Daily Readings - Sat Nov 01 2025
Revelation
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
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
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
The readings today invite us to reflect on our identity as children of God and the hope that comes from living as His people. In Revelation, we see a vision of the end times where God’s servants are sealed and a great multitude from all nations worship before the throne, clothed in white robes, having endured tribulation and washed their garments in the blood of the Lamb. This scene speaks of God’s ultimate triumph and the eternal salvation of His people. In 1 John, we are reminded that we are already called children of God, though what we will be in the end has not yet been revealed. We are encouraged to live holy lives, knowing that when Christ appears, we will be like Him. In the Gospel, Jesus teaches the Beatitudes, describing the characteristics of those who are blessed: the poor in spirit, the meek, those who mourn, the merciful, the pure in heart, the peacemakers, and those who endure persecution for the sake of justice. These are the marks of His followers, and they are promised eternal rewards.
These readings are deeply connected. The vision in Revelation gives us a glimpse of the ultimate fulfillment of the Beatitudes. The white-robed multitude before the throne represents those who have lived out the Beatitudes, enduring suffering and remaining faithful. Similarly, 1 John emphasizes our present identity as children of God, which should shape how we live in the here and now. The Beatitudes, in turn, provide a practical guide for living as God’s people, trusting in His promises even when the world does not understand us.
In our daily lives, these readings call us to embrace our identity as children of God and to live in a way that reflects His holiness and love. We are to hunger and thirst for justice, to be merciful, and to be peacemakers, even in the face of persecution. We are to trust that our struggles and sacrifices are not in vain, for they are part of the journey that leads us to eternal life. Let us strive to live with purity of heart, so that we may see God, and let us hold fast to the hope that one day we will see Him as He is.