Tag: Jesus Christ

Posted on

32nd Sunday in Ordinary Time

a tunnel made of money

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

iTunes | Spotify | Stitcher | TuneIn | Google Play Music

Mass Readings

Reading 1: Wisdom 6:12-16
Responsorial: Psalm 63:2-8
Reading 2: 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18
Gospel: Matthew 25:1-13

https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/110820.cfm
https://deaconrudysnotes.org/

In our responsorial, we cry out, “My soul is thirsting for you, O Lord my God.” Isn’t that true for so many of us. We thirst for God. How many people do we know who do not believe in God or do not accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior go around wandering in search of some higher power or trying to tap into or somehow be in touch with the universe. Our in-person and online bookstores are filled with books about spirituality. There is a thirst for the transcendent. Especially in these crazy times! People seem anxious and a bit on edge, and I’m not just talking about the US presidential election.

My brothers and sisters, I have Good News! Today we are reminded that God is looking for us! We don’t need to go off and try to find God. God seeks us! Just like Wisdom, who in anticipation of our quest is waiting for us, so too does St. Paul reminds us that we shouldn’t grieve like nonbelievers because Jesus is coming back. We have hope! Isn’t that awesome? So many people spend their lives trying to find God, but it’s God who is looking for us. It’s like the story of the prodigal son; it is the father who runs into the field to hug his son.

Or consider the story about the shepherd and the lost sheep. The shepherd leaves the 99 to find the one who is missing. Awesome! And today, from our first reading, Wisdom “is readily perceived by those who love her” (Wis 6:12). “She hastens to make herself know in anticipation” (Wis 6:13), meaning before you can imagine her, she’s there. “Whoever watches for her at dawn…shall find her sitting by his gate” (Wis 6:14). God’s Wisdom is waiting for us!

St. Paul tells us we shouldn’t be grieving like nonbelievers. They grieve over what they lost. But our faith in Jesus that he is coming means that we are all united in the Kingdom – those believers who have passed away, those believers here today, and those believers yet to be born.

It’s an awesome message! But wait! There’s more!

Jesus tells us the Parable of the Ten Virgins. Five of the virgins have extra oil for their lamps. They are prepared. The other five are not ready, and they leave, and while they are distracted, they miss out on the wedding feast.

This really gives us some great insight into Scripture.

God is constantly looking for us. God has given us a grace-soaked world. This world and everything we have is a blessing! But so many of us are unsatisfied. We are constantly looking for something – maybe it’s more money, or more stuff, or pleasure. Let’s call these our attachments. In fact, we fill our lives with so much of the stuff – both physically and emotionally – that we accumulate in our quest to fill what’s missing in our lives that our view of the world around us is obscured.

We might miss out on God’s presence or God’s grace because we’re constantly looking somewhere out there for that one thing to give meaning or purpose to our lives. We might miss out – we miss out in God’s grace in our children’s laughter or our spouse’s love or our pet, who just wants to cuddle with us.

While we’re out like the five virgins searching in the marketplace, we miss seeing the bridegroom who was already here with us the whole time, and the door is sealed. If we are not careful, we will find ourselves on the outside! Only then will we realize what’s happened. We knock and what will Jesus tell us? “I do not know you” (Matthew 25:12).

Whoa! Okay, what do I need to do then? Well, there are a few points of order we need to know. First, God will never force himself on us. We need to accept God. Second, we don’t need to go on some great quest to find God. We need to be open to God present in the world. Third, we need to be prepared and ready for Jesus. How do we do that? All we need is to be disciples of Christ Jesus. That means we need to accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, grow in our faith, and go out into the world sharing the Good News.

I know, it sounds too simple, right? Well, perhaps, but we need to make some preparations, which leads us to homework!

First, we need to become aware of our attachments. What things might distract us?
Second, we need to work on being grateful for the gifts we already have.
Third, the next time we go to pray, maybe we try to be still and quiet, then invite Jesus who is knocking on my door to come into my heart.

Do you got it? Do you get it? Good! Now go make disciples! May almighty God bless you, Father, Son and Holy Spirit! +Amen!

Image Credit: Artist unknown. Tunnel of Money. JPG file.

Notes: Unless otherwise indicated, all Bible quotes are taken from The Bible: A Study Bible freshly translated by Nicholas King. Buxhall, Suffolk UK: Kevin Mayhew, 2013.

References:
1. Eubank, Nathan. First and Second Thessalonians. Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Academic, 2019. Kindle.
2. Mitch, Curtis and Edward Sri. The Gospel of Matthew. Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Academic, 2010. Kindle.

