirit are blessed; the kingdom of heaven belongs to them! This is the first and the most important beatitude. It underlies all the other beatitudes! (Faley) The poor in spirit are not only the materially poor, nor even the spiritually poor (sinners), but they are those who trust and depend on God for their salvation! (CSB) Thus we read in the gospel today: “How happy are the poor in spirit; theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” (Mt 5:3)

Again, the saints are saints today because they trusted and depended on God! It was the grace of God that made them saints!

The first reading tells us that in heaven, thanks, glory, praise, worship and honor are given to God and to the lamb, Jesus Christ, and not to the saints; because the saints were washed clean by the blood of the lamb, Jesus Christ! Thus we read in the first reading:

“They cried out in a loud voice: ‘Salvation comes from our God, who is seated on the throne, and from the Lamb.’ All the angels stood around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures. They prostrated themselves before the throne, worshiped God, and exclaimed: ‘Amen. Blessing and glory, wisdom and thanksgiving, honor, power and might be to our God forever and ever. Amen.’ (Rv 7:10-12/CSB)

“He said to me: ‘These are the ones who have survived the time of great distress; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.” (Rv 7:14/CSB)

The second reading tells us that we are already the children of God because of Baptism, but what we will be has not yet been revealed. But what we know is that we will be like him, that is, Jesus Christ (HCSB), for we shall see him as he really is! (NJBC) In the meantime we are to purify ourselves and be as pure as Jesus Christ. We purify ourselves from sin and be as pure as Jesus Christ with the grace of Jesus Christ!

Thus we read in the second reading: “My dear people, we are already the children of God but what we are to be in the future has not yet been revealed; all we know is, that when it is revealed we shall be like him because we shall see him as he really is. Surely everyone who entertains this hope must purify himself, must try to be as pure as Christ.” (1 Jn 3:2-3)

Again, today is All Saints Day. Today we thank God for all our saints, known and unknown, because it was God’s grace that made them sinners into saints! More importantly, today we pray that through the grace of God we may also become saints, saints with a small “s” and Saints with a big “S”! Amen!