Solemnity of All Saints – Year A (2026)
Sunday, November 1, 2026
All Saints’ Day turns our attention not only to the saints whom the Church honors and venerates, but also to the countless holy men and women whose lives are fully known to God. The readings for today illuminate this from three angles: the first reading gives us a vision of a multitude from every nation gathered before the Lamb; the second reading reminds us that we are God’s children now, though the fullness of what we will become is still to come; and Jesus’ Beatitudes in today’s Gospel describe the life that leads toward that promised holiness and happiness. Together, the lives of the saints show what it means to belong to God and to live by His promise.
The reading from Revelation describes a vision of 144,000 people. It is commonly understood that the number of the saved is symbolic, not literal. John first hears that they are “from every tribe of the Israelites” (Revelation 7:4), then sees “a great multitude, which no one could count, from every nation, race, people, and tongue” (v. 9). The number’s structure helps explain its symbolism. Twelve is associated with Israel’s tribes and, in the New Testament, the apostles. Revelation multiplies twelve by twelve and then by a thousand: 12 × 12 × 1,000 = 144,000. This pattern is commonly read as expressing fullness and universality of God’s redeemed people, not as giving an exact headcount. Revelation identifies them as: “the ones who have survived the time of great distress; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.” (v. 14). The image presents the saints’ holiness not as self-made, but as cleansed through the saving sacrifice of Jesus, the Lamb.
In the New Testament reading, John adds that we are God’s children, yet it has not been fully revealed what we will become. Christian identity is already a gift, while its completion remains a hope in God’s promises.
Matthew’s Gospel reading presents a vivid scene: Jesus sits on the mountain, teaching His disciples, with the crowds present. As Pope Francis explains: “The mount recalls Sinai, where God gave Moses the Commandments. Jesus begins to teach a new law: to be poor, to be meek, to be merciful…. These “new commandments” are much more than a set of rules. Indeed, Jesus does not impose anything but reveals the way of happiness, his way, by repeating the word “blessed” eight times.” (General Audience, January 29, 2020.) The poor in spirit, the mourners, the meek, the hungry and the thirsty, and the persecuted are blessed because of what God promises them, as are the merciful, the clean of heart, and the peacemakers.
Saints, with their myriad stories and struggles, are not obscure figures but rather our companions on this journey of faith. They exemplify the realities and hope we hold as God’s children: the beautiful promise of resurrection that beckons us, and the call to embody the Beatitudes in our daily lives.
Go in Peace to Love and Serve the Lord.