Catechism References http://www.scborromeo.org/ccc.htm:
1. A time of watching and waiting, 671-72
2. The Church as bride, 796
3. Resurrection of the body, 988-1019
4. Vigilant waiting for the Lord’s return, 1036, 2612
5. Virginity for the kingdom, 1618-20

Thirty-second Sunday in Ordinary Time https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/110820.cfm
Lectionary: 154

Reading 1
Wisdom 6:12-16
Resplendent and unfading is wisdom,
and she is readily perceived by those who love her,
and found by those who seek her.
She hastens to make herself known in anticipation of their desire;
Whoever watches for her at dawn shall not be disappointed,
for he shall find her sitting by his gate.
For taking thought of wisdom is the perfection of prudence,
and whoever for her sake keeps vigil
shall quickly be free from care;
because she makes her own rounds, seeking those worthy of her,
and graciously appears to them in the ways,
and meets them with all solicitude.

Responsorial
Psalm 63:2, 3-4, 5-6, 7-8
R. (2b) My soul is thirsting for you, O Lord my God.
O God, you are my God whom I seek;
for you my flesh pines and my soul thirsts
like the earth, parched, lifeless and without water.
R. My soul is thirsting for you, O Lord my God.
Thus have I gazed toward you in the sanctuary
to see your power and your glory,
For your kindness is a greater good than life;
my lips shall glorify you.
R. My soul is thirsting for you, O Lord my God.
Thus will I bless you while I live;
lifting up my hands, I will call upon your name.
As with the riches of a banquet shall my soul be satisfied,
and with exultant lips my mouth shall praise you.
R. My soul is thirsting for you, O Lord my God.
I will remember you upon my couch,
and through the night-watches I will meditate on you:
You are my help,
and in the shadow of your wings I shout for joy.
R. My soul is thirsting for you, O Lord my God.

Reading 2
1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 OR 4:13-14
We do not want you to be unaware, brothers and sisters,
about those who have fallen asleep,
so that you may not grieve like the rest, who have no hope.
For if we believe that Jesus died and rose,
so too will God, through Jesus,
bring with him those who have fallen asleep.
Indeed, we tell you this, on the word of the Lord,
that we who are alive,
who are left until the coming of the Lord,
will surely not precede those who have fallen asleep.
For the Lord himself, with a word of command,
with the voice of an archangel and with the trumpet of God,
will come down from heaven,
and the dead in Christ will rise first.
Then we who are alive, who are left,
will be caught up together with them in the clouds
to meet the Lord in the air.
Thus we shall always be with the Lord.
Therefore, console one another with these words.

or

We do not want you to be unaware, brothers and sisters,
about those who have fallen asleep,
so that you may not grieve like the rest, who have no hope.
For if we believe that Jesus died and rose,
so too will God, through Jesus,
bring with him those who have fallen asleep.

Alleluia
Matthew 24:42A, 44
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Stay awake and be ready!
For you do not know on what day your Lord will come.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel
Matthew 25:1-13
Jesus told his disciples this parable:
“The kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins
who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom.
Five of them were foolish and five were wise.
The foolish ones, when taking their lamps,
brought no oil with them,
but the wise brought flasks of oil with their lamps.
Since the bridegroom was long delayed,
they all became drowsy and fell asleep.
At midnight, there was a cry,
‘Behold, the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!’
Then all those virgins got up and trimmed their lamps.
The foolish ones said to the wise,
‘Give us some of your oil,
for our lamps are going out.’
But the wise ones replied,
‘No, for there may not be enough for us and you.
Go instead to the merchants and buy some for yourselves.’
While they went off to buy it,
the bridegroom came
and those who were ready went into the wedding feast with him.
Then the door was locked.
Afterwards the other virgins came and said,
‘Lord, Lord, open the door for us!’
But he said in reply,
‘Amen, I say to you, I do not know you.’
Therefore, stay awake,
for you know neither the day nor the hour.”

Posted on

ATC 21 Isms

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

iTunes | Spotify | Stitcher | TuneIn | Google Play Music

https://www.deaconrudysnotes.org/

A great big hola to everyone today, and welcome to another edition of All Things Catholic. I’m your host, Deacon Rudy Villarreal, and together we will explore what it means to be Catholic. If you have a question that you’d like me to address, send it to me. You may use the comment form on the website or by email to rudy@deaconrudysnotes.org. I invite you to share this podcast with everyone, you know!

