This year the Feast of All Saints occurs on a Sunday, replacing the 31st Sunday in Ordinary Time. The liturgy gives us two Biblical images of people gathering around Christ. The first reading from the Book of Revelation gives a vision of a huge multitude of people from all races and cultures gathered around the throne of the risen and ascended Christ. They praise and worship God for the gift of salvation. The vision is given to offer hope, support, and consolation to Christ’s followers who are struggling to remain faithful to Christ and his teachings.
The gospel portrays another gathering. The disciples are assembled around Christ to be in his presence and to receive his teachings. (This gospel with the beatitudes is the beginning of the three-chapter sermon on the mount.) This sermon is for all who desire to know and live according to God’s values here and now.
How do these biblical gatherings around Christ inspire you to be faithful? How does our Eucharistic gathering, with Christ at our center, inspire you to be faithful?