Heaven and Earth Pray Together

Greetings on this the Solemnity of All Saints

Readings: Rv 7:2-4, 9-14; Ps 24:1bc-2, 3-4ab, 5-6; 1 Jn 3:1-3; Mt 5:1-12a

Marriage Preparation

When I prepare couples for marriage I sometimes use a software product I purchased called GenoPro. This product allows for the mapping of the two family trees. It opens up beautiful conversations about the family. Depending on enthusiasm, the tree is either quite extensive or short and abbreviated. There are so many stories of triumph, victory, sadness, mistakes, large mistakes and unfortunate events (health, choice, things beyond our control). For some it is easy to share. For others many pain points that need honoring, healing or at the least the cleansing power of transparency and mutual sharing in love.

I look the bride-to-be and groom-to-be and remind them. You marry history. You marry long developed traditions and corporate memories. All these people and events and things INFORM us, help FORM us and are a root source of our intuitive thinking – sometimes healthily, sometimes degradingly.

But most of all we choose to embrace the past and the people of the life of our Beloved. Then we move into prayer for them. We take the geomap of my beloved and name the persons and offer prayer and supplication on their behalf. For the dead – divine mercy, for the living – divine aid, for those to come the divine embrace. Because you see, in marriage, we imitate the divine promise of the Gospel of John 14:2-3.

In my Father’s house there are many dwelling places. If there were not, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back again and take you to myself, so that where I am you also may be.

We take each other into the house. We take the family of the beloved into ourselves. Who are they?

After this I had a vision of a great multitude, which no one could count, from every nation, race, people, and tongue. They stood before the throne and before the Lamb, wearing white robes and holding palm branches in their hands.

Here is a link to their product: https://genopro.com/free/

Summary

Sidebar: Serving Mass at the VAMC today. We want our staff, patients and visitors to be united in prayer today on this Holy Day of Obligation.

We celebrate the Saints of the Lord who intercede for us and have been faithful even until the end.

Reflection

We celebrate the Saints by way of the Blessed in the Beatitudes. Blessed are … and to tie together with the marriage intake… you marry a family who has at one time or another experienced or expressed…

• poor
• mourn
• meek
• hunger and thirst for righteousness
• merciful
• clean of heart
• peacemakers
• persecuted

Blessed be God forever!

Sacred Readings

Full text: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/110124.cfm

First Reading

After this I had a vision of a great multitude, which no one could count, from every nation, race, people, and tongue. They stood before the throne and before the Lamb, wearing white robes and holding palm branches in their hands.

They cried out in a loud voice: “Salvation comes from our God, who is seated on the throne, and from the Lamb.”

Responsorial

Lord, this is the people that longs to see your face.

Second Reading

Beloved: See what love the Father has bestowed on us that we may be called the children of God. Yet so we are.

Gospel Acclamation (see Mt 11:28)

Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, And I will give you rest, says the Lord.

Gospel

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 Kingdom 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.

Peace be with you,
Deacon Gerry