The election is over! Regardless of the outcome, we need to find some time and make some space for licking our wounds – for healing. Advent, which begins in a few weeks, is an excellent time for self-reflection – as individuals, as a church, and as a nation.

Speaking of Advent, I love the 1947 classic movie, Miracle on 34th Street, directed by George Seaton. You know, the one with Natalie Wood. On Kris Kringle’s first day working at Macy’s, he is in the employee locker-room chatting with Alfred, a boy who works as a janitor. Mr. Shellhammer, the toy department store executive, comes to touch base with Kris. He shows Kris a list of toys that Kris needs to “push,” then he tells Kris to come upstairs when he’s ready.

After Mr. Shellhammer leaves, Kris says to Alfred, “Imagine, making a child take something he doesn’t want just because he bought too many of the wrong toys. That’s what I’ve been fighting against for years, they way they commercialize Christmas.” Then Alfred says, “Yeah, there’s a lot of bad “isms” floating around this world, but one of the worst is commercialism. Make a buck, make a buck. Even in Brooklyn it’s the same. Don’t care what Christmas stands for, just make a buck, make a buck.” <1>

This scene really jumps out at me and has stuck with me all these years. As Alfred tells us, there “There’s a lot of bad ‘isms’ floating around this world…” <2> Too true!

So, in a nod to one of my favorite movies, we will talk about “isms” today. What is an ism? Well, another word for “ism” is ideology. Now, the word ideology can have all sorts of effects on people, from total indifference to the pejorative. If we’re going to spend some time discussing ideology, then we should know something about it.

What is “ideology?” In their article, “The role of ideology in politics and society,” for the Manchester University Press, Kevin Harrison, Lecturer in Politics at Manchester College of Arts and Technology, and Tony Boyd, who taught Politics and Modern History at Loretto College, quote the American historian David Joravsky who defines ideology this way, “When we call a belief ideological, we are saying at least three things about it: although it is unverified or unverifiable, it is accepted as verified by a particular group, because it performs social functions for that group.” <3>

That’s an interesting definition. People accept as “true” or “reality” their ideological perspective. Now at some level, ideology isn’t a bad thing. Ideologies give us a logical or conceptual framework to live our lives. For example, I expect that it is my responsibility to work, earn money, provide for my family and save for my retirement, and contribute to my community by honoring my religious and civic duties, like tithing and paying taxes. These ideas I espoused reflect my ideology born and raised in the United States and my beliefs as a Catholic. By that, I mean my pursuit of education, faith formation, continuing education, and work are all oriented toward my desire as a Christian to achieve human flourishing – to be the person God made me to be.

Others in the United States might not agree with my belief. They might suggest that work should be provided or that some form of government subsistence payment should be given to everyone, and then you build on that with work. Some secularists and anarchists would reject my duty to my church and my country, just as there are libertarians who would suggest that our duty to state should be reduced to the smallest conceivable action.

Regardless of your perspective, if we can come together and work toward solving problems and making our countries safe and productive, then we reflect what Harrison and Boyd call a “relaxed” ideology. I like to think President Ronald Reagan and Former Speaker of the House Tip O’Neil were good examples of a relaxed ideologies of sorts. They were flexible enough to work together to try to get something done. Harrison and Boyd suggest that there was a sort of “ideological consensus” in British politics from 1945 until the early 1980s. <4>

But the highly polarized situation we see in the United States is evidence of what they call “restrictive” ideologies. Politicians and their supporters are so entrenched that they hardly seem to compromise on anything. As a result, little is done, or worse, the changes are so dramatic based on what party is in power that the economy and everyday life are continually disrupted.

Why are we discussing ideologies in a podcast on what it means to be Catholic? Excellent question!

As Christians, as baptized believers who accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, we are encouraged to look to the human Jesus as a role model for living our lives. Jesus is the exemplar par excellence of human flourishing. As Christians, I suggest to you that while we might engage an ideological perspective to shape the practicalities of life, we should be careful as we play on the beach of life as the waters of ideologies pool around us. If social media offers a clue, then sadly, too many Christians have been swept out to sea by the current of our time’s dominant ideologies. This is exactly the opposite of how Jesus behaved.

Remember that Jesus was a Jew, and he did not come to disband Judaism, but to fulfill it. But the people of his time were quite entrenched in their thinking – in their ideologies – than to be bothered with the fulfillment of prophecy. So, Jesus challenged their ideologies.

