Daily Readings - Thu Nov 01 2018

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

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

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 profound themes of hope, identity, and living a virtuous life. The First Reading from Revelation paints a vivid picture of God's ultimate triumph, where His servants are sealed and a great multitude worships before the throne, clothed in white robes. This apocalyptic vision offers hope to believers, especially those facing persecution, assuring them of their eternal destiny. The Second Reading from 1 John emphasizes our divine identity as children of God and the future promise of becoming like Him, encouraging us to live holy lives in anticipation of His return. The Gospel from Matthew presents the Beatitudes, where Jesus outlines the qualities of those who are blessed, such as being poor in spirit, meek, and merciful, highlighting the values of the kingdom of heaven. These readings are interconnected, each illuminating different facets of the Christian journey. Revelation provides the ultimate hope of eternal life with God, while 1 John bridges this hope with our present identity as His children. The Beatitudes, in turn, guide us on how to live out this identity in our daily lives, embodying the virtues that reflect God's kingdom. Together, they remind us that our current struggles are temporary and that our true citizenship is in heaven. Applying these teachings to our daily lives, we are called to embrace our identity as God's children, living with hope and trust in His plan. We should strive to embody the Beatitudes, allowing our actions to be guided by mercy, humility, and a thirst for justice. In doing so, we not only reflect God's love but also become beacons of hope in a world that often seems dark. The moral lesson is clear: our hope in eternal life with God should inspire us to live virtuously now, trusting that our perseverance will be rewarded. Let us, therefore, walk in the light of this hope, living as children of God and striving to see His kingdom realized on earth.