Ecclus. 44:1–15 | Matt. 5:1–12
As the Church continues her quiet vigil between the Ascension of Our Lord and the coming of the Holy Ghost at Pentecost, the liturgy gently draws our eyes to the eternal homeland. In these days of spiritual expectation, we are called not to idle waiting, but to an active contemplation of the heavenly city, whose citizens live already in the presence of the Ascended Christ. Today’s readings — the praise of the just in Ecclesiasticus and the Beatitudes in St. Matthew’s Gospel — together form a luminous tapestry of sanctity, suffering, and eternal reward.
“Let us now praise men of renown, and our fathers in their generation.”
(Ecclus. 44:1)
This majestic opening line from Ecclesiasticus forms a kind of litany to the memory of the righteous. The inspired author invokes a holy remembrance of those “who were merciful men, whose godly deeds have not failed” (v. 10). Here, we do not hear the pride of worldly historians cataloging the feats of kings, but the humble exaltation of saints who feared God and loved justice.
St. John Chrysostom, reflecting on the glory of the saints, reminds us:
“We do not build temples for them as for gods, but because we love them and desire to imitate their virtue… Through their example, we are stirred to courage.” (Homily on Martyrs)
It is no coincidence that this passage is read in Ascensiontide. The saints praised here are not only dead and buried — they live. Their names are written in Heaven, where Christ is seated at the right hand of the Father. Their memory is not merely historical; it is liturgical, for the Church perpetually remembers her saints in the sacrifice of the Mass, uniting earth with Heaven.
St. Augustine too reflects on the purpose of remembering the saints:
“We honor them, not by building altars to them, but by honoring Him whom they served, and who made them what they are.” (City of God, VIII.27)
Thus, Ecclesiasticus is not a paean to man’s strength, but to God’s grace working through the just. “Their bodies are buried in peace, and their name liveth unto generation and generation.” (v. 14) Even as their bones rest in the dust, their souls reign with the Ascended Lord.
“Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of Heaven.”
(Matt. 5:3)
The Beatitudes are often heard with dulled ears, but in Ascensiontide they take on a new clarity. Christ, having ascended, now speaks through His Word with the authority of One who has gone before us into the eternal Beatitude. In the sermon on the mount, Our Lord lays down the law of the New Kingdom — not of power, but of poverty, meekness, purity, and mercy. These are the virtues of those whose eyes are fixed above.
St. Gregory of Nyssa sees in the Beatitudes a ladder of ascent:
“Each virtue is a step that lifts us higher to God, and the summit is purity of heart — for the pure in heart shall see God.” (Homilies on the Beatitudes)
And St. Ambrose, ever attuned to the mystery of divine reward, says:
“What is poverty of spirit but humility? And how is the Kingdom promised to them? Because the humble abandon all for Christ, and thus possess all in Him.” (Expositio Evangelii sec. Lucam)
This passage mirrors the praise of the just in Ecclesiasticus. The meek, the mourners, the merciful — these are the ones whose “name liveth unto generation and generation.” The world does not know them; it passes them by. But they are known by God. They are the true nobility, the citizens of the civitas Dei, awaiting the full revelation of glory when the Paraclete comes.
Ascensiontide: A Season of Holy Desire
In this sacred time between Ascension and Pentecost, the Church breathes in silence. Christ has gone, but not left us; He is hidden from sight, but more present than ever in sacramental mystery. These readings direct our gaze heavenward.
The just of Ecclesiasticus are not to be envied merely for their legacy, but imitated in their hope. The Beatitudes are not future promises only, but present gifts given in suffering. Together, they form a mirror in which we see the form of the saints and long to join them.
As St. Leo the Great preached in this season:
“The Ascension of Christ is our uplifting; the hope of the Body is in the Head. Let us exult, dearly beloved, with worthy joy, and delight in the great glory of God.” (Sermon 73 on the Ascension)
The saints of old, praised in Ecclesiasticus, are now seated with Christ. The blessed of the Gospel walk the same narrow road. And we, in the quiet days of waiting, pray: Veni, Sancte Spiritus — Come, Holy Ghost, and enkindle in us the fire of that same Beatitude.
Suggested Spiritual Exercise:
Today, spend a few minutes meditating on the Beatitudes in light of a particular saint you admire. Consider how their life expressed each one. Then ask for the grace to imitate that virtue in your own life as you await the coming of the Holy Ghost.
Liturgical Note:
The Thursday after the Ascension is still within the privileged octave of waiting. It is a time of expectant preparation. The Office today is imbued with joyful sobriety, and the Regina Caeli continues to echo the Church’s paschal joy even as she kneels in the Cenacle with Our Lady and the Apostles.