The Blessed Company of Heaven

Voice over by Angeline Chue Chue

Rev 7:2-4.9-14; Psalm: 23; 1Jn 3:1-3; Mt 5:1-12a

Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ, on this glorious Solemnity of All Saints, the Church draws back the veil. We are given a breathtaking glimpse of our ultimate destiny, not as a distant dream, but as a present and certain hope. Today, we do not merely remember the saints; we celebrate our shared vocation to join them, for the path to holiness is nothing less than the path to our true and eternal home.

The vision of Saint John in the Book of Revelation is one of overwhelming consolation. He sees a great multitude, “which no one could count, from every nation, race, people, and tongue.” These are the ones who have survived the time of great distress, the trials of earthly life. They stand before the throne of God, wearing white robes—a sign of their victory in Christ—and waving palm branches, the symbol of eternal triumph. Who are they? They are “the ones who have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.” This is the great paradox of our faith: we are cleansed not by our own efforts, but by the sacrificial love of Jesus. The saints are not a caste of spiritual superheroes; they are ordinary sinners who allowed themselves to be redeemed and perfected by divine grace.

This is the truth that Saint John expounds in his first letter. He proclaims the stunning reality of our identity: “See what love the Father has bestowed on us that we may be called the children of God.” Our dignity does not come from our achievements, but from God’s free and loving choice. We are His children now, and the fullness of what we shall be is still hidden. But the hope of this identity purifies us. As Saint John says, “Everyone who has this hope based on him makes himself pure, as he is pure.” The lives of the saints are a testimony to this purifying hope, a hope that transforms our actions and desires to align with Christ’s.

And what does this purified life look like? It is perfectly outlined by the Master Himself in the Gospel of Matthew: the Beatitudes. The Sermon on the Mount is not a list of impossible ideals; it is the portrait of Jesus Christ and the blueprint for sainthood. It is a radical reversal of the world’s values. The world says, “Blessed are the rich, the powerful, the self-sufficient.” But Jesus declares, “Blessed are the poor in spirit… the meek… the merciful… the clean of heart… the peacemakers.” He pronounces blessed those who acknowledge their need for God, who embrace humility, who offer forgiveness, who seek purity, and who build bridges. He even blesses those who are persecuted for His sake, for their reward will be great in heaven.

The Catholic interpretation of these readings reveals a beautiful, cohesive truth. The countless multitude in Revelation is the final, glorious gathering of all those who have lived the Beatitudes. They are the poor in spirit who relied utterly on God, the meek who inherited the earth, the merciful who obtained mercy, the peacemakers who were called children of God. They lived their earthly lives as true children of the Father, and now they see Him as He is.

This is our comfort and our strength. The path to sainthood is not a mystery. It is the daily, sometimes difficult, choice to live the Beatitudes. It is to turn the other cheek in a family argument (meekness), to forgive a deep wound (mercy), to remain pure in a culture of excess (cleanliness of heart), and to trust God when our finances are tight (poverty of spirit). As the great Saint Thérèse of Lisieux, Doctor of the Church, taught us, it is about the “little way” of doing small acts with great love.

Pope Francis echoes this, urging us to become “saints next door.” He says, “Do not be afraid to set your sights higher, to allow yourself to be loved and liberated by God… Do not be afraid to let yourself be guided by the Holy Spirit.”

On this All Saints’ Day, let our hearts be filled with joyful hope. We are part of a pilgrim people, surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses. Let us strive to live the Beatitudes, confident that by God’s grace, we too are called to one day take our place in that innumerable throng, singing with one voice: “Salvation comes from our God, who is seated on the throne, and from the Lamb!” Amen.