Gospel & Reflection for the Feast of All Saints 2025
Matthew 5:1-12a
Seeing the crowds, Jesus went up the hill. There he sat down and was joined by his disciples. Then he began to speak. This is what he taught them:
‘How happy are the poor in spirit; theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Happy the gentle: they shall have the earth for their heritage.
Happy those who mourn: they shall be comforted.
Happy those who hunger and thirst for what is right: they shall be satisfied.
Happy the merciful: they shall have mercy shown them.
Happy the pure in heart: they shall see God.
Happy the peacemakers: they shall be called sons of God.
Happy those who are persecuted in the cause of right: theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Happy are you when people abuse you and persecute you and speak all kinds of calumny against you on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward will be great in heaven.’
Reflection
Good morning, everyone and welcome, as we celebrate the beautiful feast of All Saints.
We have survived Halloween for another year! The universal celebration of Halloween, as you know, has its origin in our own Celtic tradition. Our ancestors celebrated ‘Samhain’ in pre-Christian times, and it marked the end of summer and the beginning of winter. It was also the commencement of their new year. But they believed that the space and time between their old year and new, created a crack in time which allowed spirits both good and bad to enter their world. Offerings were always given to these spirits to keep them benevolent rather than vindictive.
But with the advent of Christianity, this time of spirits running free, became known as the feast of All Hallows or All Saints. It recognised the great goodness of people gone before us and the beauty and kindness of their spirit, their souls. So, while the world celebrates everything dark and ghoulish on Halloween, All Hallows’ is for us ‘All Saints’, it’s the celebration of the light and goodness of the Church glorified in Heaven.
What should inspire us most about Saints, all those men, women and children of every time and age, is that none of them were born Saints, they became Saints. They were as human as you and I. Often, through the greatest challenges, personal and social, they shone brightly as examples of faith, hope and love. In their great example, they remind us that we too can follow them to Sainthood.
We must never forget, but we are all called to be saints. In our Gospel, Jesus gives us His blueprint to Sainthood. The Beatitudes firstly paint a portrait of Christ. They tell of Christ’s poverty of life, forsaking everything for God; of His gentleness, mercy, and peace with all people; His hunger and thirst for the ways of God to be acknowledged and followed; the ridicule He would suffer for His truth and good example; the persecution and suffering He would go through for our sake.
However, the Beatitudes should be our portrait too. In them we find the path to Sainthood. They remind us of our call to forsake everything for God. They tell us to be gentle, peaceful and loving. They challenge us to be enthusiastic about knowing and following the ways of God. They call us to be brave in the face of suffering and persecution.
Every Saint, known and unknown, strived and eventually succeeded in living the Beatitudes in a courageous and faithful way. This brought them to sainthood. We pray today for the courage to walk that same path.
Let us strive to be people of the Beatitudes, people of God, painting a portrait of holiness in all we say and do. This is what can bring any one of us to Sainthood.
Fr. Richard
