Direction consolation

Our reaction to the explanation given in the Book of Revelation to the query about the great multitude who is gathered around the Throne of God in the Kingdom of Heaven “These are they who have come out of the great ordeal...” (Revelation 7.13) brings us consolation that our difficulties in living to be transformed and to transform the world will draw us to this very place. The liturgy for the Solemnity of All Saints is celebrated today with this text from the Roman Catholic Lectionary. Friar Jude Winkler reminds us that the apocalyptic language of the Book of Revelation concerning the great tribulation may be interpreted in at least two ways. Christian writers, including Luke, may have been referring to the expected final battle between good and evil prior to the return of Jesus at the end of time or as AlexRoedlach, of Creighton University, explains on the struggle of good and evil that we engage as a Christian community following our mission from God to transform the world through living the Word.  This is work of a community which is described in the first letter of John today as the children of God on a path to an unimaginable destiny. Travel on the road to that destiny is marked, energized and consoled by the Word in the Beatitudes presented today from the Gospel of Matthew. Friar Jude summarizes and characterizes these directions given by Jesus into life attributes of humility, transformation from brokenness, surrender, compassion and the single mindedness of attention to the Presence of God all around us in our brother and sisters and in the Holy Multitude who have already been washed clean in the Blood of the Lamb.