Gospel
Mt 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."
REFLECTION
"Rejoice and be glad,
for your reward will be great in heaven."
Greek Saint Nektarios said "The language of the heart is one thing and the language of the mind is quite another. This is why the mind expresses itself in one way and the heart in quite another. One tear from a repentant heart, a pained heart, expresses and reveals so much more."
November is a special month with the Church meditating with the faithful who have already reached heaven (November 1--the Church Triumphant); with the faithful departed who are still expiating their sins in purgatory ( November 2--the Church Suffering) and with those faithful pilgrims still here on earth (the Church Militant).
On November 1 we celebrate the saints in heaven--all souls who made it to heaven. All Saints' Day was started by Pope Boniface IV in 609 AD. Invaders had plundered the burial sites of the martyrs in the catacombs, so he gatherered 28 wagon-loads of bones and reinterred them beneath the Pantheon. The Pantheon had originally been consecrated to the gods but Pope Boniface consecrated the Pantheon as a Christian Church in Rome to the Virgin Mary and all the Martyrs. There are more than 10,000 canonized saints but the precise number of saints is difficult as many are not officially canonized or known, but all are in heaven. All Saints' Day is a Holy Day of Obligation.
November 1 begins the octave of prayer. During the octave of All Saints Day (November 1-November 8) we can gain one daily plenary indulgence (a remission of temportal punishment for sins that have already been forgiven) for the departed souls if the following conditions are observed.
Visit a cemetery.
Make a sacramental confession within twenty days before or after.
Receive Holy Communion for each plenary indulgence within twenty days before or after.
Pray for the Pope's intentions. Usually one Our Father, Creed or Hail Mary at each visit.
Be detached from any desire to sin.
Happy All Saints' Day
Be what you were meant to be....
Be a saint!
PAPA Pilgrimage 2024
Pantheon
The Basilica of St Mary and Martyrs
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