REFLECTIONS TODAY
The saints are like heroes we idolize: they go beyond or overcome themselves and thereby acquire power. Many saints started out as weaklings, afraid, egoistic, focused on things of this world. But once they opened themselves up to God or allowed themselves to be touched by God’s grace, they started to do seemingly impossible things.
Sometimes we catch ourselves in this “heroic” or “saintly” mode, too: as when we help someone beyond what is necessary; when we gave up or give away a cherished possession; when we forgave someone who hurt us so deeply; when we wasted time to console a grieving friend; and so on.
The dividing line between being “ordinary” and “heroic” or “saintly” is perhaps not too thick, but often many of us simply remain in the realm of the worldly, the self, the ordinary.
Whereas others are able to cross or go beyond the line, and they become “transcendent,” holy, and they “shine like lights in the world” as St. Paul describes those who follow Jesus faithfully (Phil 2:15).
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.”
First Reading • Rv 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, 144,000 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. 10They 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.”
Source: “366 Days with the Lord 2024,” St. Paul’s, 7708 St. Paul Rd., SAV, Makati City (Phils.); Tel.: 632-895-9701; E-mail: [email protected]; Website: http://www.stpauls.ph.