https://app.dropwave.io/episode/8b0da844-f65d-4a31-b788-3d57b41040f5/all-saints-day-ad-2025.mp3

++ JESU JUVA ++

In the Name of the Father, and of the + Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

It seems like Jesus has gotten confused. Blessed are the poor in spirit? Those who mourn? Those who are hungry and thirsty and persecuted?

That’s what many believe Christians are: Spineless, weak, and poor. Fragile, ineffective, and powerless. There is a kind of truth to this assessment. Our strength is not ours, but it is Christ’s. For Saint Paul reminds us, “when I am weak, then I am strong.”

But if that’s the full extent of our preaching, what results? Then we live a false Christianity. A Christianity that’s weak and ineffective. A Christianity that seems to exist on Sunday morning, but it disappears into silence the rest of the week. It has doctrines, but it doesn’t seem to assert anything or do anything. Someone with that kind of “Christian faith” just kind of plods through life.

There’s no repentance. No direction. No vitality. No boldness. No witness. No community. Instead, there’s silence. Conflict. Disengagement. Fear. Despair. But this is far from the image that Jesus sets before us in today’s Gospel.

The Beatitudes focus on this word ‘blessed.’ The term Jesus uses for ‘blessed’ comes from Greek culture. There it meant one who is wealthy, powerful, honored, dignified, and masterful. It’s a word describing someone — especially a man — living up to his full potential — he has a bright outlook, an abundant life. He has attained real manhood.

Jesus didn’t come to make us poor and contemptible, but to make us rich — rich in Him. Rich in our outlook on life. Rich in all the things that matter. Rich in everything that brings ultimate satisfaction to the soul. That’s what’s contained within this word ‘blessed.’ One who is blessed by God has attained all that God has designed him to be.

So when Jesus says, “Blessed are…,” He’s saying that you are blessed, right now. He’s saying that He has given you life in its fullness today. When He speaks this word of blessing, you are blessed, here. For you have harmony with God Himself. God, the Creator of all there is, is at peace with you. Jesus Christ, your King, has shed His blood for you. He has sent you His Holy Spirit to bring you all the blessings of God, to fill your cup to overflowing. These blessings are pressed down, shaken together, running over, and poured into your lap. In Christ, you lack no good thing.

With all the other religions of the world, you have to work and strive, and maybe — one day — you might attain to what is promised. But with Jesus, you aren’t working and striving in order to one day, possibly, gain His blessing and favor. You have it now.

You already are children of His Kingdom. He has made you thus freely, of His grace, without any merit or worthiness in you. He is unlike all the other gurus and influencers. They demand of you. He gives. They require your work. He bestows. For He declares and brings good tidings of great joy to you: the forgiveness of all your sins in His holy name.

So rejoice my beloved, for today when Jesus calls you blessed, He counts you among their number. This is the reality He hands over to you. The First Reading from Revelation gives us a picture of this life. Saint John witnessed the fulfillment of our Lord’s Beatitudes.

For this great multitude, every blessing of God is now and eternally theirs. God who did not spare His own Son, but gave Him up for them all, has graciously given them all things (Rom 8). No longer poor in spirit, they behold the Kingdom of heaven and take hold of it (Matthew 11). Their mourning has ended (Rev 21). The God of all comfort has comforted them in every affliction (2 Cor 1). Their afflictions have been completed.

Adopted as sons of God (Gal 4), they have inherited the earth and every physical blessing of God. Their hunger and thirst for righteousness has been satisfied. To the merciful, God has shown Himself merciful. With the blameless, He has shown Himself blameless. With the purified, He has shown Himself pure. He has saved the humble (Psalm 18) and exalted them (Luke 1). Those of purified heart have seen God. In their own flesh and with their own eyes, they behold their Redeemer (Job 19). Their persecutors thought they were offering service to God (John 16), but to all those who have received such mistreatment, God has given them His own Kingdom.

They aren’t angels, for the nature of angels is less than humans. They are now fully and completely themselves. Fully and completely human like they have never been in this life. Now, they are who God always intended them to be. For they are forever and ever without sin. They do not mourn. They are filled with mercy. They are pure in heart.

Satisfied. Peaceful. Comforted. Encouraged. Vindicated. Justified. Perfected. Rewarded. Healed. Freed.

Sins forgiven. Promises fulfilled. Work finished. Reward granted. Thirst quenched. Hunger abated. Race completed. Hope obtained. Faith fulfilled. Love perfected. Divisions healed. Unity realized.

At rest.

Who are these clothed in white robes? The multitude that John sees is recognizable. The saints in heaven are unique. They are different heights, have different degrees of intelligence. They aren’t reduced to a flattened kind of equality. Their appearance tells him that they are from every nation.