Commentary

All Saints
Matthew 5:1-12a

We Become Saints Together

Matthew gives the setting of the Sermon on the Mount in this way, "[Jesus'] disciples came to him. He began to teach them."

Throughout the four Gospels, Jesus hardly ever teaches one person individually. And it's no difference here as Matthew presents the core of Jesus' teaching.[1]

This simple sentence , therefore, is an appropriate reminder for all followers of Christ as the Church celebrates the Solemnity of All Saints. None of us will become a saint alone. It is to the community of believers that God chooses to reveal the truth of salvation. It is in the community that we find the support and inspiration we need to live God's way. This community of saints begins in our families. It then extends to all believers, both in heaven and on earth, and even those who come after us. Together, we build God's Reign.
------------------
[1] "For Christians, next to the Ten Commandments as an expression of God's will, the eight beatitudes have been revered for expressing succinctly the values on which Jesus placed priority." Raymond Brown. An Introduction to the New Testament. New York: Doubleday, 1997; p. 178.
- Reference: Catechism of the Catholic Church, # 1965 and 2764.