The Feast of All Saints
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'Beloved …’
QR Code for Readings at Mass
By scanning this with your phone, you will be able to access each of the Mass Readings for today.
Today’s feast day is a commemoration of all those women and men whose lives were centred on the Gospel. Their example can inspire us to live like them, rooted always in God’s love.
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The First Reading describes part of St John’s vision of a heavenly realm, where people from every age, nation, tribe and culture are united as one in constant joyful praise of God.
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The Psalmist sings of a world full of the presence of God. He encourages us to seek the Lord so that we receive God’s abundant blessings.
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Our Second Reading is a joyful, encouraging letter of love to the early Christian Church. They (and us now) are addressed as ‘Beloved’. We are reminded of our true nature as God’s children. The writer counsels that the ‘world’ may not recognise this, but this is indeed our reality. This is our faith, and we are called to transform the world by leading lives centred on Gospel values, as did all the saints that we celebrate today.
The Gospel is Matthew’s version of the Beatitudes. Jesus teaches powerful, courageous – and possibly costly – Gospel values. If we choose to live by them, we can begin to realise the kingdom of God on earth.
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On this feast, we can take encouragement from knowing that we belong to an eternal community of saints. With them, let us pray as Pilgrims of Hope for all those who are persecuted for expressing their faith in the Gospel.
'Celebration' (c) John August Swanson
A moment to reflect....
Beloved; see what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God.
First Reading
Come to me, all who labour and are heavy laden, says the Lord, and I will give you rest. Gospel Acclamation
Blessed are the poor in spirit: theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Gospel
Further Reflection
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The Solemnity of All Saints
Today’s solemnity began in the fifth century as a feast for all known and unknown martyrs, though its focus was later extended to all the saints.
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Many Christians take opportunity on this day to remember people of inspirational faith and life-giving witness, including those dear to them, believing they are in heaven among the ‘unknown’ saints.
The Mass readings similarly emphasise the presence of holy men and women in the Church, seeing them as examples of faithful and joy-filled service for us to emulate. In the words of Pope John Paul II, today’s feast ‘invites us to turn our gaze to the immense multitude of those who have already reached the blessed land, and points us on the path that will lead us to that destination’. (All Saints Day, 2003)
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​Gospel Matthew 5: 1–12
​The Sermon on the Mount is the first of the five discourses that form a central part of Matthew’s Gospel. The beginning of the Sermon – which we know as ‘The Beatitudes’ –summarises the values of the Kingdom. Matthew here modifies the first, fourth and ninth Beatitudes included in Luke’s ‘Sermon on the Plain’, though the rest are thought to be his own composition.
Jesus sits down to teach This is a significant detail. When a Jewish Rabbi was teaching officially, he sat down. Equally, when Matthew uses the word ‘taught’ he uses a past tense, which in Greek means that Jesus’s teaching was repeated and habitual. The Sermon on the Mount was not one sermon, but rather it was the essence of all that Jesus taught throughout his ministry.
The Beatitudes ‘Beatitude’ comes from the Latin beatus, meaning blessed. The word ‘blessed’ used by Matthew himself comes from the Greek makarios, which specially describes the gods. Thus there is a godlike joy in the people he is describing. This quality is something they already have, rather than something they hope to achieve in the future. In effect, Jesus is saying that there is great joy in living out the values of the Kingdom; values the world finds difficult to accept and understand.
Matthew was writing for a Jewish-Christian audience, and those in his community lived by edicts and rules of the Jewish Law. The Beatitudes point to an awareness of spiritual need, humility, peaceful and moral living, and compassion as the keys to happiness. Most of all, Matthew’s Beatitudes see Christian witness as the core of a happy life.
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To aid our reflection on the Sunday readings each week we are reproducing, with permission, content from St. Bueno's Outreach. If you would like to know more about them or access their guided prayer resources, 'Prego', you can contact them via their website.​​​
‘I pray because I can’t help myself. I pray because the need flows out of me all the time – waking and sleeping. It doesn’t change God – it changes me.’
Attributed to C. S. Lewis in the film Shadowlands (1993)
Father in heaven, may the faith you have given us in your son, Jesus Christ, our brother, and the flame of charity enkindled in our hearts by the Holy Spirit ,reawaken in us the blessed hope for the coming of your Kingdom.
May your grace transform us into tireless cultivators of the seeds of the Gospel. May those seeds transform from within both humanity and the whole cosmos in the sure expectation of a new heaven and a new earth, when, with the powers of Evil vanquished, your glory will shine eternally.
May the grace of the Jubilee reawaken in us, Pilgrims of Hope, a yearning for the treasures of heaven.
May that same grace spread the joy and peace of our Redeemer throughout the earth. To you our God, eternally blessed, be glory and praise for ever. Amen
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Pope Francis, Jubilee Prayer
Prayer for the People of Gaza
O God of all, of Abraham, Sarah, Hagar, Isaac, and Ishmael: Our hearts are broken in pieces at the suffering and murder of your people. Our voices cry for peace and for justice. Comfort those who grieve; Console and heal the injured, Be close to those in fear; Restrain with your mighty hand those who perpetrate violence. Send us your wisdom in all that we say and do, That our voice may always seek justice, peace and security for all. Amen.
(Rev Peter Colwell, Dep Gen Sec, Churches Together CTBI)