After healing an invalid by the Sheep Gate, the man got up and walked off with his mat. The people criticized the man for carrying his mat on the Sabbath. Jesus challenged the preconceived idea about work, carrying things, or even walking to a neighboring town on the Sabbath not because it was an offense to God, but because it was part of the “rules” totally disconnected from honoring God (John 5:10-12, Acts 1:12).

Jesus ate with sinners and tax collectors – with people who the Jewish leaders said were not “kosher” (Mark 2:16).

Jesus healed on the Sabbath despite considered to be “work” by Jewish leaders (John 9:16, Mark 3:4-5).

Jesus worked against ideologies, especially entrenched or “restrictive” ideologies. His approach to life was practical and therefore revealing God’s pragmatic nature.

If we are working to be more like Jesus, we cannot allow ourselves to over-indulge at the ideological buffet. We’re supposed to bring our faith into the world – to help shape things in a Christian way and, most importantly, to introduce people to Jesus Christ. As I said in our last episode, “Faithful Citizenship,” “Each of us is called to participate in the electoral process to the best of our abilities, guided by our consciences and the virtue of prudence. We should do our best to encourage our political parties to promote the dignity of the human person, the common good, subsidiarity, and solidarity.”

The election cycle in the United States is coming to a close, but our work is far from complete. We must work to influence party politics to be more practical, more pragmatic. We need to address the real problems confronting our people. As I also mentioned in our last episode, the bishops of the United States in their document, Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship, wrote, “When necessary, our participation should help transform the party to which we belong; we should not let the party transform us in such a way that we neglect or deny fundamental moral truths or approve intrinsically evil acts.” <5>

My brothers and sisters, let’s use the examples of party politics in the United States and Britain to regroup, inoculate ourselves with the Eucharist against restrictive ideologies, and go out in the world to bring a message of hope into an ever-increasingly dark world.

Do you got it? Do you get it? Good! Now go make disciples! May Almighty God bless you, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit! +Amen!

You’re listening to All Things Catholic. What are your thoughts? Leave a comment – I’d love to consider what you’re thinking. If you’re on the web page, just click the podcast’s title, then scroll to the bottom, and you should be able to post a comment. Do you have a question that you’d like me to address? Please send it to me using the comment form on the website, or send me an email to rudy@deaconrudysnotes.org.

This episode was produced by deacon rudy’s notes. Our theme music was composed by Silent Partner. You can find all sorts of helpful information on the website at www.deaconrudysnotes.org. I’m your host, Deacon Rudy Villarreal. All Things Catholic will be back next month, and don’t forget to tune in for the weekend edition where we break open the Word. Peace!

Notes:
<1> Miracle on 34th Street, directed by George Seaton, featuring Maureen O’Hara, John Payne, Natalie Wood and Edmund Gwenn (20th Century Fox, 1947), Box Office (1947).
<2> Ibid.
<3> Harrison, Kevin, and Tony Boyd. “The role of ideology in politics and society”. In Understanding political ideas and movements, (Manchester, England: Manchester University Press, 2018) accessed November 3, 2020, https://doi.org/10.7765/9781526137951.00011.
<4> Ibid.
<5> United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, Forming Conscience for Faithful Citizenship: A Call to Political Responsibility from the Catholic Bishops of the United States, (Washington, DC: United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, 2020), no. 5. Adobe Digital Editions PDF.

Posted on

Solemnity of All Saints

Picture from an outdoor mass with John Paul II in Victory Square, Poland, 1979

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

iTunes | Spotify | Stitcher | TuneIn | Google Play Music

Mass Readings

Reading 1: Revelation 7:2-4, 9-14
Responsorial: Psalm 24:1BC-4AB, 5-6
Reading 2: 1 John 3:1-3
Gospel: Matthew 5:1-12A

https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/110120.cfm
https://www.deaconrudysnotes.org/

All Saints’ Day is an opportunity to reflect on what it means to live as children of God. But before we get to that, let’s just do a little housekeeping, okay?

We don’t worship saints. Period. We worship God who is Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

All believers are part of the community of saints. Why do we call some “saints?” Well, it’s definitely not for their benefit. As St. Paul tells us, the saints have already fought the good fight, they’ve run their race, and they kept the faith (2 Timothy 4:7). And St. Bernard preaching in the 12th century said, “The saints have no need of honor from us; neither does our devotion add the slightest thing to what is theirs. Clearly, if we venerate their memory, it serves us, not them.” <1>

So, calling someone a “saint” is really a church thing. Why? Well, in our society today, we honor all sorts of people, right? We might hold up athletes, or actors and actresses, or successful and innovative businesspeople. We lift them up as inspiration and maybe even role models. How many children have thought to themselves, “I want to be just like him or her when I grow up!”

