Gospel & Reflection for Feast of All Saints.
Matthew 5:1-12
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;
this is how they persecuted the prophets before you.’
Reflection
Last evening, many were celebrating Halloween. 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 the eve of All-Saints. It recognized the goodness of those people gone before us and the beauty and kindness of their spirit, their souls. Their faithfulness and love in life, inspires us still even in their death. So, while the world celebrates everything dark and ghoulish on Halloween, ‘All-Hallows’ is for us ‘All-Saints’ – its the celebration of the light and goodness of the Church glorified in Heaven.
What inspires 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 of 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.
In our Gospel, Jesus gives us His blueprint to Sainthood. The Beatitudes paint a portrait of Christ: His poverty of life, forsaking everything for God; His gentleness, His mercy, His peace with all people; His hunger and thirst for the way of God to be acknowledged and followed; the ridicule He suffered for His truth and example; the persecution and suffering He went through for our sake.
But every saint, known and unknown, lived the Beatitudes in a courageous and faithful way. they made the Beatitudes their personal portrait of life and faith. The Beatitudes should be our portrait too for in them we find the path, the way of life that leads to Sainthood.
Let us walk that path together, in the name of God and for the good of all.
Fr. Richard