Hearing The Word

A weekly newsletter delivering context and insight into the Sunday Gospels.

November 1, 2026

Solemnity of All Saints

Matthew 5:1-12a

When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up the mountain,

and after he had sat down, his disciples came to him.

He began to teach them, saying:

"Blessed are the poor in spirit,

for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven.

Blessed are they who mourn,

for they will be comforted.

Blessed are the meek,

for they will inherit the land.

Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness,

for they will be satisfied.

Blessed are the merciful,

for they will be shown mercy.

Blessed are the clean of heart,

for they will see God.

Blessed are the peacemakers,

for they will be called children of God.

Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness,

for theirs is the Kindom of heaven.

Blessed are you when they insult you and persecute you

and utter every kind of evil against you falsely because of me.

Rejoice and be glad,

for your reward will be great in heaven."



The Character of the Kingdom



~Rev. Patrick Brady, STD, SSL, MDiv

Pastor, Saint Stanislaus Catholic Church + Lansdale, PA

The Beatitudes (Matthew 5:1–12) are often presented as the new Ten Commandments. Jesus does not command anyone to be poor in spirit or to mourn. He announces who is blessed in the kingdom. The Beatitudes describe both the Kingdom and the character of those who receive it. Note the distinction between the crowd and the disciples “who came to him.” Jesus’ teaching is for all, but discipleship begins when we draw near and listen.

The poor in spirit, the merciful, and the pure in heart are not items on a spiritual checklist of things to do but portraits of those who belong to the Kingdom. God’s reign is already at work in them; the Beatitudes therefore describe the life of grace while calling others to conversion and guiding Christian conduct.

The Old Testament frequently associates blessedness with delight in God’s law and fidelity to his instruction. Psalm 1:1–2 calls blessed the one who delights in the law. Psalm 119:1–2 calls blessed those who walk in the Lord’s law and seek him with their whole heart. In Israel’s prayer, blessedness is inseparable from a life shaped by God’s instruction.”

In Matthew, blessedness becomes inseparable from relationship with Jesus. The ninth Beatitude extends the eighth, adding one decisive phrase: “on account of me” (5:11). Jesus stands at the center of the blessed life. Obedience remains, expressed in following him and putting his words into practice (7:24).

The Catechism teaches that the New Law is the grace of the Holy Spirit, given through faith in Christ, and finds its principal expression in the Sermon on the Mount (CCC 1965–1966). “The Beatitudes reveal the virtues and dispositions that grace forms in those who follow Christ. John Paul II called them a kind of self-portrait of Christ (Veritatis Splendor 16).

Called to Be Saints

~Julia Lehman

Our Lady of Guadalupe + Doylestown, PA

Growing up, the Solemnity of All Saints was always one of my favorite feast days. The day after Halloween and just a few days before my birthday, it marked a special season in my family. While everyone was still excited about costumes and candy, my sisters and I were learning about the saints and the example of faith they left for us.

I attended Catholic school, and each year All Saints Day gave us an opportunity to remember the holy men and women who lived ordinary lives but followed God in extraordinary ways. My parents dressed my three sisters and me as saints for All Hallows’ Eve, helping us put together costumes and learn about the lives they represented. Looking back, I realize they were teaching us something much deeper than church history. They were showing us that sainthood is not just for a select few. It is a calling for all of us.

What means the most to me now is that the saints were real people. They were students, parents, and friends who faced challenges just as we do. My childhood memories of dressing up as saints with my sisters, attending school Mass, and collecting holy cards helped me see them as real people, not just names in a religious textbook. They were ordinary men and women who loved God, faced difficulties, and did their best to live out their faith.

As I’ve gotten older, I’ve come to appreciate their lives in a different way. They remind me that holiness doesn’t mean being perfect, but rather trusting in God through life’s challenges and always trying to live out our faith.

This is what makes the Solemnity of All Saints so meaningful for each of us. As we gather for Mass to honor those who have gone before us, we are reminded of our own call to holiness. We are called to love our families, serve our neighbors, forgive those who have hurt us, and remain faithful to God even when life becomes difficult. The saints show us that these everyday acts of faith and love can lead us closer to Him.

All Saints Day reminds me that we are all called to become saints. As we celebrate those who have gone before us, we are reminded that holiness is something we can strive for in our own lives, with the help of God’s grace.