+(Intro) In our prayer for this Eucharist, we hear that by God’s prompting, we can discern what is right and by God’s guidance, are able to do it. So let us be mindful of those times we have failed to hear God’s prompting and to do what is right.
(After the gospel) We have just heard the Beatitudes, Jesus calling blessed the poor in spirit, those who mourn, the meek, those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, the clean of heart, the peacemakers, those persecuted for the sake of righteousness, the insulted. For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Jesus has a way of turning our whole value system up-side-down and in-side-out. If one wanted to take a real honest look at our social and political value system, we have in the Beatitudes some serious priorities to look at.
And any of us seeking to live the Christian or monastic way of life, have right in front of us the very criteria to do a really honest and revealing evaluation. With the Beatitudes ever before us, we can be sure to live a very blessed and ever more fruitful way of life.
1 Kgs 17:1-6; Matt 5:1-12