The Church lifts of people and calls them “saints” as role models for all of us. Some are martyrs for the faith, probably not unlike the three believers brutally murdered outside the Notre-Dame Basilica in Nice, France. Other saints lived lives of heroic virtue. We are all called to be holy. Jesus tells us, “You are therefore to be perfect as your Heavenly Father is perfect” (Matthew 5:48). And the Second Vatican Council document, Lumen Gentium, devotes an entire chapter to the “Universal Call to Holiness”. <3> These saints are people who we believe made use of God grace – the same grace available to all of us – to help them in their quest for holiness.

Take for example the mother-physician Gianna Beretta Molla who in 1962 refused a life-saving procedure during her pregnancy that would have resulted in the abortion of her fourth baby. The Church lifts her up as an example of extraordinary faith and love.

Or take Blessed Stanley Rother, a priest from Oklahoma, who was murdered in 1981 in Guatemala. He had been recalled home but asked for permission and in fact returned to Guatemala despite the risks. In a letter to the faithful in Oklahoma, he wrote, “This is one of the reasons I have for staying in the face of physical harm. The shepherd cannot run at the first sign of danger.” <2> He is not just a role model for priests. He is a role model for all of us who are trying to live lives of intentional discipleship or as Pope Francis would say, missionary discipleship.

The lives of the saints and their stories should inspire us and hopefully give us some ideas about how we can live our lives in pursuit of holiness. Okay, this is the background for today’s celebration.

Today’s reading from Revelation paints a picture of heaven and there are people from all over the world dressed in white robes. They are martyrs for the faith. “These are those who come from the great trouble. And they washed their clothes and whitened them in the Lamb’s blood” (Revelation 7:14). In our second reading from First John, we are called “God’s children” (1 John 3:2).

What does it mean to be children of God?

Our Gospel today comes from the Sermon on the Mount which instructs us as disciples, believers, children of God, about justice. But Jesus teaches that justice should not be restricted to a perfunctory level, but he goes to the heart of the matter. We strive to be holy as the Father is holy. <4> And the path of the disciple is not easy. Most of us will never be asked to make the ultimate sacrifice like those three believers murdered in Nice, France this week. But we may face ridicule from our friends and families. We might even lose friendships over our faith. Jesus tells us:

• In a highly polarized world, Jesus wants us to forgive and turn the other cheek.
• In a world that values the symbols of wealth and the latest new “toy”, Jesus wants us to live humbly and to give generously.
• In a world scarred by war and division, Jesus wants us to love our enemies and to work for peace. <5>

All of us disciples are caught in a balancing act between what we need to do in this world to provide for families and the call to holiness. Every saint ever named understands this tug-of-war. Maybe that’s one of the reasons the Church asks us to celebrate “All Saints” today, so that we are inspired by those who have already run the race and who were filled with God’s grace. You see, we are not alone in the struggles we face. Every generation of believers has faced their own time of trial. While we should never stop working for justice, it is reassuring to know that we are united in faith with our brothers and sisters in Christ throughout time.

Homework! Inspired by the Word of God and by the Eucharist, I encourage you to reflect on the following two questions. First, when have I put more trust in this world that in God? Second, how can I live a simpler and more generous life?

I pray our homework will help us live our discipleship with greater conviction. Do you got it? Do you get it? Good! Now go make disciples! May Almighty God bless you, Father, Son and Holy Spirit! +Amen!

Image Credit: Artist unknown. Pentecost Mass for 300,000 people celebrated by Pope John Paul II in Victory Square, Poland, 1979. JPG file.

Notes: Unless otherwise indicated, all Bible quotes are taken from The Bible: A Study Bible freshly translated by Nicholas King. Buxhall, Suffolk UK: Kevin Mayhew, 2013.

<1> Saint Bernard, abbot, sermon (Sermo 2: Opera omnia, Edit. Cisterc. 5 [1968], 364-368).
<2> Beecroft, Mason (December 16, 2014). “Making the Case for Martyrdom.” This Land. This Land Press. Accessed October 30, 2020. https://thislandpress.com/2014/12/16/making-the-case-for-martyrdom/
<3> See Lumen Gentium, Chapter V, beginning with paragraph 39: https://www.vatican.va/archive/hist_councils/ii_vatican_council/documents/vat-ii_const_19641121_lumen-gentium_en.html.
<4> O’Neil and Black, The Essential Moral Handbook, 127.
<5> “Sunday, November 1 All Saints” the Word Among Us. Web. https://wau.org/meditations/2020/11/01/176958/.

