Matthew 5:1-12 (All Saints Day)

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Matthew 5:1-12 is the opening of Sermon on the Mount. This passage is often refered to as "The Beatitudes," based on the original Latin word for "Blessed."

Presumably, this text is assigned for All Saints Day because "saints" are those who have been beatified.

But even if one is not part of a tradition that recognizes Saints, it is still worth pondering what are the attitudes and behaviours in this life that are pleasing to God, that are a cause for blessing.

Since All Saints Day is a day for remembering the dead, it is also a good day for pondering how it all ends? What are we to make of the mess that most living involves? Is God's grace sufficient for restoring our brokenness, our sinfulness? Is God's love sufficient for healing our hurts? Can we, and all of creation, ever be finally reconciled into relationships of harmony and peace?

As we ponder these questions, I think it is always a good thing to remember the words of the modern Saint Fred (also known as Mr. Rogers):

Even people who are good most of the time are bad some of the time.
And people who are bad most of the time are good some of the time.

Those we honour as saints have never been ALL good, All the time.

But thankfully, those who followed Jesus, at some time, have had some inkling of hearing these words and practicing them. Their lives inspire us to do the same.

David Ewart,
www.davidewart.ca