Daily Readings - Fri Nov 01 2019

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 presented with a powerful vision of hope and transformation. The first reading from Revelation paints a vivid picture of the heavenly multitude, clothed in white, worshiping before the throne of God. This vision is a reminder of the ultimate destiny of the faithful, who have endured tribulation and emerged victorious through the blood of the Lamb. The second reading from 1 John deepens this hope, reminding us that we are already children of God, though what we will become is still unfolding. This truth calls us to live in a way that reflects God's holiness, as we await the full revelation of His plan for us. The Gospel from Matthew, known as the Beatitudes, provides the ethical framework for living as children of God. Jesus teaches that true blessedness is found in humility, mercy, and a hunger for justice, even in the face of persecution. These readings are deeply connected, as they all point to the transformative power of God's love and the hope of eternal life. Revelation gives us a glimpse of the end, where the faithful are gathered before God's throne, while 1 John emphasizes the present reality of being God's children. The Beatitudes, in turn, show us how to live in the here and now, embodying the virtues that reflect God's kingdom. Together, they remind us that our ultimate hope is not in this world but in the eternal life promised by God. As we reflect on these readings, let us ask ourselves: How are we living as children of God in our daily lives? Are we striving to be poor in spirit, merciful, and peacemakers? The Beatitudes challenge us to embrace a way of life that is counter to the values of the world. They call us to trust in God's plan, even when it is difficult, and to seek His justice and mercy. Let us also remember that our struggles and persecutions are not in vain, for they are part of the journey that leads us to eternal life. May we live with hope, trusting in God's promise, and may we strive to be holy, as He is holy.