Daily Readings - Fri Nov 01 2024

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 vision of hope, unity, and the call to live virtuous lives. The first reading from Revelation paints a vivid picture of the heavenly realm, where a great multitude from all nations stands before the throne of God, clothed in white robes, worshipping Him. This vision underscores the ultimate hope of salvation and the unity of all peoples in God’s presence. The second reading from 1 John reminds us of the profound love of the Father, who has called us to be His children. It also encourages us to live holy lives, as we await the full revelation of Christ’s glory. The Gospel from Matthew, known as the Beatitudes, teaches us the qualities of those who are blessed: the poor in spirit, the meek, the merciful, and those who hunger for justice. Jesus calls us to embrace these virtues, even in the face of persecution, promising us a great reward in heaven. The readings are deeply connected, as they all point to the ultimate hope of eternal life with God and the call to live in a way that reflects His love and justice. Revelation shows us the final destination of the faithful, while 1 John emphasizes our identity as God’s children and the call to holiness. The Beatitudes, in turn, provide practical guidance on how to live out this holiness in our daily lives. Together, these readings remind us that our ultimate citizenship is in heaven, and our lives on earth should reflect the values of the kingdom of God. As we reflect on these readings, let us ask ourselves: Are we living as children of God, striving for holiness? Are we embracing the virtues of the Beatitudes, even when it is challenging? Let us find hope in the vision of Revelation, knowing that our perseverance in faith and virtue will one day bring us to the throne of God. Let us also remember that we are called to be peacemakers and to bring God’s love and justice into the world. May we be inspired by these readings to live with hope, to walk in holiness, and to trust in God’s promise of eternal life.