Blessed Are They

And seeing the multitudes, he went up into a mountain, and when he was set down, his disciples came unto him. And opening his mouth, he taught them, saying:

Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Blessed are the meek: for they shall possess the land.

Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.

Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after justice: for they shall have their fill.

Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.

Blessed are the clean of heart: for they shall see God.

Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called children of God.

Blessed are they that suffer persecution for justice' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Blessed are ye when they shall revile you, and persecute you, and speak all that is evil against you, untruly, for my sake: Be glad and rejoice, for your reward is very great in heaven.
Matthew 5:1-12a (Douay Rheims Bible)

Prayer Reflection

Dear Father blessed are they who live these words in their lifetime. They will be given so much. Most of the time we can't be bothered. It's too hard to live this way. Often we seek ways of living our life in simple yet complex ways. Like destroying a life within our wombs, bombing innocent people, disrespecting life. How often do we harass another because they are different or their ways are not like ours. Or poke fun at those less fortunate or mentally handicapped. The list can truly be a very long one, the things that we do everyday to each other. If we really think about it and look at our own lives and what we do and how we respond to others we may find how we don't live these beatitudes at all. Gossip, something that is constant in our everyday lives, do we stop it or make it grow. We call ourselves Christians yet this is one of our major faults most of all. It's prevalent in our Churches, in our social gatherings, in our homes. Can we say we are blessed at all then? Lent is soon upon us and one great way of putting into practice the beatitudes is to fast from what causes us most harm in our lives. What do we do most of that needs to change. If gossip is one of them, then practice silence. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called Children of God. How about being blessed for a change. Amen

Solemnity of All Saints

And seeing the multitudes, he went up into a mountain, and when he was set down, his disciples came unto him. And opening his mouth, he taught them, saying:

Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are the meek: for they shall possess the land.
Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.
Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after justice: for they shall have their fill.
Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.
Blessed are the clean of heart: for they shall see God.
Blesses are the peacemakers: for they shall be called children of God.
Blessed are they that suffer persecution for justice' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are ye when they shall revile you, and persecute you, and speak all that is evil against you, untruly, for my sake:

Be glad and rejoice, for your reward is very great in heaven.
Matthew 5:1-12 (Douay-Rheims)

Prayer

Dear Father I love the sermon on the mount that Jesus gave. It gave me much to live my life by. The beatitudes have been a model for me to realize that I could be blessed by my daily living, just from your words. It is then that I came to understand that what I was seeking was heaven all along. My goal has always been you dear Father. Your fragrance is alive in my life. Blessed are they who live these words of yours because they love you and want you as their goal too. May we strive to live our life and always seek the kingdom of God. Amen

Blessed are They

And he, lifting up his eyes on his disciples, said: Blessed are ye poor, for yours is the kingdom of God.

Blessed are ye that hunger now: for you shall be filled. Blessed are ye that weep now: for you shall laugh. Blessed shall you be when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you, and shall reproach you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of man's sake. Be glad in that day and rejoice; for behold, your reward is great in heaven. For according to these things did their fathers to the prophets. But woe to you that are rich: for you have your consolation. 25 Woe to you that are filled: for you shall hunger. Woe to you that now laugh: for you shall mourn and weep.

Woe to you when men shall bless you: for according to these things did their fathers to the false prophets.
Luke 6:20-26 (Douay-Rheims)

Prayer

Dear Father I've often hungered throughout my life, not the hunger for food, but the hunger for your love. I never realized what true hunger was until you filled me up. I look back and see the many times I have starved and you fed me. I've wept without consolation, without ever knowing how close to me you were. But you turned those sorrowful tears to ones of joy where laughter is replaced. Most of all you held me when people hated me because of you and the love you give to me. I rejoice for your sake then. Dear Father I thank you most of all for letting me live my life in the way Jesus taught us to live, with eyes upon you at all times. With love for you first of all, I never forgot that it is to you first that my love goes. I've hungered for you, I've cried for you, I took the hatred of others for you and I will continue to do so because my love for you is great. You are what feeds me, you are what consoles me, you are what soothes me. May I continue to be yours dear Father where, living in your love is better than all the riches in the world. Amen

The Beatitudes

Jesus came down with the twelve
and stood on a stretch of level ground
with a great crowd of his disciples
and a large number of the people
from all Judea and Jerusalem
and the coastal region of Tyre and Sidon.
And raising his eyes toward his disciples he 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.
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."
Luke 6:17, 20-26

Reflection:
The beatitudes say a lot! It is mainly for those who have faith and suffer for it. And on the other extreme a warning to those without it.

We all have at one point or another in our lives had much in the way of wealth, how filled we are because we are able to get it. How easily it is to laugh because of no worries of how, when, and where we will survive. How well people speak of us and all that we have done.

What reward will they receive? Will they be blessed? From this we are the one's who will bemoan our fate, for it says woe to us.

And on the other hand we have the poor, the hungry, the tearful, the hated ones, they will reap far greater than those who have it all because of what they suffer in spirit for their faith. How wonderful it is to be mocked, hated, excluded, and insulted because of being different than others. Then we know we have a far greater reward than those who have. For ours is in heaven, where as theirs may be not of heaven but of hell. A difference in rewards if you ask me.

Is your spirit poor because people do not understand your faith? Then take heart and rejoice!