Blessed are you!

All Saints

Today is the feast of All Saints. In the Gospel, Jesus speaks about the Beatitudes. The Beatitudes show us how to become saints. Jesus gives us these guidelines to help us attain a joy that lasts. The word blessed is repeated nine times. When someone is described as ‘being blessed’, we know that the person in question, needs nothing more than he already has. God wants to be blessed. However, it is not easy to live this way of life. The world we live in, gives us a totally different recipe for finding joy. Our human nature pushes us to think of ourselves first and foremost, to get hold of all that we can, rather than to give to others, to take revenge for the wrong done to us. It could very well be that when we act in direct opposition to the Beatitudes, we feel satisfaction. However, this is transient. Such pleasure will eventually take its toll upon our conscience. 

When we are poor in spirit, we allow God to lead us in everything we do. Material wealth is not given first place in our decision making. Jesus speaks about those who mourn. The person who mourns, is the one who does not tolerate injustice, and who tries to set aright the injustices made. To be meek, is to be kind, to speak with love not hatred and jealousy. When we share what we have, we would be like those who hunger and thirst for righteousness.

Nothing we have is ours. Later, in Matthew’s Gospel, Jesus says: ‘freely you have received; freely give’ (Mt 10, 8). Forgiving others is being merciful. In choosing not to pay back the wrong done to you, is being merciful. Egoism, on the other hand, does not allow us to be clean of heart. When we are clean of heart, we help others, without expecting repayment. Through the Beatitudes, Jesus shows us that we should be instruments of peace not of division. He wants us to solve our differences with kind words, not through violence or harsh words. Jesus knows that we will find opposition when we follow him. The same thing happened to him. Jesus always helped others, he never did any harm, yet his enemies did not rest, until they put him on a cross. Jesus knows that we will be persecuted, that not everyone will befriend us, we can be made fun of, because we choose to love, to be kind to others, to forgive and to struggle so that justice is made.

None of what Jesus is asking of us is easy. However, Jesus promised that if we follow him, we will be rewarded with an everlasting life, we will receive the same gift as the saints: the Kingdom of Heaven.

A reading from the Gospel of Matthew (Mt 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 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.”

The Gospel of the Lord
Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ

  1. Read the Gospel story so that you are familiar with it.
  2. Reflect on what the Gospel story is saying to you. Which points would you highlight and why?
  3. Which of these Beatitudes, is challenging you today? Why?
  4. How can you be a blessing to others during this coming week?
  5. To be blessed in the way Jesus wants us to be, we must first allow him to be part of our lives and to remove all obstacles from our hearts. Listen and reflect on the words of this song: Purify my heart.
  6. Together with your family find the right time to read this gospel. The environment helps, so before you start, prepare:
    i. The Bible reading from St Matthew (5, 1-12a)
    ii. A lit candle;
    iii. Cover the table with white cloth;
    iv. A computer/laptop with the reading and clips.
  7. Go through the steps with your children (2 age groups are being suggested).
  8. Feel free to adapt to your situation.
  9. Be creative 😊
  10. Go to the Prayer Corner section to continue praying as a family.

Today we celebrate the feast of all those who enjoy the fullest communion with Jesus in heaven. Today, Jesus is going to tell us how to become saints.

We will learn that:

  • Jesus wants us to be happy
  • Saints loved Jesus a lot and they always tried to do what he wanted them to do

We need:

  • Printouts of the boy/girl saint, 4 or more for each boy and girl
  • Pencils
  • A container where to put these printouts
  • A magnet
Printout-BoyDownload
Printout-GirlDownload

In today’s Gospel Jesus uses words which are difficult to understand. Jesus did not always speak in a way that the children understood. Many times, he spoke in a way that only the adults understood him. Yet, he wants you to try to understand and much as you can today. Later, when you grow up, you will understand better.

You can understand what it means to be happy. But Jesus used another word instead of happiness. He repeated it many times. Did you catch this important word? (blessed)

When someone is blessed, he is happy. Jesus wants us all to be happy. What makes you happy? (give time for the children to answer)

Are you happy when you help your friends?
Are you happy when you use kind words?
Are you happy when you make up with your friends and with your brothers and sisters?
Are you happy when you share your things?
Are you happy when you do not get angry for nothing?
And when you make the right choices, are you happy?
When you love your parents, your brothers and sisters, your grandparents, and friends, are you happy?

This is the way that Jesus wants us to be happy. He shows us that to be happy, we do not necessarily have to receive a present or to win in a game.

Today is the feast of All Saints. Can you mention some saints?

Once, the saints where children like you are. They loved to play, to learn and to talk with their friends. But most of all they loved Jesus and they did what he wanted them to do. 

