Theme: The features and the future of saints

Exegetical note
Matthew's version of the Beatitudes is a bit more interpretive of Jesus' actual teachings than Luke's version. For this particular Sunday, the sayings are best taken as revealing the features of true saints: they are poor in spirit, gentle, "hungry" for justice, merciful, pure-hearted, peace-making, reviled and persecuted, and (probably because of these last two) sorrowful. But, as the second clause of each beatitude shows, they also have a promising future.

Call to Worsh…