November 1, 2026
What does it mean to be blessed?
GOSPEL
Matthew 5:1-12a
When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up the mountain, and after he had sat down, his disciples came to him. He began to teach them, saying:
"Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are they who mourn, for they will be comforted.
Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the land.
Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be satisfied.
Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.
Blessed are the clean of heart, for they will see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.
Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are you when they insult you and persecute you and utter every kind of evil against you falsely because of me.
Rejoice and be glad, for your reward will be great in heaven."
REFLECTIONS ON THE GOSPEL
First Impressions by Jude Siciliano, OP
I am a college sophomore attending Mass on the feast of All Saints at our University chapel. I hear the assigned Scriptures for the day and I am puzzled. I wish I could say my confusion was about a profound theological issue. But I’m 19 years old, not the age when I, or my classmates, pondered serious spiritual, or theological questions. After hearing the reading from the Book of Revelations I’m confused by the response to the question put by the elder about the identity of the innumerable people dressed in white robes: “from every nation, race, people and tongue.” The elder answers his own question: “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.” There is the source of my question: how can you wash robes in blood and have them come out white? It was not until years later that I decided to satisfy the quandary the reading raised in my sophomore mind. Revelation presents us with several visions of the heavenly court. Earlier (chapter 4) it gave a vision of God sitting on a throne, surrounded by 24 elders. They are beholding the image of the slain Lamb of God, who has “power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing” (5:12). In today’s reading a vast number of people have joined the audience, “From every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages” (v. 9). It is a white-robed throng holding palm branches. Their white robes are given them because they were martyred. Their palm branches are celebratory, signs of a feast. They are innumerable and the language that identifies them is apocalyptic, “These are the ones who survived the time of great distress.” That is how their robes were washed in the blood of the Lamb. They were martyred during the great persecutions for their faith in the Lamb of God. Now these “witnesses” (that’s what “martyrs” means) are saved from pain, hunger, thirst and persecution. Are they the people Jesus describes in the Beatitudes who, despite present afflictions for their faith in him, “will be comforted… will inherit the earth...will be satisfied, etc.”? Originally, All Saints Day celebrated those who had died as martyrs in persecutions. In the early church, and some churches today, “saints” was the name for Christians (Cor. 1:2; 14:33). Today we remember, celebrate, and assure one another, “See what God can do among ordinary people! Just as they are saints, so shall we be.” Correction – “So are we now! Praise God!” If we are in church today (or, possibly live streaming) what will we see? Of course, the Book of the Scriptures catches our attention during the first part of the Mass. After hearing God’s Word, we turn to the altar and the bread and wine we will offer for consecration. But, as our eyes turn towards the altar, perhaps our gaze will fall on the images of the saints that surround us in statutes, paintings and mosaics on the walls. There they are, those Beatitude people described in today’s gospel: once poor in spirit, mourning, lowly, justice-seekers, persecuted, martyred for their faith, merciful, peacemakers – God’s children whose lives reflected the animating and faith-sustaining presence of the Spirit. After such reminders of God’s great works in the lives of the saints, we have reason to give thanks. The presider will introduce the Eucharistic Prayer, “Let us give thanks to the Lord, our God.” And we will respond, “It is right and just.” True enough, but there is more to include in our thanks, more saints, not from the past. but those who are among us now. Who are they? How do their lives reflect the holiness of God? Thank you God for their witness to your presence among us, doing what you have done through your Son and his saints through the ages. On my desk I have a reminder of God’s active and inclusive Spirit. It is Robert Ellsberg’s book, “All Saints” (New York: Crossroad, 1998). Ellsberg includes biographical sketches of those named saints by the Catholic Church. He also includes Christians from other denominations, as well as Muslims, Jews and even those without membership in any faith tradition. It is what the Book of Revelation reminds us today: “After this I had a vision of a great multitude, which no one could count, from every nation, race, people and tongue.” The feast of All Saints is a feast of the Holy Spirit. The second person of the Trinity took flesh to save us. The third person, the Holy Spirit, is God acting among us, bringing God’s plan for us humans to fulfillment. The Spirit works in many ways, but one sign of the Spirit’s presence is the creation of a community of life. The Spirit is God’s communication of grace, pouring the life of God into us limited humans, who often go astray, forming us into a people who are enabled to walk in God’s ways. As the visionary of the Book of Revelation tells us today: “After this I had a vision of a great multitude which no one could count, from every nation, race, people and tongue.” The Spirit links all humans through the universal love of God. How do saints come about? Through the limitless work of the Spirit. Where and when does this happen? In every land and every age. Through the Spirit we are, even now, being united to God and connected to one another. I like the tradition in some churches and denominations that begins prayer by greeting the gathered community with, “Good morning saints!” And isn’t that what we celebrate today, the Spirit’s ongoing work of grace that forms us into a holy community, a community of saints?
