＊＊＊ 1st Reading ＊＊＊

Revelation 7: 2-4, 9-14

 I saw another angel ascending from the sunrise,

carrying the seal of the living God, and he cried out with a loud voice to the four angels empowered to harm the earth and the sea,  “Do not harm the earth or the sea or the trees until we have sealed the servants of our God upon their foreheads.”

Then I heard the number of those marked with the seal: a hundred and forty-four thou­­sand from all the tribes of the people of Israel:

After this I saw a great crowd, impossible to count, from every nation, race, people and tongue, standing before the throne and the Lamb, clothed in white, with palm branches in their hands,  and they cried out with a loud voice, “Who saves but our God who sits on the throne and the Lamb?”

All the angels were around the throne, the elders and the four liv­ing creatures; they then bowed before the throne with their faces to the ground to wor­ship God.  They said, Amen. Praise, glory, wisdom, thanks, honor, power and strength to our God forever and ever. Amen!

 At that moment, one of the elders spoke up and said to me, “Who are these people clothed in white, and where did they come from?”   I answered, “Sir, it is you who know this.”

The elder replied, “They are those who have come out of the great persecution; they have washed and made their clothes white in the blood of the Lamb.

 

Ps 24  Lord, this is the people that longs to see your face.

 

＊＊＊2nd Reading ＊＊＊

1 John 3: 1-3

 

＊＊＊＊ Gospel ＊＊＊＊

Matthew 5: 1-12a

 When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up the mountain. He sat down and his disciples gathered around him.  Then he spoke and began to teach them:

Fortunate are those who are poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Fortunate are those who mourn, they shall be comforted.

 Fortunate are the gentle, they shall pos­sess the land.

 Fortunate are those who hunger and thirst for justice, for they shall be satisfied.

Fortunate are the merciful, for they shall find mercy.

 Fortunate are those with a pure heart, for they shall see God.

 Fortunate are those who work for peace, they shall be called children of God.

 Fortunate are those who are persecuted for the cause of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

 Fortunate are you, when people insult you and persecute you and speak all kinds of evil against you because you are my followers.  Be glad and joyful, for a great reward is kept for you in God. For that is how this people persecuted the prophets who lived before you.

 

Gospel Reflection：

“FORTUNATE ARE THOSE WHO ARE POOR IN SPIRIT.”

Saints are people like us, of flesh and blood. They came from all walks of life: John Paul Ⅱ and John ⅩⅩⅢ were popes; Ezekiel Moreno was a priest and bishop; Thomas More was a lawyer and statesman; Margaret of Scotland was queen, wife and mother of 10; Therese of Lisieux was a nun; Tarcisius was an altar boy; Francis of Asissi was a deacon;

Pedro Calungsod was a catechist; Lorenzo Ruiz was a layman; Isidore was a farmer; Louis and Zellie Martin were husband and wife, etc. They were very much like us. But what makes the difference? The difference lies in the fact that their Christian Faith dictated and gave direction to their way of life.

The difference is that they lived the Faith they embraced, and the Gospel they believed. They were totally devoted to Jesus. They had their own weakness, and like us they had to struggle with human inclinations and temptations, but they triumphed in their pursuit of holiness; they were Christians in and out. They took to heart not to stain their identity as children of God.

“Be like saints” is our battle cry today. It will indeed be a great rejoicing when someday we will find each other counted and numbered among the saints, among those who will be marked and sealed as children of God (Rev. 7:3; 1 Jn3: 1,2).