Daily Readings - Wed Nov 01 2017

First Reading - Revelation 7.2-4, 9-14

²And I saw another Angel ascending from the rising of the sun, having the Seal of the living God. And he cried out, in a great voice, to the four Angels to whom it was given to harm the earth and the sea³saying: "Do no harm to the earth, nor to the sea, nor to the trees, until we seal the servants of our God on their foreheads.⁴And I heard the number of those who were sealed: one hundred and forty-four thousand sealed, out of every tribe of the sons of Israel⁹After these things, I saw a great crowd, which no one could number, from all the nations and tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and in sight of the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands¹⁰And they cried out, with a great voice, saying: "Salvation is from our God, who sits upon the throne, and from the Lamb.¹¹And all the Angels were standing around the throne, with the elders and the four living creatures. And they fell upon their faces in view of the throne, and they worshipped God¹²saying: "Amen. Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving, honor and power and strength to our God, forever and ever. Amen.¹³And one of the elders responded and said to me: "These ones who are clothed in white robes, who are they? And where did they come from?¹⁴And I said to him, "My lord, you know." And he said to me: "These are the ones who have come out of the great tribulation, and they have washed their robes and have made them white by the blood of the Lamb

Second Reading - 1 John 3.1-3

1 John

Chapter 3

¹See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we would be called, and would become, the sons of God. Because of this, the world does not know us, for it did not know him²Most beloved, we are now the sons of God. But what we shall be then has not yet appeared. We know that when he does appear, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is³And everyone who holds this hope in him, keeps himself holy, just as he also is holy

Gospel - Matthew 5.1-12a

Matthew

Chapter 5

¹Then, seeing the crowds, he ascended the mountain, and when he had sat down, his disciples drew near to him²and opening his mouth, he taught them, saying³"Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven⁴Blessed are the meek, for they shall possess the earth⁵Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be consoled⁶Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for justice, for they shall be satisfied⁷Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy⁸Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God⁹Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God¹⁰Blessed are those who endure persecution for the sake of justice, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven¹¹Blessed are you when they have slandered you, and persecuted you, and spoken all kinds of evil against you, falsely, for my sake¹²be glad and exult, for your reward in heaven is plentiful. For so they persecuted the prophets who were before you

Sermon

In today’s readings, we are invited to reflect on the hope of eternal life and the call to live as children of God. The first reading from Revelation paints a vivid picture of the heavenly liturgy, where a great multitude from all nations stands before the throne of God, clothed in white robes, praising him for salvation. This vision reminds us that our ultimate destiny is to be united with God in eternal worship, and that this unity transcends every division of nationality, language, or culture. The 144,000 sealed servants of God represent the chosen ones, but the greater crowd that no one could number shows that God’s mercy and salvation extend far beyond any limited understanding. The second reading from 1 John deepens this theme by emphasizing our identity as children of God. John reminds us that we are already called to be God’s sons and daughters, but our true fulfillment lies in what we shall be when Christ appears. This hope transforms us, urging us to live holy lives, for we are called to be like God who is holy. Our present struggles and imperfections are temporary, for when Christ comes again, we shall see him as he is and share in his glory. In the Gospel, Matthew presents the Beatitudes, which are not just blessings but a blueprint for living as children of God. Jesus teaches that true happiness comes from humility, compassion, and a thirst for justice. Those who are poor in spirit, meek, merciful, and pure in heart are not only blessed but are called to be peacemakers and to endure persecution for the sake of righteousness. These teachings challenge us to reevaluate our values and priorities, to embrace a life of simplicity, forgiveness, and trust in God’s providence. These readings remind us that our lives are not measured by earthly success or comfort but by our fidelity to God’s will and our love for others. As we journey through life’s trials, we are called to keep our eyes fixed on the hope of eternal life, to live with integrity, and to trust that God’s plan will unfold in his time. Let us strive to be among those who wear the white robes of purity, who have endured tribulation, and who now worship God in heaven. May we live each day with the hope of seeing God face to face and with the courage to be his faithful children in a world that often does not know him.