Saints Children and God

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today, The Solemnity of All Saints, invite us to be grateful as children of God, as we renew our mission as “Beatitude People”.

The Cathedral Church of All Saints

The Reading from the Book of Revelation presents the Triumph of the Elect.

* [7:4–9] One hundred and forty-four thousand: the square of twelve (the number of Israel’s tribes) multiplied by a thousand, symbolic of the new Israel (cf. Rev 14:1–5; Gal 6:16; Jas 1:1) that embraces people from every nation, race, people, and tongue (Rev 7:9).

* [7:5–8] Judah is placed first because of Christ; cf. “the Lion of the tribe of Judah” (Rev 5:5). Dan is omitted because of a later tradition that the antichrist would arise from it.

* [7:9] White robes,palm branches: symbols of joy and victory; see note on Rev 3:5.

* [7:10] Salvation comes from: literally, “(let) salvation (be ascribed) to.” A similar hymn of praise is found at the fall of the dragon (Rev 12:10) and of Babylon (Rev 19:1).

* [7:14] Time of great distress: fierce persecution by the Romans; cf. Introduction. (Revelation, CHAPTER 7 | USCCB, n.d.)

Psalm 24 accompanied a ceremony of the entry of God into the Temple.

* [Psalm 24] The Psalm apparently accompanied a ceremony of the entry of God (invisibly enthroned upon the ark), followed by the people, into the Temple. The Temple commemorated the creation of the world (Ps 24:1–2). The people had to affirm their fidelity before being admitted into the sanctuary (Ps 24:3–6; cf. Ps 15). A choir identifies the approaching God and invites the very Temple gates to bow down in obeisance (Ps 24:7–10). (Psalms, PSALM 24 | USCCB, n.d.)

The Reading from the First Letter of John declares us Children of God.

* [3:1–3] The greatest sign of God’s love is the gift of his Son (Jn 3:16) that has made Christians true children of God. This relationship is a present reality and also part of the life to come; true knowledge of God will ultimately be gained, and Christians prepare themselves now by virtuous lives in imitation of the Son.

* [3:2] When it is revealed: or “when he is revealed” (the subject of the verb could be Christ). (1 John, CHAPTER 3 | USCCB, n.d.)

The Gospel of Matthew presents The Sermon on the Mount and The Beatitudes.

* [5:3–12] The form Blessed are (is) occurs frequently in the Old Testament in the Wisdom literature and in the psalms. Although modified by Matthew, the first, second, fourth, and ninth beatitudes have Lucan parallels (Mt 5:3 // Lk 6:20; Mt 5:4 // Lk 6:21b; Mt 5:6 // Lk 6:21a; Mt 5:11–12 // Lk 5:22–23). The others were added by the evangelist and are probably his own composition. A few manuscripts, Western and Alexandrian, and many versions and patristic quotations give the second and third beatitudes in inverted order.

* [5:3] The poor in spirit: in the Old Testament, the poor (’anāwîm) are those who are without material possessions and whose confidence is in God (see Is 61:1; Zep 2:3; in the NAB the word is translated lowly and humble, respectively, in those texts). Matthew added in spirit in order either to indicate that only the devout poor were meant or to extend the beatitude to all, of whatever social rank, who recognized their complete dependence on God. The same phrase poor in spirit is found in the Qumran literature (1QM 14:7).

* [5:4] Cf. Is 61:2, “(The Lord has sent me)…to comfort all who mourn.” They will be comforted: here the passive is a “theological passive” equivalent to the active “God will comfort them”; so also in Mt 5:6, 7.

* [5:5] Cf. Ps 37:11, “…the meek shall possess the land.” In the psalm “the land” means the land of Palestine; here it means the kingdom.

* [5:6] For righteousness: a Matthean addition. For the meaning of righteousness here, see note on Mt 3:14–15.

* [5:8] Cf. Ps 24:4. Only one “whose heart is clean” can take part in the temple worship. To be with God in the temple is described in Ps 42:3 as “beholding his face,” but here the promise to the clean of heart is that they will see God not in the temple but in the coming kingdom.

* [5:10] Righteousness here, as usually in Matthew, means conduct in conformity with God’s will.

* [5:12] The prophets who were before you: the disciples of Jesus stand in the line of the persecuted prophets of Israel. Some would see the expression as indicating also that Matthew considered all Christian disciples as prophets. (Matthew, CHAPTER 5 | USCCB, n.d.)

Molly Mattingly recalls introducing herself: name, what I was studying, my roles on campus and with the summer program and being challenged “that’s what you do. Who ARE you?”

