Raising his eyes toward his disciples Jesus said: "Blessed
are you who are poor, for the kingdom of God is yours. Blessed are you who are
now hungry, for you will be satisfied. Blessed are you who are now weeping, for
you will laugh. Blessed are you when people hate you, and when they exclude and
insult you, and denounce your name as evil on account of the Son of Man.
Rejoice and leap for joy on that day! Behold, your reward will be great in
heaven. For their ancestors treated the prophets in the same way. But woe to
you who are rich, for you have received your consolation. But woe to you who
are filled now, for you will be hungry. Woe to you who laugh now, for you will
grieve and weep. Woe to you when all speak well of you, for their ancestors
treated the false prophets in this way."
Introductory Prayer: God
the Father, thank you for the gift of creation, including my own life. God the
Son, thank you for redeeming me at the price of your own Body and Blood. God
the Holy Spirit, thank you for being the sweet guest of my soul, enlightening
my mind, strengthening my spirit and kindling the fire of your love in my
heart.
Petition: Father, help me
to seek the things that are above.
1. Because You Say It, Lord… In
this passage, I can picture Jesus raising his eyes to look into the faces of
his followers. Today, he looks into my eyes and engages my attention with his
loving gaze. I accept what he tells me because it is he who speaks. I believe
that he has the words of eternal life. Naturally, poverty, hunger, sorrow and
being excluded do not appeal to me, but they are the values of my beloved Lord,
and that is enough for me.
2. Seek First the Kingdom: Jesus
encourages me to strive for the values of his Kingdom, to be forgetful of
myself and my well-being. He will take care of me and give me recompense.
Heaven awaits me – laughter and joy, a fullness that is unfathomable. It is
arduous not to seek “heaven on earth” in riches and pleasure and in fitting in
with the crowd. It takes a vision of faith and a spirit of perseverance.
3. Warning Signs: St.
Luke transmits to us not only the Beatitudes, but also their opposites. These
are like warning signs. If my path is aligned with these opposites, I had
better be attentive – where does that road lead me in the long run?
Where my heart is, there also is my treasure. Is heavenly,
eternal happiness my heart’s desire or are earthly, temporal delights?
Conversation with Christ:
Lord, give me the joy of experiencing some of
the heavenly joy of being united to you here on earth. Help me to find my
fulfillment in loving you, in giving my life to you.
Resolution: I will examine what
motivates me in my daily duty, striving to purify my intention. I will act out
of love of God and not out of self-love
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