Thinking of friends and the Beatitudes

In a reflection for the upcoming Sunday readings on October 31 and the Solemnity of All Saints on November 1, Maria Foss describes the communion of saints as a circle of friends and fellow travelers. Foss notes that the saints were real people who experienced struggle and doubt while following Jesus.

The reflection connects the Beatitudes in the Gospel to the nature of holiness. Foss writes that Jesus defined holiness through qualities such as being poor in spirit, merciful, peacemakers, pure of heart, and hungering for righteousness, rather than through wealth, success, or influence.