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Quotable
“A Church that sets no limits to love, that knows no enemies to fight but only men and women to love, is the Church that the world needs today.” —Pope Leo XIV
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Justice Bulletin Board by Barbara Molinari Quinby, MPS, Director Office of Human Life, Dignity, and Justice Ministries Holy Name of Jesus Cathedral, Raleigh, NC
Beloved: See what love the Father has bestowed on us that we may be called the children of God. —1 John 3:1
All Saints’ Day is an opportunity to reflect on what it means to live as children of God. And what better way than to look at the lives of saints through the lens of some themes of Catholic social teaching. The following quotes come from the book, Saints and Social Justice: A Guide to Changing the World by Brandon Vogt (Our Sunday Visitor, 2013).
LIFE AND DIGNITY OF THE HUMAN PERSON--St. Peter Claver--Born in Spain in 1580, he would spend his life in Columbia serving African slaves. Yearly, ten thousand Africans arrived despite Popes Paul III and Urban VIII condemning slavery. Peter “sensed that while he couldn’t suppress this great injustice, he could at least alleviate the suffering by promoting the dignity of the slaves” (30).
OPTION FOR THE POOR AND VULNERABLE--Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati--“Applying his gifts as a layperson, Pier Giorgio knew that followers of Jesus “should always prefer the needs, concerns, and desires of the poor and vulnerable above their own” (79).
DIGNITY OF WORK AND RIGHTS OF WORKERS--Servant of God Dorothy Day--She and Peter Maurin launched The Catholic Worker in 1933.”The paper aimed to put Catholic social teaching in ordinary terms and to promote the transformation of society--especially the sphere of work. . . It called readers to make a personal response” (111).
SOLIDARITY--St. John Paul II--The term “solidarity” was birthed when the Pope visited Poland in 1979 and flowered with a national labor union of the same name. “The group [80% of Poland’s workforce] never resorted to violence, but through strikes and protests, they opposed the Soviet Regime. A deep spirituality fueled the Solidarity movement. . .and [the Pope] regularly sent financial aid and spiritual materials. . .writing strong letters. . .” (120-121).
CARE FOR CREATION--St. Giles--Orphaned at an early age, he gave away his inherited wealth and aimed to become a hermit in the woods. This man of the mid-seventh century “shunned the unnecessary domination of animals. . .saw the land as a gift from God meant to be shared and cultivated rather than property to be owned, exploited . . .” (137).
Child of God, how are you living and loving?
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Faith Book
Mini reflections on the Sunday scripture readings designed for people on the run. “Faith Book” is also brief enough to be posted in the Sunday parish bulletins people take home.
From today’s Book of Revelation reading: “After this I had a vision of a great multitude, which no one could count, from every nation, race, people and tongue. They stood before the throne and before the Lamb, wearing white robes and holding palm branches in their hands.”
Reflection: There are saints, not from the past, but those who are among us now. Who are they? How do their lives reflect the holiness of God? Thank you God for their witness to your presence among us, doing what you have done through your Son and his saints through the ages.
So, we ask ourselves:
Who are the everyday saints we know and meet in our lives?
What about their lives displays the living presence of God to us?
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You’re Blessed
This insight titled “God Wills Our Happiness” is found in The Message Devotional Bible, a special edition released in 2018.
