Solemnity of All Saints
Today’s Reflection
Gospel: Mt 5:1-12a
November 1, 2022 | Tuesday
When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up the mountain. He sat down and his disciples gathered around him. Then he spoke and began to teach them:
Fortunate are those who are poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Fortunate are those who mourn, they shall be comforted.
Fortunate are the gentle, they shall possess the land.
Fortunate are those who hunger and thirst for justice, for they shall be satisfied.
Fortunate are the merciful, for they shall find mercy.
Fortunate are those with a pure heart, for they shall see God.
Fortunate are those who work for peace, they shall be called children of God.
Fortunate are those who are persecuted for the cause of justice, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Fortunate are you, when people insult you and persecute you and speak all kinds of evil against you because you are my followers. Be glad and joyful, for a great reward is kept for you in God.
Today’s Reflection:
Saints were men and women of profound joy. Jesus speaks of the profundity of this joy in the Gospel Reading in which he describes those who are profoundly joyful as “blessed” (μακάριος). Mακάριος refers to a sort of joy that lingers and transcends all sorts of difficult situations. Included in those whom Jesus describes as “blessed” in the Gospel are the poor in spirit, the meek, the mournful, the persecuted, etc. That Jesus considers these persons in wretched conditions as profoundly joyful suggests that their joy can only come from God.
This joy indeed is God’s blessing, which is also offered to each of us. But it is not served to us in a silver platter. We have to work hard for it by responding favorably to God’s invitation to become his active partners in bringing about his Reign in the world. How? One of the many possibilities lies in putting the beatitudes into practice. After the Gospel passage, Jesus underscores that living out the beatitudes requires no less than becoming “the salt of the earth and the light of the world” (cf. Mt 5:13-14). Salt and light are known as catalysts or agents of change.
In other words, our active collaboration in the building up of God’s Kingdom requires us to be catalyst for change. It requires us to become actively involved in changing the world for the better. Let me illustrate what this specifically entails by discussing briefly a beatitude that calls us to become peacemakers (Mt 5:9a).
We may feel too helpless to put an end to unjust structures and regimes that have caused unrests and wars in many areas in the world. But we can become catalysts for peace by promoting positivity and joy in our immediate community or workplace. Examples of simple acts that promote positivity and joy include smiling sincerely at strangers, respecting those who disagree with us, and saying words of encouragement to those who are in difficult situations.
Once doing these and many other positivity- and joy-promoting acts will have become second nature to us, we shall find ourselves becoming profoundly joyful. We shall have become fully alive or profoundly joyful men and women who—according to Saint Irenaeus of Lyon (c. 130-202 CE)—are a manifestation of the glory of God. In other words, we shall have become living saints.
(by Fr. Lazaro N. Ervite, OSA) /Vulnerasti, 2022
