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."
Dawg's thought:
Today's prayer intention is for tomorrow's election, that our votes support and defend life in all stages from conception to natural death.
1850: Sin is an offense against God: "Against you, you alone, have I sinned, and done that which is evil in your sight." Sin sets itself against God's love for us and turns our hearts away from it. Like the first sin, it is disobedience, a revolt against God through the will to become "like gods," knowing and determining good and evil. Sin is thus "love of oneself even to contempt of God." In this proud self-exaltation, sin is diametrically opposed to the obedience of Jesus, which achieves our salvation.
Today's reading points to hoping in Our Lord in our struggles. This is a vast contrast what we see in sin today, which is a "disobedience, a revolt against God through the will to become 'like gods,' knowing and determining good and evil." In sin, there is no trust in Our Lord. In sin, there is no hope in God's providence.
As we read through each beatitude, we can see a temptation to sin in each, and a means of hope that Christ gives to us directly. We must constantly focus on Christ, and the resurrection. The wage of sin is death, and Our Lord conquered death so that we may have life. Let us seek a new life in Him through our knowledge of the ugliness of sin, and the great hope Christ gives us today in The Beatitudes. Take care and God Bless.
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