In Matthew 5, Jesus is training us to live not in reaction to our sin and guilt, not in response to people stronger than we are, not in desperation by any means at hand, not to survive in a sea of cynicism and malice, and certainly not to live egocentrically with the self as center and master. He is training our minds and emotions to live in response to the realities inherent in the kingdom of God: to live by faith and love. When Jesus came and began teaching his generation what is involved in a world ruled by God (not by a king or emperor or general), he picked up the great word blessed—“happy, fortunate.” God wills our happiness. He blesses. There is no question about that. Read along as publisher Don Pape and members of the NavPress team share the Scripture.
When Jesus saw his ministry drawing huge crowds, he climbed a hillside. Those who were apprenticed to him, the committed, climbed with him. Arriving at a quiet place, he sat down and taught his climbing companions. This is what he said:
“You’re blessed when you’re at the end of your rope. With less of you there is more of God and his rule.
“You’re blessed when you feel you’ve lost what is most dear to you. Only then can you be embraced by the One most dear to you.
“You’re blessed when you’re content with just who you are—no more, no less. That’s the moment you find yourselves proud owners of everything that can’t be bought.
“You’re blessed when you’ve worked up a good appetite for God. He’s food and drink in the best meal you’ll ever eat.
“You’re blessed when you care. At the moment of being ‘care-full,’ you find yourselves cared for.
“You’re blessed when you get your inside world—your mind and heart—put right. Then you can see God in the outside world.
“You’re blessed when you can show people how to cooperate instead of compete or fight. That’s when you discover who you really are, and your place in God’s family.
“You’re blessed when your commitment to God provokes persecution. The persecution drives you even deeper into God’s kingdom.
“Not only that—count yourselves blessed every time people put you down or throw you out or speak lies about you to discredit me. What it means is that the truth is too close for comfort and they are uncomfortable. You can be glad when that happens—give a cheer, even!—for though they don’t like it, I do! And all heaven applauds. And know that you are in good company. My prophets and witnesses have always gotten into this kind of trouble.
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All Saints
Commentary from Living Space, a service of the Irish Jesuits on Revelation 7:2-4,9-14; 1 John 3:1-3; Matthew 5:1-12
The Solemn Blessing prayed during the Mass for today’s Feast of All Saints is: God’s holy Church rejoices that her children are one with the saints in lasting peace. As we come to the end of the Church year we celebrate this great feast of All Saints. It is important to emphasise from the beginning what we mean here by ‘saints’. Normally we apply the word to people of extraordinary holiness who have been canonised or beatified by the Church. Among them, each one has their favourites: St Francis of Assisi, St Therese of Lisieux, St Anthony, St Joseph, St Jude and so on. But today’s feast uses the word ‘saints’ in a much wider sense. It refers to all those baptised Christians who have died and are now with God in glory. It also certainly includes all non-Christians who lived a good life sincerely in accordance with the convictions of their conscience. While we do not know how many people we are talking about, we know it is a very large number. Putting it another way, there is no way we can decide which people have made an irrevocable choice of rejecting what is true and good and have chosen to be alienated from God forever. But hopefully, their number is much smaller. There is a third group which we will remember tomorrow, and they are those who have died, but still need a process of purification before they can come face to face with the all-holy God. The Gospel chosen for today’s feast is interesting. It gives us what we know as the Eight Beatitudes from the beginning of the Sermon on the Mount. It is, in fact, a charter for holiness. When many people think of holiness, they think of keeping the Ten Commandments and perhaps some other requirements of the Church like going to Mass on Sundays or fasting during Lent. What we often tend to forget is that the Ten Commandments really belong to the Old Testament and are part of the Jewish law. Of course, they are still valid and Jesus said clearly: Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have come not to abolish but to fulfill. (Matt 5:17) We might say that the Beatitudes are an example of that fulfilling. The Beatitudes go far beyond the Ten Commandments in what they expect of a follower of Christ, and yet the sad thing is that one hears of relatively few Christians saying that they base their lives on the Beatitudes. When we go to confession it is the Ten Commandments we normally refer to and not the Beatitudes. And this is sad, because it is clear from their position in Matthew’s Gospel that the Beatitudes have a central place. They are a kind of mission statement saying what kind of person the good Christian will be. Let us look at them briefly, but first we need to clarify a few of the terms used. The word ‘blessed’ is sometimes translated ‘happy’. It might be more accurate to translate it as ‘fortunate’. In other words, people who have these qualities are really in an envious position. All of these beatitudes are indications that we belong to the ‘Kingdom of Heaven’. This is to be understood not as a place, still less as referring to life after death. It rather describes the kind of society that exists when we live according to these values—a place of truth and love, of compassion and justice, of peace, freedom and sharing. The general message is that those are really blessed when they know their dependence on God and on their sisters and brothers—when they commit themselves totally to the Way that Christ invites them to follow. The Gospel says that particularly blessed are:
Those who are poor in spirit: They are those who are aware of their basic poverty and fragility and of how much they need the help and support of God as opposed to those who foolishly claim independence and full control of their lives.
