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Sunday, November 1, 2009

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All Saints


Revelation 7:2-4, 9-14
1 John 3:1-3
Psalm 24:1-6
Matthew 5:1-12

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heaven soon

"I saw before me a huge crowd which no one could count from every nation and race, people and tongue. They stood before the throne and the Lamb." —Revelation 7:9

We know that later we shall be like Jesus. "We shall see Him as He is" (1 Jn 3:2). After surviving the great period of trial (Rv 7:14), we will stand "before the throne and the Lamb, dressed in long white robes and holding palm branches" in our hands (Rv 7:9). We shall celebrate the ultimate family reunion and be perfectly happy forever, for our "reward is great in heaven" (Mt 5:12).

Already many have gone before us and share in the perfect happiness of heaven. It won't be very long before we join them. This sure hope of heavenly happiness is so overwhelmingly wonderful that we keep ourselves pure as Jesus is pure (1 Jn 3:3), live a life of total commitment to the Lord, "consider the sufferings of the present to be as nothing" (Rm 8:18), face death fearlessly, make disciples of all nations (Mt 28:19), have peace under any circumstances (see Phil 4:7), and rejoice in the Lord always (Phil 4:4).

We are thrilled (to put it mildly) about the eternal happiness of heaven. We are even more excited about the One Who made it all possible, Jesus Christ. We cry out "in a loud voice, 'Salvation is from our God, Who is seated on the throne, and from the Lamb!' " (Rv 7:10)

Prayer:  Father, make my life on earth of the highest quality. May I lead thousands of people to You and go to heaven as soon as possible.

Promise:  "They have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb!" —Rv 7:14

Praise:  Praise the risen Jesus, Who has made it possible to make saints of us all!

Reference:  (For a related teaching, order our leaflet, Accepting Jesus as Lord, Savior, and God, or on audio AV 43-1 or video V-43.)

Rescript:  †Reverend Joseph R. Binzer, Vicar General of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, June 3, 2009

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