μακάριοι

66F 95% here outside the Beck door of 7H at the moment, breeze from the east window and cooler than comfortable, so wearing my heavy bathrobe for the first time since, what?, winter. Summer was always my favorite season, but looking back I realize that was because my years six through twenty it was summer vacation. Now that it's always vacation but not always summer, autumn and spring may share first place. No, spring, because autumn is our worst part of hurricane season.

Below keeping commitment are the Propers for next Sunday, 1 November, All Saints Day. Note that the gospel is The Beatitudes, the Happys. Matthew's NT Greek word is μακάριοι, not sanctified, holy, but blest in the sense of fortunate, happy, well off, in a good place, an enviable situation. More later in the week perhaps; or perhaps not. 

The Collect

Almighty God, you have knit together your elect in one communion and fellowship in the mystical body of your Son Christ our Lord: Give us grace so to follow your blessed saints in all virtuous and godly living, that we may come to those ineffable joys that you have prepared for those who truly love you; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who with you and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns, one God, in glory everlasting. Amen.

The First Lesson

Revelation 7:9-17

After this I, John, looked, and there was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, robed in white, with palm branches in their hands. They cried out in a loud voice, saying,

"Salvation belongs to our God who is seated on the throne, and to the Lamb!" And all the angels stood around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures, and they fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, singing,

"Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom 

and thanksgiving and honor 

and power and might 

be to our God forever and ever! Amen."

Then one of the elders addressed me, saying, "Who are these, robed in white, and where have they come from?" I said to him, "Sir, you are the one that knows." Then he said to me, "These are they who have come out of the great ordeal; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.

"For this reason they are before the throne of God,

and worship him day and night within his temple,

and the one who is seated on the throne will shelter them.

They will hunger no more, and thirst no more;

the sun will not strike them,

nor any scorching heat;

for the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd,

and he will guide them to springs of the water of life,

and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes."

The Response

Psalm 34:1-10,22

1 I will bless the Lord at all times; * his praise shall ever be in my mouth.

2 I will glory in the Lord; * let the humble hear and rejoice.

3 Proclaim with me the greatness of the Lord; * let us exalt his Name together.

4 I sought the Lord, and he answered me * and delivered me out of all my terror.

5 Look upon him and be radiant, * and let not your faces be ashamed.

6 I called in my affliction and the Lord heard me * and saved me from all my troubles.

7 The angel of the Lord encompasses those who fear him, * and he will deliver them.

8 Taste and see that the Lord is good; * happy are they who trust in him!

9 Fear the Lord, you that are his saints, * for those who fear him lack nothing.

10 The young lions lack and suffer hunger, * but those who seek the Lord lack nothing that is good.

22 The Lord ransoms the life of his servants, * and none will be punished who trust in him.

The Epistle

1 John 3:1-3

See what love the Father has given us, that we should be called children of God; and that is what we are. The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. Beloved, we are God's children now; what we will be has not yet been revealed. What we do know is this: when he is revealed, we will be like him, for we will see him as he is. And all who have this hope in him purify themselves, just as he is pure.

The Gospel

Matthew 5:1-12

When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up the mountain; and after he sat down, his disciples came to him. Then he began to speak, and taught them, saying:

"μακάριοι blessed fortunate happy well off are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 

"μακάριοι blessed fortunate happy well off are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. 

"μακάριοι blessed fortunate happy well off are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. 

"μακάριοι blessed fortunate happy well off are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. 

"μακάριοι blessed fortunate happy well off are the merciful, for they will receive mercy. 

"μακάριοι blessed fortunate happy well off are the pure in heart, for they will see God. 

"μακάριοι blessed fortunate happy well off are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.

"μακάριοι blessed fortunate happy well off are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 

"μακάριοι blessed fortunate happy well off are you when people revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you."