Those who are meek: These are the people who reach out to others in care and compassion and tenderness, who constantly are aware of the needs of others.
Those who mourn: Those who are in grief or sorrow for whatever reason will be assured of comfort from the loving community in Christ they have entered.
Those who hunger and thirst for righteousness: Whatever the price, these people will work that everyone will be given what is their due to live a life of dignity and self-respect. The price they may have to pay could be high, very high, even life itself.
Those who are merciful: They are the ones who extend compassion and forgiveness to all around them.
Those who are pure in heart: This does not refer to sexual purity, but rather to a simplicity and total absence of duplicity, prejudice or bias. Not surprisingly, they are described as being able to see God. For such people, God’s presence is all too obvious in every person and experience.
Those who are peacemakers: This is perhaps one of the most beautiful of the Beatitudes. These are people who help to break down the many barriers which divide people—whether it is class, occupation, race, religion, gender or anything that creates conflict between individuals or groups. Not surprisingly, these people are called “children of God”. God sent Jesus among us precisely to break down the barriers between God and his people and between people themselves.
Those who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness: Persecution of itself is not a pleasant experience, and may result in loss of life. But blessed indeed are those who have the strength and courage to put the values of truth and love and justice for all above their own survival. Among the saints we most honour today are the martyrs, those who gave their lives in the defence of truth, love and justice.
This is the kind of Christian we are all called to be. It is these qualities which made the saints and which will make saints of us too. They go far beyond what is required by the Ten Commandments. If taken literally, the Commandments can be kept and not with great difficulty. Many of them are expressed in the negative, “You shall not…” So we can observe them by doing nothing at all! “I have not killed anyone… I have not committed adultery… I have not stolen…” Does that make me a saint? Being a Christian is a lot more than not doing things which are wrong. The Beatitudes are expressed in positive terms. They also express not just actions, but attitudes. In a way, they can never be fully observed. No matter how well I try to observe them, I can always go further. They leave no room for smugness, the kind of smugness the Pharisees had in keeping the Law. The Beatitudes are a true and reliable recipe for sainthood. The Second Reading reminds us today: See what love the Father has given us, that we should be called children of God, and that is what we are. Saints are not self-made people. They are people who have responded generously to the love of God showered on them. And the completion of that love is to be invited to share life with God forever in the life to come. The Second Reading also says:…what we will be has not yet been revealed. We do not know, and have no way of knowing, what that future existence will be like, and it does not help very much to speculate. In fact, some of the conventional images of heaven are not terribly exciting! Kneeling on clouds and playing harps for eternity—partly derived from a too literal reading of the book of Revelation—is not exactly a turn-on! It is better to go along with St Paul who says that life face to face with God is something totally beyond our comprehension. Let us rather concentrate on the life we are leading now and let it be a good preparation for that future time. Indeed, the First Reading from the book of Revelation presents an apocalyptic vision of those who have died in Christ. They are numbered at 144,000—a number taken literally by some Christian sects. However, the number is clearly symbolical. It consists of the sacred number 12, squared and multiplied by another complete number, 1,000. It simply represents the total of all those who have died faithful to Christ their Lord. They represent “every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages”, for access to Christ is open to all. They are dressed in white robes with palms in their hands. They are the robes of goodness and integrity. The palms of victory are a reference to the joyful Jewish feast of Tabernacles, for these are the ones invited to live in God’s tent or tabernacle. Together with them are the angels, the 24 elders (perhaps representing the 12 patriarchs and the 12 Apostles) and the four living creatures (a very high rank of angels), all prostrate in adoration before the glory of God. The song they sing has been magnificently set to music by Handel in his “Messiah”. Praise, glory, wisdom, thanks, honour, power and strength are seven attributes of perfect praise. And who are these people in white robes? These are they who have come out of the great ordeal…In other words, they are those who have been through persecution, particularly the persecution of Nero, which occurred about the time this book was written. And, paradoxically:…they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. It is the blood of Jesus Christ which brings salvation, but only to those who have united with him in sharing its effects. Many of them, of course, are martyrs and they have mingled their own blood with that of Jesus. It is a picture of total victory, and the end of all the pains and sorrows they endured in this life. It is not a newspaper reporter’s description of heaven! Today’s feast is first of all an occasion for great thanksgiving. It is altogether reasonable to think that many of our family, relatives and friends who have gone before us are being celebrated today. We look forward to the day when we, too, can be with them experiencing the same total happiness when:
They will hunger no more and thirst no more;
the sun will not strike them,
nor any scorching heat,
for the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd,
and he will guide them to springs of the water of life,
and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.
