Homily Reflection: Feast of All Saints/All Souls - All Those Blessed Rules!

Gospel MT 5:1-12A 

On All Saints Day the Gospel is on the beatitudes. On All Souls Day, one of the Gospel choices is the same reading. There is a reason why.

Christians know the Ten Commandments; but, it is the Beatitudes that make us Christian. These are what Jesus taught his disciples, the rules that made holy men and holy women, Saints. That’s why the Beatitudes are in the Gospel reading on All Saints Day.

But why should this Gospel be read on All Souls Day? Most of us probably think we can never live by all those blessed rules. They were written for another time and other people.

Let me think about people that I know. A lot are not poor in spirit; they are full of pride and ego. Most of the people I know are not really meek, quiet, or gentle. In fact, to get anywhere in the world today, you’d better not be. There are not many people who hunger and thirst for righteousness.  Well they do; if it is their righteousness.

How many people do you know who are truly merciful?  With all the bigotry, prejudice, and hate in our country and in the world, are people that way and do people really want peace? Does any of this lead itself to a clean heart?

Then there’s probably the most stepped on and disregarded blessed rule. It’s about standing up for Jesus Christ. Do we turn a blind eye to what is right if we become uncomfortable, or if it doesn't fit into our lifestyle? Are we going to let people abuse us and bully us and talk about us; or, are we just going to fit in?

Who needs all these blessed things?

Let me answer that question. I do! You do!  All these blessed things are the salt that makes us Christian.  

If you could live up to all these blessed things, then you would truly be blessed. You would be a Saint. No matter how we have ignored these blessed things, we can change. We can get there. Look at the lives of the saints, they were not all perfect. They may not have started their lives following all these blessed rules.

But then they found Christ and listened to the Holy Spirit. They open themselves to God and let God grasp their right hand. And they were forgiven.

And that is why we can read the same Gospel reading on All Souls Day. Because, when we think about it, we can live by these blessed rules. 

Because we can, someone may be praying for us. Maybe those prayers are from a dearly departed soul. 

  

These blessed rules are what makes us Christian. They can really be quite easy, even for us simple souls. The Holy Spirit is always knocking on our hearts so we can let Christ in, as God reaches for our right hand. And, we are forgiven.

In that, we can rejoice and be glad, for our reward will be great in heaven.