Do you know how the saints lived? (they helped others, they played fair, they loved others, they forgave others, they were not arrogant, they loved their pets and took care of them, they prayed, they went to church, they read the Bible)

You have those pictures of children saints (the printouts). With the help of your parents or older brothers and sisters, write or draw something that the saints used to do. For example, on one of them you can write or draw someone praying, on another one, you can write or draw someone helping in the house. When all the printouts are ready, put these in a container, except one of them. Using the magnet, put this on the fridge. Leave it there for a day or more, before changing it with another one. During the time it is on the fridge, the children (adults can adapt it for themselves too) will do what is written or drawn. So, if there is prayer, try to pray more during the day. If it is helping around the house, try to help without being asked. This is one example: we know that the table must be prepared with forks, knives, napkins, before we can start to eat. So, without being told, go and prepare the table when you know that the food is nearly ready.

Whilst writing or drawing on the printouts listen to: When the saints go marching in.

Sign of the cross.

Jesus, I want to be happy in the way you want me to be happy. Help me to obey, to help others, to play fair, to love my parents. Thank you Jesus, I love you.

Today the Church celebrates the feast of All Saints. It is not easy to understand today’s Gospel. However, Jesus is guiding us so that we may become saints.

We will learn that:

  • God wants us to be happy
  • The happiness God wishes us to have, is not a result of what we own, but rather it comes from what we do and who we are

We need:

  • laptop or computer

Activity

Which word was repeated more than once in today’s Gospel? (blessed)
What does it mean? (blessed means to have God’s love and peace in our lives, to have joy)

Who wants to be happy?
What makes you happy?

Today, Jesus is telling us how we can be happy! That is strange! It seems that what Jesus said about happiness, is quite different from what we hold! It is truly different, because the happiness that Jesus wants us to have is the joy which will remain with us. It is true that when we meet with our friends, when we play with them, we feel happy. We are likewise happy when we receive a present which we desired. We are happy too when our favourite team wins a game. Yet, after some time, we forget how we felt when we played with our friends and when we received the gift we wanted. Jesus’ joy is different. Jesus mentions nine ways of how we can have joy in our hearts.

Jesus tell us that one way to feel blessed, is to be kind to others. Being kind means that we help others.

We are also blessed when we bring peace. So, it is not right to start a fight with my brothers or friends. It is not right to push others to fight each other. It does not mean that Jesus wants us to remain silent when something bad happens to us. Getting angry and fighting will not make bad things right. There are other things we can do when someone hurts us. What should we do?

When Jesus says ‘blessed are those who mourn’ he does not mean that he wants us to be sad! Jesus wants us to care for others. He wants us to care for the sick, for the poor and for those who live in countries where there is war, he wants us to care for those who had to leave their countries because they could not continue to live there. Some of these people come to live in Malta.

Jesus does not want our happiness to depend on the number of things we own, on the clothes or games we have, neither on the amount of money we have. Jesus wants us to share, to forgive, to speak kindly. He wants us to be friends with everyone and to make fun of no one.

What Jesus is asking us to do, is not easy. He knows that it is not easy not to answer back when we are made fun of. It is not easy to help a person who refused to help you when you were in need. It is not easy not to join your friends, when they make fun of someone who does not do well at school. Jesus wants us to ask him for help when we are being tempted to do wrong. This is what saints do.

Saints were people who loved Jesus a lot. They tried to do what Jesus wanted. They did not mind choosing what was right, even when their friends made fun of them.

Can you mention some saints?

There is a long process, before the Church declares someone to be a saint. Apart from those whom we call “Saint”, there are many other hidden saints. A saint is someone who is in heaven. There are saints whom we knew when they were alive, but who have died and now live joyfully with God in heaven.

Some weeks ago, the Church beatified a young Italian boy: Carlo Acutis. Have you heard about him? Carlo loved to use the computer, like you do. He had many friends, but his best friend was Jesus. Watch this clip to learn more about Carlo.

Who is your favourite saint?

With the help of your parents, during the coming days, look up information on the internet, about your favourite saint. You can start by searching (you will also find more information about Carlo Acutis here). If the saint you are looking for, is not on this site yet, look him/her up on some other internet site.

Sign of the cross.

Prayer of St Francis:

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace,
Where there is hatred, let me sow love;
Where there is injury, pardon;
Where there is doubt, faith;
Where there is despair, hope;
Where there is darkness, light;
Where there is sadness, joy;  

O Divine Master,
Grant that I may not so much seek
To be consoled as to console;
To be understood as to understand;
To be loved as to love.  
For it is in giving that we receive;
It is in pardoning that we are pardoned;
And it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.  

As in previous weeks, go to the Prayer Corner section to understand the Gospel better.

How to use this space

God speaks to us in many ways, including through the Sunday Scripture readings. Here you will find useful background and activities to better understand the upcoming Sunday's Scripture readings, helping you to connect the Scripture to daily life in a meaningful way.