The readings for the Solemnity of All Saints reminded me of that interaction, particularly the first reading and the psalm. “Who are these wearing white robes, and where did they come from?” “Who can ascend the mountain of the Lord? Or who may stand in his holy place?” In both readings, there is an answer. They are the ones who have survived the time of great distress, and believed in the Lamb. They are the people who long to see God’s face. In the Gospel, Jesus goes on to describe the attributes of those who are close to him: humble, grieving, gentle, purehearted, merciful, striving for justice, making peace, suffering for doing what is right in the name of Christ. I aspire to this kind of blessedness as a “saint in training.” (I bought my godson a onesie with that phrase on it when he was baptized; I think perhaps all the baptized could wear it on a t-shirt to remind ourselves.) Still, that description of sainthood is more about what we do and what we desire. Who ARE we? (Mattingly, n.d.)

Don Schwager quotes “Perfect blessedness is humility of spirit,” by Hilary of Poitiers (315-367 AD).

"'Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.' The Lord taught by way of example that the glory of human ambition must be left behind when he said, 'The Lord your God shall you adore and him only shall you serve' (Matthew 4:10). And when he announced through the prophets that he would choose a people humble and in awe of his words [Isaiah 66:2], he introduced the perfect Beatitude as humility of spirit. Therefore he defines those who are inspired as people aware that they are in possession of the heavenly kingdom... Nothing belongs to anyone as being properly one's own, but all have the same things by the gift of a single parent. They have been given the first things needed to come into life and have been supplied with the means to use them." (excerpt from commentary ON MATTHEW 4.2) (Schwager, n.d.)

The Word Among Us Meditation on 1 John 3:1-3 also asks “who are you”?

What does this have to do with the feast of All Saints? Everything! Today’s celebration honors all the saints, both the ones whose names we know and those unknown, hidden saints. All these men and women treasured their identities as children of God and lived lives of holiness in countless heroic ways. They all held tightly to the Lord, even if it meant giving up everything else they valued—even if it meant giving up their lives.

Who are you? You are a child of God. You are beloved of Christ. That means that even you can press on to become a saint!

“Jesus, thank you for giving me such a high calling!” (Meditation on 1 John 3:1-3, n.d.)

Friar Jude Winkler discusses the symbolism in Revelation of the 144,000 sealed as representing old and new Israel, twelve tribes and twelve apostles a thousand times over all healed by the Blood of the Lamb. The Letter of John proclaims we are already children of God and coheirs with Jesus. In Eastern Orthodox tradition, we are divinized, we will be like God. In Matthew, the Beatitudes are ideals, not commandments, to be aimed at: humble, mourning, meek response to the world, righteousness defined as being compassionate, merciful, giving forgiveness and healing, pure in thought and seeing God everywhere as peacekeepers. Friar Jude reminds us that “no good deed goes unpunished” and we are truly blessed to be invited to Jesus' mission of healing and blessing.

Fr. Mike Schmitz recalls as we hear the re-telling of the story of Judas Maccabbeus and his brothers fighting for the honor of the Lord's Temple in 2 Maccabees, Fr. Mike points out how this version gives us an insight into their recognition of God's presence, mercy, and justice in their circumstances. We learn that no matter what we are going through, we can trust that God is our great defender who is present and active in all circumstances of our lives. Today's readings are 2 Maccabees 8, Wisdom 5-6, and Proverbs 24:30-34.

Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, introduces Potawatomi author Kaitlin Curtice who looks at pictures of herself and considers her future role as an ancestor.

I realized then that one day I am going to be an ancestor. When I have passed on and my spirit is left to lead my children and their children, they will talk about me, about my legacy, about what I left undone or what I did to change things. I realized that these photos are an actual embodiment of sacred life…. So, I remember my ancestors. I remember what they have left for me, and I remember what was left undone. I look at their pictures, searching their eyes for stories they may never have told us when they were alive. Instead, they visit us in dreams, reconnecting us, helping us imagine a new way forward, a way of peace. One day we will become ancestors, but until then, we whisper to our long-gone ones, asking that they remember us. (Rohr, n.d.)

We ponder our heritage and inclusion in the multitudes of the children of God and implore the Spirit to guide our journey as “blessed” saints.

References

Matthew, CHAPTER 5 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved November 1, 2025, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/matthew/5?1 

Mattingly, M. (n.d.). Daily Reflection. Creighton Online Ministries: Home. Retrieved November 1, 2025, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/daily-reflections/daily-reflection-november-1-2025 

Meditation on 1 John 3:1-3. (n.d.). Word Among Us. Retrieved November 1, 2025, from https://wau.org/meditations/2025/11/01/1420545/ 

1 John, CHAPTER 3 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved November 1, 2025, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/1john/3?1 

Psalms, PSALM 24 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved November 1, 2025, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/24?1 

Revelation, CHAPTER 7 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved November 1, 2025, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/revelation/7?2 

Rohr, R. (n.d.). Daily Meditations — Center for Action and Contemplation. Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved November 1, 2025, from https://cac.org/daily-meditations/connecting-with-our-ancestors-weekly-summary/ 

Schwager, D. (n.d.). Rejoice and Be Glad, for Your Reward Is Great in Heaven. Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations – Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved November 1, 2025, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/ 

Alive in Christ

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today, The Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed, remind us of the Grace and Goodness of God through which we called to full and eternal life.

