Saints Long for the Kind of Life Jesus Describes

As visioned by John in the reading from Revelation, from the heavens to the earth the saints are the ones who “long to see God’s face” (Psalm 24). 

Sometimes, we deceive ourselves into thinking our faith will be rewarded in this life with wealth or ease, but when Jesus begins the Sermon on the Mount with the Beatitudes, we hear about what blessing means.  We are blessed when we are poor in spirit, when we mourn, when we are meek and leaning toward righteousness, when we are merciful and have clean hearts.  We are blessed when we make peace, and when we face insults and persecutions for doing the right thing.  The rewards of these blessings are offered both in this life and the next, but they are spiritual riches rather than material.  So, are we praying to win the lottery, or for the kind of holiness that comes from practicing the Beatitudes? 

As the liturgical year draws to an end and the winter darkness is setting in, it is worth asking what we really long for most and adjusting our compasses as necessary. 

God of the Beatitudes, may we be blessed as Jesus teaches.  May we long to see your face, and long to live as you have taught us, that our blessing will find us here, pure in heart, and in heaven. 

Amen.