Reading: Saturday, 15 March 2014 Reading 1: DT 26:16-19 Moses spoke to the people, saying: “This day the LORD, your God, commands you to observe these statutes and decrees. Be careful, then, to observe them with all your heart and with all your soul. Today you are making this agreement with the LORD: he is to be your God and you are to walk in his ways and observe his statutes, commandments and decrees, and to hearken to his voice. And today the LORD is making this agreement with you: you are to be a people peculiarly his own, as he promised you; and provided you keep all his commandments, he will then raise you high in praise and renown and glory above all other nations he has made, and you will be a people sacred to the LORD, your God, as he promised.” Responsorial Psalm: PS 119:1-2, 4-5, 7-8 R. (1b) Blessed are they who follow the law of the Lord! Blessed are they whose way is blameless, who walk in the law of the LORD. Blessed are they who observe his decrees, who seek him with all their heart. R. Blessed are they who follow the law of the Lord! You have commanded that your precepts be diligently kept. Oh, that I might be firm in the ways of keeping your statutes! R. Blessed are they who follow the law of the Lord! I will give you thanks with an upright heart, when I have learned your just ordinances. I will keep your statutes; do not utterly forsake me. R. Blessed are they who follow the law of the Lord! Gospel: MT 5:43-48 Jesus said to his disciples: “You have heard that it was said, You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy. But I say to you, love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your heavenly Father, for he makes his sun rise on the bad and the good, and causes rain to fall on the just and the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what recompense will you have? Do not the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet your brothers and sisters only, what is unusual about that? Do not the pagans do the same? So be perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect.” Meditation: Psalm 119:1-2, 4-5, 7-8 Blessed are they who observe his decrees, who seek him with all their heart. (Psalm 119:2) What does it mean to be blessed? According to the dictionary, it means to be “divinely or supremely favored.” According to popular culture, you are blessed if you have lots of possessions or are in good health. But God sees blessing differently. While he does care about our physical lives, his blessings are more spiritual than material. He blesses us with his presence. He blesses us with divine wisdom and knowledge. He blesses us with peace, even in the midst of the most turbulent of circumstances. And more than anything else, he blesses us with his love. The Israelites were blessed when God called them to be his people and established a covenant with them. Jesus called Peter blessed for having proclaimed that Jesus was the Messiah and the Son of God (Matthew 16:17). He taught that everyone who heard the word of God and obeyed it was blessed (Luke 11:28). He even blessed everyone who believed in him even though they could not see him (John 20:29). St. Paul declared blessed those whose sins are forgiven (Romans 4:7). And the seer John said that those who “wash their robes” in the waters of Baptism and eat from the “tree of life” that is the Eucharist are blessed (Revelation 22:14). Today is a good day to think about all the ways that God continues to bless us. He shows us his peace and presence when we turn to him in the midst of a difficult situation. He helps us find the strength to forgive someone who has hurt us. He prompts our consciences so that we know to turn away from a temptation—and he gives us the grace to do so! All these, and so many more, are clear blessings from the Lord! No matter how richly you have been blessed in the past, God wants you to know that he has even more blessings ready for you today and into the future. Some will be similar to the blessings you have already received, and others will be complete surprises. All you have to do is try to remain open to him, and the blessings will flow. “Lord, how generous you are! Help me to see the blessings you have lavished on me. Teach me how to remain open to all the blessings you want to pour on me today.” Deuteronomy 26:16-19; Matthew 5:43-48 Courtesy: USCCB & WAU
Posted on: Mon, 17 Mar 2014 10:55:44 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015