All Saints’ Day, Nov. 1, 2026

Gospel: Matthew 5:1-12

5 Now when Jesus saw the crowds, He went up on the mountain; and after He sat down, His disciples came to Him. ² And He opened His mouth and began to teach them, saying,

³ “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

⁴ “Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.

⁵ “Blessed are the gentle, for they will inherit the earth.

⁶ “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be satisfied.

⁷ “Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy.

⁸ “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.

⁹ “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God.

¹⁰ “Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

¹¹ “Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me. ¹² Rejoice and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great; for in this same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

GOSPEL COMMENTARY:

A New Formula for Happiness

When Jesus taught the Beatitudes, He wasn’t just giving another list of rules. If the Ten Commandments tell us what NOT to do, the Beatitudes show us who we are called TO BE. They act as a loving portrait of Christ’s own heart and a practical guide for finding true, lasting joy. They remind us that real happiness doesn’t come from wealth or power, but from relying completely on God’s grace.

An Upside-Down Kingdom

The Beatitudes flip society’s idea of success completely upside down. The world often tells us that the powerful, the wealthy, and the comfortable are the blessed ones. Jesus, however, declares that the “poor in spirit” (those who know they deeply need God), those who mourn (who have compassionate hearts for the suffering of others), and the meek are the ones who truly possess the Kingdom. Their vulnerability and dependence on God make room for His grace to work powerfully in their lives.

The “Saints Next Door”

We read this Gospel on All Saints’ Day because the Beatitudes are the exact path the saints walked. This feast reminds us that the saints were not unapproachable superheroes with perfect lives; they were ordinary people who simply made the daily, difficult choices to be merciful, pure-hearted, and peacemakers in their own times. By living the Beatitudes, we are all called to be the “saints next door” within our own families and neighborhoods.

Reflection Questions

• Personal: Which of the Beatitudes challenges my daily life the most? (For example, am I struggling to be a peacemaker in a family conflict, or finding it hard to be “poor in spirit” and surrender control to God?) What is one concrete step I can take this week to practice it?
  
• For the BEC: How can our Basic Ecclesial Community embody this “upside-down” Kingdom together? How do we move beyond just gathering for prayer to actively being merciful and bringing peace to the struggling or marginalized people right in our own barangay?