The Word Among Us: A Catholic Devotional based on the Daily Mass Reading & Meditation for Monday, 8 June 2015

The Word Among Us: A Catholic Devotional based on the Daily Mass Reading & Meditation for Monday, 8 June 2015

Meditation: Matthew 5:1Seeing the crowds, Yeshua walked up the hill. After he sat down, his talmidim came to him, 2 and he began to speak. This is what he taught them:

3 “How blessed are the poor in spirit!

    for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs.

4 “How blessed are those who mourn!

    for they will be comforted.

5 “How blessed are the meek!

    for they will inherit the Land![a]

6 “How blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness!

    for they will be filled.

7 “How blessed are those who show mercy!

    for they will be shown mercy.

8 “How blessed are the pure in heart!

    for they will see God.

9 “How blessed are those who make peace!

    for they will be called sons of God.

10 “How blessed are those who are persecuted

because they pursue righteousness!

    for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs.

11 “How blessed you are when people insult you and persecute you and tell all kinds of vicious lies about you because you follow me! 12 Rejoice, be glad, because your reward in heaven is great — they persecuted the prophets before you in the same way.[Footnotes:

Matthew 5:5 Psalm 37:11]

10th Week in Ordinary Time
Blessed are you. (Matthew 5:11)
The Beatitudes are Jesus’ explanation of what it is to be well-off spiritually: to know God’s grace and protection and to feel his blessing, even despite what you are experiencing in life. “Blessed” means happy, or fortunate, and Jesus meant it. He is saying,

• “Happy are you who are poor in spirit, you who recognize that life, even all the world’s riches, is not enough. God has so much more for you, and so you can raise your heart and soul heavenward, and cry, ‘Abba, Father, I need you!’ Blessed are you who know that my Father delights in answering that prayer. It pleases him to give you the kingdom.
• “Happy are you who mourn. Your heart is like my Father’s. He saw the men and women he created, the apple of his eye, turn from him. He saw the darkness that crept in because of their sin, and he mourned over the way that darkness obscured the light he made. He mourned, too, as he watched me, his only Son, die in agony. My Father knows what it is to mourn, and he will comfort you. He will never abandon or forsake you.”
• “Happy are you who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for that hunger reveals a desire for me! I am your righteousness, and when you seek me, you will find me. I gave my life for you so that you could find me. I died so that you could live in holiness before my Father. Day after day, I send you my Holy Spirit to lead you in all righteousness.”

We can experience this happiness because God has made our hearts like his; he has set eternity in them. Because our hearts are made in the image of his heart, we also can become as he is: merciful, peaceful, pure, meek, humble, and gentle. He can satisfy us as no one else can—and he delights in doing it! Think about that. It makes God happy to make you happy! He is happy to bestow on you the riches of his kingdom. He is happy to comfort you. He is happy to bring you to maturity as you take on his very nature!
“All praise to you, Father! When I seek you, I know I will find you. Should I mourn, you will comfort me. You will satisfy my longing for righteousness. Happy am I indeed!” Amen!
2 Corinthians 1:1 From: Sha’ul, by God’s will an emissary of the Messiah Yeshua, and brother Timothy

To: God’s Messianic community in Corinth, along with all God’s people throughout Achaia:

2 Grace to you and shalom from God our Father and the Lord Yeshua the Messiah.

3 Praised be God, Father of our Lord Yeshua the Messiah, compassionate Father, God of all encouragement and comfort; 4 who encourages us in all our trials, so that we can encourage others in whatever trials they may be undergoing with the encouragement we ourselves have received from God.

5 For just as the Messiah’s sufferings overflow into us, so through the Messiah our encouragement also overflows. 6 So if we undergo trials, it is for your encouragement and deliverance; and if we are encouraged, that should encourage you when you have to endure sufferings like those we are experiencing. 7 Moreover, our hope for you remains staunch, because we know that as you share in the sufferings, you will also share in the encouragement.

Psalm 34:2 (1) I will bless Adonai at all times;

his praise will always be in my mouth.

3 (2) When I boast, it will be about Adonai;

the humble will hear of it and be glad.

4 (3) Proclaim with me the greatness of Adonai;

let us exalt his name together.

5 (4) I sought Adonai, and he answered me;

he rescued me from everything I feared.

6 (5) They looked to him and grew radiant;

their faces will never blush for shame.

7 (6) This poor man cried; Adonai heard

and saved him from all his troubles.

8 (7) The angel of Adonai, who encamps

around those who fear him, delivers them.

9 (8) Taste, and see that Adonai is good.

How blessed are those who take refuge in him!

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