COLLECT: “O GOD, FROM WHOM ALL GOOD THINGS COME, GRANT THAT WE, WHO CALL ON YOU IN OUR NEED, MAY AT YOUR PROMPTING DISCERN WHAT IS RIGHT, AND BY YOUR GUIDANCE DO IT. THROUGH OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST, YOUR SON, WHO LIVES AND REIGNS WITH GOD THE FATHER IN THE UNITY OF THE HOLY SPIRIT, GOD, FOR EVER AND EVER. AMEN”.
1Kgs 17:1-6; Ps Ps 120:1-8 and Mt 5:1-12.
It is an untold fact or truth that ‘when you want to fight evil, keep in mind that evil will fight you’. True talk. If you want to fight immorality, immorality will fight you. If you want to fight corruption, corruption will fight you. In today’s first reading from 1Kings, Elijah, who hungers and thirsts for righteousness because the king has corrupted righteousness, is being persecuted for righteousness’ sake. He has to flee from the king of Israel.
In the Beatitudes, Jesus proposes a code of ethics as a standard of conduct for all believers. The values and standards Jesus proposes, which are eternal or permanent, contradict the values and standards of the world, which are temporary. The values Jesus proposes contradict superficial ‘faith’, especially that of the Pharisees, with the real faith that Christ demands. Also, the standards and values Jesus proposes are not a multiple choice like objective test questions and answers for one to pick what one likes/wants and leaves the rest. They must be taken as a whole because they describe what we should do to be like Christ, who was righteous in this world, fought for the sake of righteousness and was persecuted for that.
Considering the world’s values and standards, the values and standards Jesus proposes are folly or foolishness but remember, ‘God’s foolishness or his folly is greater than human wisdom’ (Cf. 1Cor 1:24). According to the world’s standards and judgment, poverty is a curse. The world sees it as foolishness when you think that poverty is a blessing. The world has the same attitude and mentality for the rest of the Beatitudes.
Being a believer means living for God and if we truly want to live for God, we must be ready and willing to go beyond and do what the world considers contradictory. Therefore, we must be ready and willing to give when others are ready and willing to take, to love when others are ready and willing to hate, to help when others are ready and willing to abuse. We must be ready and willing to give up our own rights to serve others. In other words, we must be ready and willing to live a certain state or condition of life in this world and then blessedness will eventually be our crown, probably in this life and abundant blessedness in the life to come.
This will not be easy and on our own, it is impossible to accomplish this, but the one who perseveres will one day receive everything that God has in store for him/her. God is also always ready to give sufficient graces, consolation and encouragement to the one who perseveres in this just or good course. Let us pray for that grace to live the values and standards of the Kingdom of God that Jesus proposes to us. Stay blessed and have a fruitful working week which you begin today.
WE MEDITATE TODAY, MONDAY, ON THE JOYFUL MYSTERIES: ‘THE ANNUNCIATION, THE VISITATION, THE BIRTH OF JESUS, THE PRESENTATION IN THE TEMPLE AND THE FINDING OF THE CHILD JESUS IN THE TEMPLE’. (LET US PRAY FOR HUMILITY, LOVE OF NEIGHBOUR, POVERTY IN SPIRIT, OBEDIENCE AND JOY IN FINDING JESUS) “Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with you, blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb Jesus: Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us, sinners, now and at the hour of our death, Amen”.
PRAYER: “MAY YOUR HEALING WORK, O LORD, FREE US, WE PRAY, FROM DOING EVIL AND LEAD US TO WHAT IS RIGHT. THROUGH CHRIST OUR LORD. AMEN.”
Rev. Fr. Aloysius Kpiebaya, Catholic Diocese of Wa, UW/R, Ghana. (00233) 0207867239/0545462863. Email: aloybaya20@yahoo.com.
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