Saturday, June 18, 2005
MATTHEW 5:1-12A
When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up the mountain, and after he had sat down, his disciples came to him. He began to teach them, saying: "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven. Blessed are they who mourn, for they will be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the land. Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be satisfied. Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. Blessed are the clean of heart, for they will see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when they insult you and persecute you and utter every kind of evil against you falsely because of me. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward will be great in heaven."
HOMILY
In the introduction to the liturgy for today, the Daily Roman Missal states that we celebrate the feast of all the unknown saints who are now in heaven. The Church reminds us that sanctity is within everyone's reach. Through the communion of saints we help one another achieve sanctity.
It is common knowledge that death exempts no one. However, if anyone views death as a matter of fate and is resigned to this fate, and indulges himself in keeping with a let's-eat-and-drink-and-be-merry- for-tomorrow-we-die philosophy, then it makes no difference whether we are human beings or not; for all creatures eventually die.
For people who think this way, the hope of a resurrected life is a fantasy and not a reality. But for those of us who believe, "we live for what is to come!"
In the eyes of God, all people are equal when first confronted by Christ's grace, since Christ died not just for the good but also for all men. However, because of his free will, by his own choice the individual is either judged and condemned because of his actions or saved because he believed in Christ and acted accordingly.
There are very many saints throughout the history of the Church, who have been honored with their own feast day because of some extraordinary act of faith, hope or love. However, there are also many more "saints" whose stories we do not know, but who have also been given a place in heaven in the communion of saints. What makes this reality so beautiful is that none of these saints acted out of a "spirit of competition" to outdo another for his or her personal glory. All of them acted out of the love for God and for his neighbor even in the midst of great adversity and suffering.
The call to sanctity is universal. Sanctity is not impossible to attain. If it were, then no one could ever enter the kingdom of God. In Jesus it is made possible. In today's gospel Jesus is preaching his Sermon on the Mount. He's teaching his disciples and the crowd the "beatitudes". Cutting the word in two we get "be attitudes". These are proper attitudes of being. They are totally different from the attitudes we develop, shaped as we are by our worldly environment. Death respects no age; anyone can die anytime, any day. Since we cling to our freedom of choice, why not choose what is certain and true, everlasting life with God and all His saints?
>From the qualities mentioned in today's Gospel, which of the qualities don't you have or feel that you don't have enough of, but would like to have in your life?
PRAYER
"Lord, increase my hunger for you and show me the way that leads to everlasting peace and happiness. May I desire you above all else and find perfect joy in doing your will".
HOMILY
In the introduction to the liturgy for today, the Daily Roman Missal states that we celebrate the feast of all the unknown saints who are now in heaven. The Church reminds us that sanctity is within everyone's reach. Through the communion of saints we help one another achieve sanctity.
It is common knowledge that death exempts no one. However, if anyone views death as a matter of fate and is resigned to this fate, and indulges himself in keeping with a let's-eat-and-drink-and-be-merry- for-tomorrow-we-die philosophy, then it makes no difference whether we are human beings or not; for all creatures eventually die.
For people who think this way, the hope of a resurrected life is a fantasy and not a reality. But for those of us who believe, "we live for what is to come!"
In the eyes of God, all people are equal when first confronted by Christ's grace, since Christ died not just for the good but also for all men. However, because of his free will, by his own choice the individual is either judged and condemned because of his actions or saved because he believed in Christ and acted accordingly.
There are very many saints throughout the history of the Church, who have been honored with their own feast day because of some extraordinary act of faith, hope or love. However, there are also many more "saints" whose stories we do not know, but who have also been given a place in heaven in the communion of saints. What makes this reality so beautiful is that none of these saints acted out of a "spirit of competition" to outdo another for his or her personal glory. All of them acted out of the love for God and for his neighbor even in the midst of great adversity and suffering.
The call to sanctity is universal. Sanctity is not impossible to attain. If it were, then no one could ever enter the kingdom of God. In Jesus it is made possible. In today's gospel Jesus is preaching his Sermon on the Mount. He's teaching his disciples and the crowd the "beatitudes". Cutting the word in two we get "be attitudes". These are proper attitudes of being. They are totally different from the attitudes we develop, shaped as we are by our worldly environment. Death respects no age; anyone can die anytime, any day. Since we cling to our freedom of choice, why not choose what is certain and true, everlasting life with God and all His saints?
>From the qualities mentioned in today's Gospel, which of the qualities don't you have or feel that you don't have enough of, but would like to have in your life?
PRAYER
"Lord, increase my hunger for you and show me the way that leads to everlasting peace and happiness. May I desire you above all else and find perfect joy in doing your will".
# posted by F O O D F O R T H O U G H T @ 4:20 PM 