References:
1. Anderson, Kelly and Daniel Keating. James, First, Second, and Third John. Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Academics, 2017. Kindle.
2. Mitch, Curtis and Edward Sri. The Gospel of Matthew. Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Academic, 2010. Kindle.
4. O’Neil, Kevin J. C.Ss.R. and Peter Black, C.Ss.R. The Essential Moral Handbook: A guide to Catholic Living. Liguori, Missouri: Liguori, 2003.
5. Williamson, Peter S. Revelation. Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Academics, 2015. Kindle.

Catechism References http://www.scborromeo.org/ccc.htm:
1. Seeing God in the beatific vision, 163, 1023, 1028, 2519
2. Heaven, 326
3. Poor in spirit, 544, 2546
4. Church as sacrament of unity of human race, 775
5. Heaven, 769, 1023-29
6. Celebrants of the heavenly liturgy, 1136-39, 2642
7. The new people of God, 1138
8. The seal, 1295-96
9. Revelation that we are children of God, 1692
10. Christian beatitude, 1716-24
11. Peace makers, 2305, 2330
12. Pure in heart, 2518
13. Confidence before God, 2633, 2777-78

Solemnity of All Saints https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/110120.cfm
Lectionary: 667

Reading 1
Revelation 7:2-4, 9-14
I, John, saw another angel come up from the East,
holding the seal of the living God.
He cried out in a loud voice to the four angels
who were given power to damage the land and the sea,
“Do not damage the land or the sea or the trees
until we put the seal on the foreheads of the servants of our God.”
I heard the number of those who had been marked with the seal,
one hundred and forty-four thousand marked
from every tribe of the children of Israel.

After this I had a vision of a great multitude,
which no one could count,
from every nation, race, people, and tongue.
They stood before the throne and before the Lamb,
wearing white robes and holding palm branches in their hands.
They cried out in a loud voice:
“Salvation comes from our God, who is seated on the throne,
and from the Lamb.”

All the angels stood around the throne
and around the elders and the four living creatures.
They prostrated themselves before the throne,
worshiped God, and exclaimed:
“Amen. Blessing and glory, wisdom and thanksgiving,
honor, power, and might
be to our God forever and ever. Amen.”

Then one of the elders spoke up and said to me,
“Who are these wearing white robes, and where did they come from?”
I said to him, “My lord, you are the one who knows.”
He said to me,
“These are the ones who have survived the time of great distress;
they have washed their robes
and made them white in the Blood of the Lamb.”

Responsorial
Psalm 24:1BC-2, 3-4AB, 5-6
R. (see 6) Lord, this is the people that longs to see your face.
The LORD’s are the earth and its fullness;
the world and those who dwell in it.
For he founded it upon the seas
and established it upon the rivers.
R. Lord, this is the people that longs to see your face.
Who can ascend the mountain of the LORD?
or who may stand in his holy place?
One whose hands are sinless, whose heart is clean,
who desires not what is vain.
R. Lord, this is the people that longs to see your face.
He shall receive a blessing from the LORD,
a reward from God his savior.
Such is the race that seeks him,
that seeks the face of the God of Jacob.
R. Lord, this is the people that longs to see your face.

Reading 2
1 John 3:1-3
Beloved:
See what love the Father has bestowed on us
that we may be called the children of God.
Yet so we are.
The reason the world does not know us
is that it did not know him.
Beloved, we are God’s children now;
what we shall be has not yet been revealed.
We do know that when it is revealed we shall be like him,
for we shall see him as he is.
Everyone who has this hope based on him makes himself pure,
as he is pure.

Alleluia
Matthew 11:28
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened,
and I will give you rest, says the Lord.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel
Matthew 5:1-12A
When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up the mountain,
and after he had sat down, his disciples came to him.
He began to teach them, saying:
“Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are they who mourn,
for they will be comforted.
Blessed are the meek,
for they will inherit the land.
Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
for they will be satisfied.
Blessed are the merciful,
for they will be shown mercy.
Blessed are the clean of heart,
for they will see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers,
for they will be called children of God.
Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness,
for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are you when they insult you and persecute you
and utter every kind of evil against you falsely because of me.
Rejoice and be glad,
for your reward will be great in heaven.”