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Reflecting on Apocalypse 7:2-12 and Matthew 5:1-12 during the Feria VI after the Twenty-Third Sunday after Pentecost, and in celebration of the Feast of All Saints

Reflecting on Apocalypse 7:2-12 and Matthew 5:1-12 during the Feria VI after the Twenty-Third Sunday after Pentecost, and in celebration of the Feast of All Saints, we enter into the mystery of God’s grace and the promises He extends to His faithful. This is a celebration of those “great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and tribes, and peoples, and tongues” (Apoc 7:9), who have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. The Church, in her wisdom, turns our gaze to this profound vision of heaven, drawing us to a life of holiness patterned on the Beatitudes given by Christ.

Apocalypse 7:2-12: The Sealed and the Saved

In Apocalypse 7:2-12, St. John the Apostle shares a vision of angels marking the servants of God with a seal, symbolizing divine protection. The saints gathered before God are not merely a group of pious people; they are witnesses to the power of grace that sustains them through trial. St. Augustine describes this seal as “a mark of the Holy Spirit,” affirming that it is only by God’s mercy that we are preserved in faith and led into eternal life.

St. John Chrysostom emphasizes that the multitude in white robes represents the Church triumphant. He writes, “Not one single person, however great in holiness, is left out. They all praise God in unity, showing that holiness is never a solitary journey, but a calling to union with God and His people.” Each person, each face, is unique, yet all are bound together in their worship of the Lamb. Chrysostom’s vision points to a holy communion, reminding us that salvation is a gift meant to be shared, a mark that transforms us into a people living for God and others.

Matthew 5:1-12: The Beatitudes as a Path to Sainthood

The Beatitudes in Matthew 5:1-12 are at the heart of this celebration. They outline the way to holiness—a way to sainthood. Each Beatitude reveals a virtue that conforms us to Christ. The meek, the merciful, the pure in heart—all are blessed, even as the world sees them as weak. St. Ambrose of Milan calls the Beatitudes “the charter of Christian life,” emphasizing that they are a call to radical discipleship.

St. Gregory of Nyssa reminds us that the Beatitudes are progressive steps leading us closer to God. He notes, “The Beatitudes are steps of a ladder by which we ascend to God. It is only by grace that we can embody each of these blessings.” Gregory’s insight captures how holiness is not a one-time achievement but a journey. In each Beatitude, we find a calling to grow deeper in faith, becoming more like Christ.

Called to be Saints

The Feast of All Saints is not only a remembrance of those in heaven; it is an invitation for each of us to seek holiness. The Church Fathers urge us to imitate the saints who have gone before us, not by following a formula but by trusting in the grace of God, which He gives freely to all who ask. St. Basil the Great reminds us, “The saints were not born holy; they became holy by walking humbly with God.” We are called to join them, to make our own robes white, by embracing the Beatitudes, relying on the seal of the Holy Spirit, and living a life of constant conversion.

The path to sainthood is not always easy; it involves carrying our cross and enduring trials. But in the words of St. Augustine, “Our hearts are restless until they rest in You.” This longing for God is the foundation of the Beatitudes—a hunger and thirst for righteousness that is met in the person of Christ.

As we celebrate this holy feast, let us remember that the saints are not distant figures but friends, mentors, and models of a life wholly surrendered to God. With them, we are called to take up our cross, to live the Beatitudes, and to become part of that great multitude in heaven, singing “Salvation to our God, who sitteth upon the throne, and to the Lamb” (Apoc 7:10). May we, too, be counted among the saints, washed clean by the blood of Christ, and found faithful at the last.

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