(Rev 7:16-17)
Today is a day also for us to pray to them—both the canonised and the uncanonised—and ask them to pray on our behalf that we may live our lives in faithfulness so that we, too, may experience the same reward.
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ENCOUNTER CHRIST REFLECTIONS AND MEDITATIONS
Preparation for the Session
Adapted from Sacred Space: The Prayer Book 2025
Presence of God: Jesus, As I come to you today, fill my heart, my whole being, with the wonder of your sacred presence. Help me to become more aware of your presence in my life, and more receptive to that presence. I desire to love you as you love me. May nothing ever separate me from you. (1-2 minutes of silence)
Freedom: Jesus, Grant me the grace to have freedom of spirit. Keep me from being bound by desires and actions that are not good for me or others. Cleanse my heart and soul that I may live joyously in your love. (1-2 minutes of silence)
Consciousness: Where am I with God? With others in my life? What am I grateful for? Is there something I am sorry for, words or actions that have hurt others, and which I now regret? I take a moment to ask forgiveness of God and of those whom I have hurt. God, I give you thanks for your constant love and care for me. Keep me always aware of your presence in my life. (2-3 minutes of silence)
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Opening Prayer
(adapted from Unfolding Light, by Steve Garnaas-Holmes courtesy of Lourdes Alonso)
Rejoice in the Lord always… I shall say it again: rejoice! Your kindness should be known to all… The Lord is near. Have no anxiety at all, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, make your requests known to God. Then the peace of God that surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus
For the empty seat, we hold silence. Love, have mercy.
For the two hundred thousand, we weep. Love, have mercy.
For the homes incinerated, we mourn. Love, have mercy.
For the rule of law, we lament. Love, have mercy.
For kindness and nonviolence, we pray. Love, have mercy.
For those who stand and speak on behalf of those who cannot, we pray. Love, have mercy.
For those who act out of a pure heart and soul, we pray. Love, have mercy.
For faith in one another, we pray. Love, have mercy.
For justice that dismantles oppression, hope that overcomes despair, for faith that overpowers dread, for love that defeats fear, for joy that will not be taken from us, we pray. Love, have mercy.
For what else shall we pray?
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be… world without end. Amen.
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Companions for the Journey by Jean Shively, Lecturer in New Testament Studies, St Andrews, Scotland
Context
The beatitudes introduce the Sermon on the Mount, a collection of Jesus' teachings. Matthew places the Sermon at the beginning of Jesus' public ministry, emphasizing that Jesus is the authoritative teacher of God's people. Jesus breaks into the public arena proclaiming, "repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near" (Matthew 4:17). He calls his first disciples from the task of fishing for fish to the task of fishing for people (verses 18-22).
Then, he shows the disciples just what this new kind of fishing looks like by preaching the good news of the kingdom of heaven to people and manifesting its power by healing every kind of disease and affliction (verses 23-25). The presence of this kingdom of heaven liberates. Then, Jesus climbs a mountain with the crowd he has so excited and sits down in the posture of a teacher encircled by his newly-called disciples. They are the primary targets of his instruction in the principles of life in the kingdom of heaven.
