Be Attitudes

The WORD today reminds me how God wants me to live. 

People usually value friends who encourages them. When times are tough, when one is almost on the brink of giving up, someone comes and cheers for them. Someone comes to encourage them to keep on going. These people are heaven sent. And this is how God is with us. 

God always encourages us. 

In the gospel, we see Jesus encouraging us. We see Jesus explaining the Beatitudes or what others call the “Be-Attitudes.” This is how God wants us to be. It reminds me that as we live this life on earth, everything will not be easy. We will experience challenges and persecutions, we will be frustrated with what is happening around us. However, Christ exhorts us to be faithful and to continue trusting in Him despite everything that is happening to us and around us. He continues to encourage us to remain in faith and just trust in Him.

What is happening on our lives here on earth is not the end. This is not everything. God reminds us that there is a greater life after our life here on earth. All his promises in the beatitudes do not necessarily mean comfort will come in this life. Actually, if we examine the promises, all of those will come in the next life. However, we need to be faithful and remain to live in God’s light as we live on earth to realize and experience those promises.

Do I inspire and encourage others to live the faith? How? How do I react when faced with problems and challenges? How do I view problems and challenges? Do I hold on to God’s words and promises or do I let my reaction be dictated by the situation around me?

May we be encouraged by Jesus words, and be more sensitive to the different ways God is encouraging us as we fight the battles in life, and be instruments to encourage others as well. 

Father God,

Thank you for today. Thank you for another week. Thank you for another day to live and love. Thank you for your promises and encouragement. Thank you for taking care of us and knowing and providing what we need to get by. Lord, sorry for the times your word and your promises are not enough. Sorry for worrying too much. Sorry for not having faith in you. I pray that i be sensitive to you and your encouragement. And may your encouragement help me remain faithful to you. Help me be firm in faith and focus on you as I live this life on earth, having faith that I will claim and receive your promises in your perfect time. I also ask that you use me to inspire and encourage others in faith. Amen.

Blessed Week!

In Christ,
-g-

June 08, 2020

Monday of Week 10; St. William of York

FIRST READING

1 Kings 17:1-6

Elijah the Tishbite, from Tishbe in Gilead, said to Ahab: “As the LORD, the God of Israel, lives, whom I serve, during these years there shall be no dew or rain except at my word.” The LORD then said to Elijah: “Leave here, go east and hide in the Wadi Cherith, east of the Jordan. You shall drink of the stream, and I have commanded ravens to feed you there.” So he left and did as the LORD had commanded. He went and remained by the Wadi Cherith, east of the Jordan. Ravens brought him bread and meat in the morning, and bread and meat in the evening, and he drank from the stream.

RESPONSORIAL PSALM

Psalm 121:1bc-2, 3-4, 5-6, 7-8

R. (see 2) Our help is from the Lord, who made heaven and earth. 

I lift up my eyes toward the mountains; whence shall help come to me? My help is from the LORD, who made heaven and earth. 

R. Our help is from the Lord, who made heaven and earth. 

May he not suffer your foot to slip; may he slumber not who guards you: Indeed he neither slumbers nor sleeps, the guardian of Israel. 

R. Our help is from the Lord, who made heaven and earth. 

The LORD is your guardian; the LORD is your shade; he is beside you at your right hand. The sun shall not harm you by day, nor the moon by night. 

R. Our help is from the Lord, who made heaven and earth. 

The LORD will guard you from all evil; he will guard your life. The LORD will guard your coming and your going,
both now and forever. 

R. Our help is from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.

ALLELUIA

Matthew 5:12a

R. Alleluia, alleluia. 

Rejoice and be glad; for your reward will be great in heaven. 

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

GOSPEL

Matthew 5:1-12

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.
Thus they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”