St. Mary's Catholic Church of Tomahawk, WI

Dear Brothers and Sisters:

We are in the thirty first ordinary Sunday of year A celebrating the solemnity of All Saints. How meaningful and rich is this celebration commemorating the feast of all Saints, those who are known and unknown. The first reading tells us about the vision of St. John which celebrates the communion of saints at the approach of the end time and depicts the victorious Church. The vast communion of saints worships God with triumphant celebratory shouts, gestures of humility and a common song of praise and thanksgiving.

The second reading presents a pair of images. The first image reminds us that God has drawn us into a renewed relationship through His Son Jesus Christ, as we become God’s adopted children through baptism. The second image is that through the communion of Saints in glory we enjoy resurrected life with Jesus in heaven. The characteristic of this transformation is purification.

In the Gospel we hear the Beatitudes, the beginning of the teachings of Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount. They present the Lord’s vision and fundamental principles for achieving and embodying sanctity. Each beatitude invites us to critically reflect on sanctity and what it means to live the good life by pondering demographics that we might not typically regard as saintly or blessed: those who are poor, mourning, hungry and thirsty, enduring persecution or facing suffering and hardships. Yet for Jesus, the meek, merciful, pure, and those engaged in bringing peace are the ones who enjoy a blessed existence. Happy Feast to all!

Fr. Aloysius Royan Anthony