Content
A key principle of embracing this life is "blessedness." This is a refrain that runs throughout verses 5-10: those are blessed who are poor in spirit, who mourn, who are meek, who hunger and thirst for righteousness, who are persecuted. The word "blessed" does not mean "holy," and neither does it mean "happy" in the sense of being in a good mood. Rather, the word, "blessed" refers to a fortunate state of life. Jesus is saying that those who are poor in spirit are fortunate! It may surprise us that he speaks these words about those whose present circumstances seem so unfortunate. Jesus can speak such words because he is revealing a kingdom perspective. The first and the last of the nine beatitudes extend his proclamation of the good news by applying the presence of the kingdom of heaven to the poor and persecuted (verses 3, 10). These beatitudes act like bookends for the rest of them, indicating that the kingdom of heaven is the controlling concept of the section. It is so because those who possess the kingdom are "blessed." "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven" (verse 3). "Blessed are those who are persecuted... for theirs is the kingdom of heaven (verse 10). The verbs in these two verses are in the present tense: "theirs is the kingdom of heaven." The kingdom that Jesus proclaims infiltrates the present condition of the unfortunate and transforms it. Jesus had begun his public ministry announcing that the kingdom of heaven has come near. Later, when Jesus sends his disciples out to preach and heal, he tells them to make the same announcement as they go (10:1, 5-8). The kingdom of heaven breaks into the world with the words and work of Jesus. The present conditions of the unfortunate are variations on the same theme. The language of each beatitude reflects Old Testament language: Those who are poor in spirit, who mourn, who are meek, and who hunger and thirst for righteousness suffer because of their faithfulness to God, and they trust in God to vindicate them (Isaiah 61:1-2; Psalm 24:3-4; Psalm 37, especially verse 11; 42:1-2). While those who oppress God's people may be fortunate for a moment, they who trust the Lord will be fortunate forever. Jesus calls those who would be his followers to the same radical commitment and hope. After listing the beatitudes, Jesus says, "Blessed are you when people revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account" (verse 12). The kingdom of heaven belongs to those who suffer because of their faithfulness to Jesus. But Jesus is also calling them to follow his own way, since he himself will suffer for his faithfulness to God, trusting that God will vindicate him. While Jesus affirms the present experience of the kingdom of heaven in verses 3 and 10, he promises future vindication for the unfortunate in verses 4-9. While the verbs in the second half of the beatitudes in verses 3 and 10 are in the present tense, the verbs in the second half of the beatitudes verses 4-9 are in the future tense. The promise of future vindication does not mean, however, that the focus is entirely future. Jesus insists that God has the final word, bringing assurance into the present. This is why he can say, "Blessed are those who mourn...blessed are the meek...blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness...blessed are the merciful...blessed are the pure in heart...blessed are the peacemakers." Jesus gives his followers eyes to see that the future is certain and this transforms the present.
Claim
Jesus calls us to join a radical kingdom. He gives us a radical vision to match, that the kingdom of heaven infiltrates our present. We can continue fishing for people, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom at great cost to ourselves, fighting oppressive powers in Jesus' name. We can suffer for the sake of Jesus and the gospel, with the assurance that God has the last word. When we see people receiving the word of God, and finding healing and freedom in Jesus' name we can announce, "the kingdom of heaven has drawn near."
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Living the Good News
What action can you take in the next week as a response to today's reading and discussion? Keep a private journal of your prayer/actions responses this week. Feel free to use the personal reflection questions which follow.
Reflection Questions:
What do you think the word “blessed” means?
Are you “blessed”?
What does it mean to be poor in spirit? What is its opposite?
If I am poor in spirit, what will my focus be on?
If I am poor in spirit, what will be my attitude toward God?
What is the kingdom of heaven, if it is not heaven itself?
The Greek word for mourning can mean both sadness cause by conditions of one’s life, but it can also mean an inner agony—an attitude-- that can lead to repentance… Which do you think Matthew is referring to here?
