Monday of the Tenth Week in Ordinary Time, Year A. June 12, 2017
1st Reading:2nd Corinthians 1:1-7.
Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, to the church of God that is in Corinth, with all the holy ones throughout Achaia: grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and God of all encouragement, who encourages us in our every affliction, so that we may be able to encourage those who are in any affliction with the encouragement with which we ourselves are encouraged by God. For as Christ’s sufferings overflow to us, so through Christ does our encouragement also overflow. If we are afflicted, it is for your encouragement and salvation; if we are encouraged, it is for your encouragement, which enables you to endure the same sufferings that we suffer.
Our hope for you is firm, for we know that as you share in the sufferings, you also share in the encouragement. The word of the Lord.
Responsorial Psalm:34(33):2-3.4-5.6-7.8-9.
R/.Taste and see the goodness of the Lord.
Holy Gospel: Matthew 5:1-12.
When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up the mountain, and after he had sat down, his disciples came to him. He began to teach them, saying: “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are they who mourn, for they will be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the land.
Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be satisfied.
Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. Blessed are the clean of heart, for they will see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are you when they insult you and persecute you and utter every kind of evil against you (falsely) because of me. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward will be great in heaven.” The gospel of the Lord.
MONDAY REFLECTIONS:
Today we have the Beatitudes. And as we ponder the fruits of the Beatitudes, we can’t help but conclude that we deeply desire them. This is a good and healthy realization to come to. From there, we only need to add one extra step. Once we’ve concluded, with a deep conviction, that we desire the fruits of the Beatitudes, we then only need to add the first step. We insert the Beatitude into this desire so that we can understand and believe that the Beatitude is good and desirous. But what about the Beatitudes? Do we desire…
To be poor in spirit, to mourn, to be meek,
to hunger and thirst for righteousness,
to be merciful, to be clean of heart,
to be a peacemaker, to accept persecution for the sake of righteousness, and to be insulted and persecuted and to have every kind of evil uttered about us falsely because of Jesus?
Hmmm, perhaps or perhaps not. Some seem desirous while others seem burdensome. But if these Beatitudes are properly understood in the context of their fruits (i.e., the blessings they produce), then our desire for the means to that good fruit (the Beatitude) should grow as well.
Perhaps, today, we can look at which Beatitude is most difficult for us to want and desire. Once we find it, look at the fruit it produces and spend time looking at that Beatitude within that context. It will help us grow in blessedness!
Together we pray: Lord, help make me humble and meek, pure of heart and merciful, a peacemaker and one who accepts any persecution that comes my way. Help me to receive all with joy and with a longing for Your Kingdom. Jesus, I trust in You that You alone will heal our sick brethren and set them free. May the souls of our faithful departed brethren rest in perfect peace, amen.