Daily Readings - Thu Nov 01 2018

²Then I saw another angel ascending from the rising of the sun, with the seal of the living God, and he called with a loud voice to the four angels who had been given power to harm earth and sea,³saying, "Do not harm the earth or the sea or the trees, until we have sealed the servants of our God on their foreheads."⁴And I heard the number of the sealed, 144,000, sealed from every tribe of the sons of Israel:⁹After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands,¹⁰and crying out with a loud voice, "Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!"¹¹And all the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures, and they fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God,¹²saying, "Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be to our God forever and ever! Amen."¹³Then one of the elders addressed me, saying, "Who are these, clothed in white robes, and from where have they come?"¹⁴I said to him, "Sir, you know." And he said to me, "These are the ones coming out of the great tribulation. They have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.

1 John

Chapter 3

¹See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him.²Beloved, we are God's children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is.³And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure.

Matthew

Chapter 5

¹Seeing the crowds, he went up on the mountain, and when he sat down, his disciples came to him.²And he opened his mouth and taught them, saying:³"Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.⁴"Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.⁵"Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.⁶"Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.⁷"Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.⁸"Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.⁹"Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.¹⁰"Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.¹¹"Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account.¹²Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, 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.