What are some things that hinder us from mourning?
What/who comforts us? In what way?
How does the world define meekness?
How does Matthew seem to define meekness?
How was Moses meek?
How was Jesus meek?
What am I hungering for?
What are some biblical examples of hungering and thirsting for righteousness?
How will it characterize my life if I hunger and thirst for righteousness?
How do I get there?
What is mercy?
What does a merciful person look/act like?
What are some biblical examples of mercy?
If we realize that “heart” in scripture really refers to our thinking, what does it mean to be pure of heart?
Where do ostentatious practices of religiosity/piety fit into this beatitude?
What groups or individuals were persecuted in Matthew’s time?
What groups, religious or otherwise, are persecuted today?
If I am persecuted, what might be my usual response?
What would be a proper response?
What people are insulted today?
Have I ever, wittingly or unwittingly, insulted a person?
Is it sometimes easier to insult and denigrate groups of people who do not share the same political or religious values as I do—especially if this is done from afar?
There is an argument from some quarters that the beatitudes enable a victim mentality… Do I agree?
The Irish Jesuits, in” Sacred Space” wrote that the beatitudes are not a set of regulations, but a blueprint for personal or spiritual happiness… Do I agree or disagree?
Which beatitude irritates me? Comforts me? Challenges me?
Do I know of anyone who embodies one of these beatitudes?
Which of the “be-attitiudes” telll me of the kind of person I ought to be?
Who are the ordinary saints we meet in our everyday lIves?
Do I consider myself a saint? (In the early Church, all Christians were sometimes referred to as “the saints”)
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Closing Prayer
From Thomas Merton:
Teach me to go to this country beyond words and beyond names.
Teach me to pray on this side of the frontier, here where these woods are.
I need to be led by you.
I need my heart to be moved by you.
I need my soul to be made clean by your prayer. I need my will to be made strong by you.
I need the world to be saved and changed by you.
I need you for all those who suffer, who are in prison, in danger, in sorrow.
I need you for all the crazy people.
I need your healing hand to work always in my life.
I need you to make me, as you made your Son, a healer, a comforter, a savior.
I need you to name the dead.
I need you to help the dying cross their particular rivers.
I need you for myself whether I live or die.
It is necessary.
Amen
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For the Week Ahead
Weekly Memorization
Taken from the gospel for today's session:
Rejoice and be glad, for your reward will be great in heaven.
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Meditations
A Meditation in the Dominican Style/Asking Questions:
What would be the beatitudes for the real world people live in everyday?
Blessed are the rich and famous, for they shall have what they want.
Blessed are the powerful, for their wills will be done.
Blessed are the strong and young for they shall draw a lot of attention to themselves.
Blessed are the white and well educated for they shall own the earth.
Blessed are Americans for they shall have the earth’s riches at their beck and call.
These beatitudes, or something like them, seem to reflect the way our world is run. They are what a lot of people in world value and would call “blessings.” They may make us wince, but haven’t we been encouraged to live by them, in one way or another, since we were young? Their values were passed on to us by our parents, in school, through advertising—all the sights and sounds we see on TV ads present these worldly beatitudes by showing us the successful, young and powerful who seem to lack for nothing. Which of the world’s beatitudes is a particular temptation for you? How do you deal with it? Which of Jesus’ beatitudes do you find the most comforting? Why? Which do you find the most annoying? Why? Which beatitude do you have the most difficulty living out? Why? Imagine Jesus saying these beatitudes to you directly and looking straight into your heart. Pray for the openness to hear what He says to you.
A Meditation in the Dominican Style/Asking Questions:
The first thing Jesus does here is issue a series of statements, that are very short and repetitive, like a litany or a poem; they each start with the Greek word makarioi, which means blessed or happy or fortunate. For us, because “blessed” has become church language, it might help to substitute the more familiar word “fortunate” and see how it makes us feel. That might help us get closer to the counter-intuitive feel of these statements. Recite the beatitudes, using the word “fortunate” instead of “blessed”. How difficult do you find these statements?