Recalling Lives 

 

  The readings chosen by the CCCB differ from the USCCB readings today. In the Book of Job, he replies: “I Know That My Redeemer Lives.” Psalm 103 is Thanksgiving for God’s Goodness. The First Letter of Paul to the Corinthians declares “ all will be made alive in Christ.” In the Gospel of John, Jesus reveals that “unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains just a single grain.”

 

Beth Samson invites us to begin today with a litany, spending time saying aloud or naming within our heart, all those who have passed from this earthly life.

Loving God, Creator God, God who delights in us and with whom we will spend our eternal days, we come to you in prayer today. We pray for all those who have departed this earthly life, especially those in purgatory, that they soon might come to experience the fullness of joy in heaven. We pray in gratitude for their lives, their witness of Your love, and their impact on earth. We pray for all those who mourn the death of a loved one, may they experience your comfort and grace. We pray in thanksgiving for the gift of eternal life with you, may each of the faithfully departed come to rest in peace with you forever. We pray all this through the intercession of the Communion of Saints, whose prayers join in ours today and always. Amen.1

 

Don Schwager quotes “Whoever sees and believes,” by Augustine of Hippo, 354-430 A.D.

"He has said two things: 'This is the work of God that you should believe in the one whom he has sent,' while here he added, 'whoever sees and believes.' The Jews saw but did not believe; they had the one condition, lacked the other. How could they attain to eternal life without the other? The reason those who saw did not attain eternal life was because they did not also believe. If so, what about us who have believed but have not seen? If it is those two things that earn eternal life, seeing and believing - and whoever is lacking one of them cannot attain to the reward of eternal life - what are we to do? The Jews [who saw him] lacked the one; we the other. They had seeing but lacked believing. We have believing but lack seeing. Well, as regards our having believing and lacking seeing, we have prophetically been declared blessed by the Lord himself just as Thomas, one of the Twelve, was blessed when he felt [Jesus'] scars by touching them." (excerpt from HOLY VIRGINITY 3.1)2 

The Word Among Us Meditation on John 6:37-40 comments that Jesus makes a remarkable promise: “I will not reject anyone who comes to me” (John 6:37). His mercy is so great that if we come to him with humble faith and sincere repentance, he will cleanse us and heal us, no matter what we have done. How comforting! In this promise, we find the courage to pray that our loved ones will experience this healing, even after death. Not only that, but we find the courage to trust that the Lord who welcomes them will also heal and welcome us when we see him face-to-face.

Today, we pray for all who have died, that God’s holy and perfect love will continue to purify them so that they can be fully united with the Lord. As Pope Benedict XVI wrote, may they “become fully open to receiving God and able to take [their] place at the table of the eternal marriage-feast” (Spe Salvi, 46). May nothing hinder them: no sin, no fear or shame, no wounds from the sins of others. Let nothing keep them from Jesus and his healing love. “Lord Jesus, have mercy on us sinners.”3 

Friar Jude Wisdom reflects on the texts chosen by the USCCB including the DeuteroCanonical Book of Wisdom. We will participate in heaven in the sense of being divinized as expressed in the Eastern Orthodox tradition. Friar Jude reminds us that God’s mercy is greater than our sins. We have the freedom to choose the Love with which God created us.

 

Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, comments that a robust commitment to the common good dates to the very beginnings of our faith and is rooted in both the Old and New Testaments. The Hebrew scriptures call readers to look beyond their own self interest to create a just and healthy community; and the Gospels teach us to love God with all of our heart, mind, and soul, and to love our neighbors as ourselves. The so-called vertical line toward God must be embodied by a horizontal line toward everything else. The Catholic vision of the common good is as clear as it is challenging. The Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church, which the Vatican released in 2004, notes that the specific “demands” of the common good are deeply connected to the fundamental dignity and rights of the human person.

These demands concern above all the commitment to peace, the organization of the State’s powers, a sound juridical system, the protection of the environment, and the provision of essential services to all, some of which are at the same time human rights: food, housing, work, education and access to culture, transportation, basic health care, the freedom of communication and expression, and the protection of religious freedom. [1]4

 

As we bring to mind our deceased friends and family we meditate on the eternal nature of the Love that gives us Life.

 

References

1	(n.d.). Creighton U Daily Reflections - Online Ministries. Retrieved November 2, 2021, fromhttps://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/110221.html
2	(n.d.). Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved November 2, 2021, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/?ds_year=2021&date=nov2a
3	(n.d.). The Word Among Us: Homepage. Retrieved November 2, 2021, from https://wau.org/meditations/2021/11/02/237380/
4	(n.d.). Daily Meditations Archive: 2021 - Richard Rohr. Retrieved November 2, 2021, fromhttps://cac.org/a-concern-for-the-good-of-the-world-2021-11-02/