Daily Readings - Fri Nov 01 2024

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 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.