Who are the saints of God? Paul often refers to the members of the community addressed in his letters as “saints,” “holy one” or “called to be holy” (Philippians 1:1; Romans 1:6). You and I, through our baptism, have become “holy ones” or saints. This is both who we are as believers, our identity as baptized, and what we are called to be. We are called to be holy, compassionate, perfect as God is holy, compassionate, and perfect (Leviticus 21:8; Luke 6:36; Matthew 5:48).
This is Jesus’ message in today’s Gospel. The beatitudes describe who we are as disciples and what we are called to be. We are called to be poor in spirit. The other beatitudes enumerate what it means to be poor in spirit. It means to mourn, to be humble, to long for righteousness, to be merciful, and to be a peacemaker. We are called to see our own calling in these beatitudes. Today more than ever our world needs peacemakers and those who hunger and thirst for justice.
Jesus concludes this description of discipleship with these words: “You are the light of the world… your light must shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your heavenly Father.” (Matthew 5:16). A holy church and holy disciples draw people to give glory to God. As we look at the saints throughout the ages, we see that they drew people to God both in their age and throughout the ages, down into our own time.
Today as you hear the Gospel, listen as Jesus tells you who you are in his eyes. Jesus sees you as his holy people; he sees you as the light of the world. Jesus longs for you and me to be peacemakers, to pray and work for peace. Let us pray in the words of St. Francis, “Lord make me an instrument of your peace, where there is hatred, let me sow love…”
Image: “Saints are there” is licensed under Sailko | Wikipedia CC BY 3.0.