Matthew 5:1-12a

Seeing the crowds, Jesus went up the hill. There he sat down and was joined by his disciples. Then he began to speak. This is what he taught them:

‘How happy are the poor in spirit;

    theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Happy the gentle:

    they shall have the earth for their heritage.

Happy those who mourn:

    they shall be comforted.

Happy those who hunger and thirst for what is right:

    they shall be satisfied.

Happy the merciful:

    they shall have mercy shown them.

Happy the pure in heart:

    they shall see God.

Happy the peacemakers:

    they shall be called sons of God.

Happy those who are persecuted in the cause of right:

    theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

‘Happy are you when people abuse you and persecute you and speak all kinds of calumny against you on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward will be great in heaven.’

The beatitudes are spot on for All Saints Day – a list of attributes we need if we aspire to sainthood.

Being a saint for Catholics has two meanings. All of those who have died and gone to heaven are saints, but some people have lived lives of such virtue that the church canonizes them as saints, sure that they are in heaven. They should be an inspiration to us. The saints the church canonizes are a fraction of the total number. Hopefully a tiny fraction. All of us should aspire to sainthood.

To be a saint is to live a life with God at its centre. Poor in spirit – recognising our need for God. Gentle, merciful, a peacemaker – to know and share God’s love. We will all have times to mourn in our life, but God is there to comfort us. We should all hunger and thirst for what is right, not just for us but for all of God’s children. If we are persecuted for standing up or speaking out for what is right, then we are witnessing to our faith.

While we may not manage to lead such virtuous lives, sainthood is our hope and goal.