A Meditation in the Ignatian Style/Imagination:
(From Songs of Life: Psalm Meditations from the Catholic Community at Stanford, by Ann Marchand Greenfield) In considering the first beatitude (blessed are the poor in spirit—Isaiah 61:1-3), I need to understand that poverty of spirit means that I am utterly dependent upon God’s grace… this leads to humility and repentance. I read the parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector (Luke 18:9-14). I place myself in the events of this little story. What does the temple look like? Where is each man standing? What is the posture and manner of the Pharisee? How about that of the tax collector? With whom do I identify more: the man who did what he was supposed to, prayed regularly, gave to the poor, and was an honest, good person; or the tax collector, who preyed on the weak and the helpless, extorting monies from them they could little afford and raking off a profit for himself? When we try to be good people, is it hard not to be a little smug at times? I try to put myself in each man’s shoes. First I look at the part of me that loves and honors God and tries to be a good person. Do I unconsciously measure my goodness against that of others around me? Isn’t that a natural thing to do? Now I look at the part of me, like the tax collector, that has done some things for my own advancement that I am not too proud of—a sleazy little lie here, a little shameless flattery there, perhaps a little character assassination to top it off. Which side do I emphasize when I pray? I speak to Jesus about both sides of my nature, and pray for the understanding to know when I have been wrong, for humility which does not allow for personal pride in my own goodness and for the wisdom to know that both the understanding and the humility are gifts of God.
A Meditation in the Franciscan Style/Action:
It must be noted that included in Jesus’ blessings are those who have been victimized by society. Make no mistake here: He is not telling his disciples to become victims. Some may interpret the passage in that way. As we shall see, those who are victimized—struck on the cheek, have a shirt taken, forced to go a mile (5: 39- 41)—are not to be victims. Instead, they are to take the initiative and choose to turn the cheek; give not only the shirt but the cloak as well; go the extra mile. You may be victims to brute force, Jesus seems to be saying, but you don’t have to think like victims. Those who hear the blessings at the beginning of the Sermon on the Mount know with certainty of the ultimate victory of God’s reign and so receive the blessings and assurance they convey. Beatitude people do not have to serve power, scheme or join the many ways the world has of taking care of itself. That having been said, stop and reflect on any situations in which you have been complicit in the ways the anawim (the poor, the lost, the forsaken) are ignored or taken advantage of in this society of ours or in the world in general. For Jesus is not telling people to seek to be poor, grieving, mocked and persecuted, and he is not giving us license to ignore social injustice because, after all Jesus calls those anawim “blessed”… So, what is one small thing you can do to alleviate the situation of someone who is hated, bullied, imprisoned because of poverty, mourning the loss of a loved one or the loss of justice for a loved one, in pain, mentally ill, discriminated against because of religion, skin color or sexual orientation?
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Poetic Reflections
This poem is from a book called Dimestore Saints: Sonnets from the Gospel of St. Matthew by David Craig. David Craig was a professor of literature and creative writing at the Franciscan University of Steubenville for more than 30 years. Note: A poustinik (see line 7) is someone who is an anchorite or a hermit, who is called by God to live a life of fasting, prayer, and solitude while remaining radially available to serve their local community.
For Father Pelton, Madonna House Spiritual Director
The poor in Spirit don’t own their shirt, or their back.
They love downtown, might have a little dog.
Their music comes from a plastic radio, a stack
Of LP’s. They eat in soup kitchens—adjust in fog.
No one knows if they’re guests or community workers.
Blessed are those who mourn, What else can they do?
They are poustinikis (or Communists). Or shirkers,
Though how they’re perceived only matters in Saturday’s pew.
Blessed are the meek. They alone will stock the earth.
They’ll play cards by the old kitchen word-burning stove.
(Maybe you’ve seen them on some other turf.
They move through lots of places. They were meant to rove.)
Jesus, maker of ways, complete what you start.
I waste in shallow sins, a satisfied heart.
Read the following poem by Robert Browning Hamilton… what does it tell us about our own growth and development as a human being and as a follower of Christ?
I walked a mile with Pleasure;
She chattered all the way,
But left me none the wiser
For all she had to say.
I walked a mile with Sorrow
And ne’er a word said she;
But oh, the things I learned from her
When Sorrow walked with me!
