The Solemnity of All Saints - (Special) 2025
Readings for
THE LITURGY OF THE WORD
First Reading: Revelation 7:2-4. 9-14
Psalm: Ps 23:1-6 "Lord, this is the people that longs to see your face."
Second Reading: 1 John 3:1-3
Gospel Acclamation: Matthew 11:28 Come to me all you that labour and are burdened, and I will give you rest, says the Lord.
Gospel: Matthew 5:1- 12
Image Credit: https://creator.nightcafe.studio/creation/OzQufYsohHPKMYOzeBLp?ru=Paul-Evangelion
Please listen to the audio-recordings of the Mass – (Readings, prayers and homily), for All Saints - First November, 2025 by clicking this link here
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* Prologue: The Feast of All Saints began in the East to commemorate all martyrs and was progressively adopted in the West. Celebrated on this day in the Eighth Century and soon widely observed throughout the world, honoured today are all holy women and men in glory with Christ, known or unknown, mighty or lowly, all whose lives were modelled on the beatitudes and on the great commandment of love. {FHL}
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The Feast of All Saints is the feast of all Christians. In fact, being a disciple of Jesus implies striving to be holy, as our Heavenly Father is holy. We're called to holiness, and we're called to be saints.
In fact, in the early church, the saint was the title used to describe all members of the Christian church, living and dead, since eternal life with Christ begins with baptism. So, eternal life has already begun, but not yet fully revealed. Matthew's Gospel tells us that those who are sensitive to the needs of the poor will enter the kingdom, and are already part of it.
The eight Beatitudes speak to us of the fundamental attitudes of Jesus' disciples and of all Christians. Disciples must totally trust God, that is, be poor in spirit. They must share the suffering of others, those who weep.
Just as the Lord is, so too we must be kind to others, to be meek. They must fervently want justice to reign in this world, those who hunger and thirst for righteousness. And moreover, disciples must bear in their hearts the poor, the needy.
They must be ready to soften their hearts to those who are trying to turn back, the merciful. They must be consistent and upright in their lives, the pure in heart. They must do their best to establish peace as an outcome of justice, the peacemakers.
All of this means that they will be opposed by those who refuse to recognize the rights of others, persecuted for righteousness' sake. Matthew's Gospel goes on to put this into practical terms. Disciples are those who feed the hungry, give a drink to the thirsty, and so on.
In other words, those who are committed in practical ways to the needy. The poor in spirit translate their love of God and of others by being united with the real poor in a material sense. In their actions for the poor, the marginalized, and the oppressed, they will encounter Jesus himself.
Whenever you did it to one of the least of these, you did it to me, and encountering the Lord as grace. As Pope Saint John Paul II wrote, it's impossible to embrace the cause of the poor and in doing so verify our fidelity to Christ without causing hostility and resistance, without going through the great ordeal. Receiving the grace of being children of God involves creating practical and real friendships and justice in our society.
Having said this, we have known many people like this. We know them now, in our families, in our friends, colleagues, members of our communities, people who have modeled their lives, their attitudes and decisions on the Beatitudes. So they saw God as he really is and continue to see him in heaven.
This feast is especially for the unnamed saints. Officially proclaimed saints have their own special feasts and memorials, though of course they're included today as well. But this is especially the feast day of the saints not listed in earthly books, but certainly listed in God's book of life.
And we have known them, we've lived with them, we've been inspired by them, we hope to join them in heaven one day. Sometimes the practicality of the Beatitudes is illustrated best by contrast. Those who are puffed up and proud, those who are self-focused, those without empathy for others, those who refuse to be kind and gentle, those who make excuses for injustices when they could actually do something to help, those who are violent and ruthless to those who cry out for mercy, even when their predicament is sometimes their own making.
These people are not the ones who will inherit the kingdom. The kingdom is not inherited by those who crush others under their feet on their way to achieve their goals. They're not those who abuse and use others for their own selfish ends.
Nor are they the ones who have no concern for the plight of the poor, the outcast, the sinner, the needy. The ones who see no fraternity in people of other places, cultures, or situations, when in fact these people are truly our brothers and sisters in Christ. Rather, it's those who stand up for, and with those who call for justice and peace, who stand always in God's presence.
We thank and praise God for inspiring us by the close example of these wonderful lights of Christ in our own lives. May we continue to live these virtues in our own lives. The saints pray for us before the very face of God.
We are truly in wonderful company.
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References:
Fr Paul W. Kelly
Gutiérrez, G. and Dees, C. (1997). Sharing the Word through the liturgical year. 1st ed. Maryknoll: Orbis Books. Pp. 278-9
Image Credit: https://creator.nightcafe.studio/creation/OzQufYsohHPKMYOzeBLp?ru=Paul-Evangelion
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Archive of homilies and reflections: homilycatholic.blogspot.com.au
To contact Fr. Paul, please email: paulwkelly68@gmail.com
To listen to the homily audio podcast, please click this link here.
NB - It is often a week or so Ahead: soundcloud.com/user-633212303/tracks
Further information relating to the audio productions linked to this Blog:
"Faith, Hope and Love - Christian worship and reflection" - Led by Rev Paul Kelly
Prayers and chants — Roman Missal, 3rd edition, © 2010, The International Commission on English in the liturgy. (ICEL)
Scriptures - New Revised Standard Version: © 1989, and 2009 by the NCC-USA. (National Council of Churches of Christ - USA)
"The Psalms" ©1963, 2009, The Grail - Collins publishers.
Prayers of the Faithful - " Together we pray" by Robert Borg'. E.J. Dwyer, Publishers, (1993) . (Sydney Australia).
Sung "Mass In Honour of St. Ralph Sherwin" - By Jeffrey M. Ostrowski. The Gloria, Copyright © 2011 ccwatershed.org.
- "Faith, Hope and Love" theme hymn - in memory of William John Kelly - Inspired by 1 Corinthians 13:1-13. Music by Paul W. Kelly. Arranged and sung, with additional lyrics by Stefan Kelk. 2019.
"Quiet Time." Instrumental Reflection music. Written by Paul W Kelly. 1988, 2007. & This arrangement: Stefan Kelk, 2020.
- "Today I Arise" - For Trisha J Kelly. Original words and music by Paul W. Kelly. Inspired by St Patrick's Prayer. Arranged and sung, with additional lyrics by Stefan Kelk. 2019.
[ Production - KER - 2025]
May God bless and keep you.
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