😇The Solemnity of All Saints is a joyous celebration of the Church Triumphant, honoring the vast multitude of souls who have reached the glory of Heaven, both the canonized saints and the countless anonymous ones whose faith and virtue are known only to God. This feast reminds us that holiness is not an unattainable ideal but the destiny for which we were all created. The saints are our elder siblings in the faith, models of Christian life, and powerful intercessors who assist us in our earthly pilgrimage. Today's liturgy invites us to lift our eyes to Heaven, not with discouragement over our weaknesses, but with renewed hope in the victory of Christ, who opened the gates of the heavenly homeland for all who follow Him.
📖Epistle (Rev 7:2-12)
In those days, I, John, saw another Angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the living God; and he cried with a loud voice to the four Angels, to whom it was given to hurt the earth and the sea, saying: Hurt not the earth, nor the sea, nor the trees, till we seal the servants of our God in their foreheads. And I heard the number of them that were sealed: a hundred and forty-four thousand were sealed, of all the tribes of the children of Israel. Of the tribe of Juda, twelve thousand sealed. Of the tribe of Ruben, twelve thousand sealed. Of the tribe of Gad, twelve thousand sealed. Of the tribe of Aser, twelve thousand sealed. Of the tribe of Nephthali, twelve thousand sealed. Of the tribe of Manasses, twelve thousand sealed. Of the tribe of Simeon, twelve thousand sealed. Of the tribe of Levi, twelve thousand sealed. Of the tribe of Issachar, twelve thousand sealed. Of the tribe of Zabulon, twelve thousand sealed. Of the tribe of Joseph, twelve thousand sealed. Of the tribe of Benjamin, twelve thousand sealed. After this I saw a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and tribes, and peoples, and tongues, standing before the throne, and in sight of the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands: And they cried with a loud voice, saying: Salvation to our God, who sitteth upon the throne, and to the Lamb. And all the Angels stood round about the throne, and the ancients, and the four living creatures; and they fell down before the throne upon their faces, and adored God, saying: Amen. Benediction, and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, honour, and power, and strength to our God for ever and ever. Amen.
✝️Gospel (Mt 5:1-12)
At that time, Jesus, seeing the multitudes, went up into a mountain, and when he was set down, his disciples came unto him. And opening his mouth, he taught them, saying: Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are the meek: for they shall possess the land. Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted. Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after justice: for they shall have their fill. Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy. Blessed are the clean of heart: for they shall see God. Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God. Blessed are they that suffer persecution for justice' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are ye when they shall revile you, and persecute you, and speak all that is evil against you, untruly, for my sake: Be glad and rejoice, for your reward is very great in heaven.
🤔Reflections
🙏Today's Gospel presents the Sermon on the Mount, the heart of Christ's teaching and the magna carta of Christian holiness. The Beatitudes are not mere advice but the description of a true disciple and the path to eternal happiness. They invert the world's logic: happiness is not found in wealth, power, or pleasure, but in poverty of spirit, meekness, purity of heart, and even in persecution for Christ's sake. St. Augustine teaches that the Beatitudes represent the steps of the spiritual life that elevate us to perfection. "It begins with humility (poor in spirit) and culminates in the peace that surpasses all understanding, making us children of God, and in the fortitude to endure all adversities for the sake of justice" (Commentary on the Lord's Sermon on the Mount). Each beatitude is an invitation to conform our lives to that of Christ, the Blessed One par excellence, who was poor, meek, wept for us, and suffered persecution to bring us the justice of the Kingdom.
🕊️The vision of St. John in the Apocalypse, presented in the Epistle, is the glorious confirmation of what Christ promises in the Gospel. The "great multitude, which no man could number," is the assembly of the saints, those who lived the Beatitudes in their lives. They come "from all nations, and tribes, and peoples, and tongues," showing the universality of the call to holiness, a fundamental principle reaffirmed by the Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC 2013). The white robes symbolize the purity acquired through the Blood of the Lamb, and the palms are a sign of victory and martyrdom. This image is not just a future promise but a present reality in the Communion of Saints. The liturgy unites us with this heavenly assembly, allowing our praise on earth to join their eternal song: "Salvation to our God." The vision of the Apocalypse reveals the final destiny of those who follow the path of the Beatitudes: eternal communion with God.
🌟The Feast of All Saints, therefore, unites Heaven and earth, the promise and its fulfillment. We celebrate not only the giants of the faith but also the everyday holiness lived by countless souls who, in their time, "hungered and thirsted for justice" and were "merciful." St. Thomas Aquinas explains that holiness consists fundamentally in charity, the union with God and neighbor (Summa Theologica, II-II, q. 184, a. 3). The saints are those who allowed the charity of Christ to transform their lives. This solemnity challenges us to look at them not as distant figures, but as traveling companions who show us that it is possible to live the Gospel. The Roman Missal, in the preface for this Mass, reminds us that in honoring the saints, we honor God, "the source of all holiness," and find in them "an example and a help" for our weakness. May the intercession of the entire heavenly court inspire us to walk the path of the Beatitudes, so that one day we may be glad and rejoice with them, for great will be our reward in heaven.
➡️See English version of the critical articles here.
