June 12, 2017

June 12

June 12, 2017:  Monday, 10th week, Ordinary Time


  • 'Peace sign' tie bar:  Peace to you from God (1st reading); blessed the peacemakers (gospel)
  • 'Eyeball' pin:  Taste and see the Lord's goodness (psalm)
  • 'Angel' pin:  The angel of the Lord delivers those who fear God (psalm)
  • 'I ♥ my dad' tie:  Father of Holy Trinity; heart for "The clean of heart will see God" (gospel)

    Listen
    "Beatitunes" (gospel)
      For St. Teresa's Nada te turbe (my translation) (gospel-inspired reflection)
      Pope Francis homily
      You can't console yourself.  If you try, you ‘console’ with things that don't let you grow and breathe the narcissistic air of self-reference.  Think of the doctors of the law full of sufficiency, the Epulone who thought himself consoled, and the Pharisee thankful for not being like everyone else.  Jesus shows them to us because they represent the real possibility of being bloated, puffed up, never arriving at fullness.
      Consolation needs an “other.”  First, God consoles, and we receive the gift.  Then consolation matures when we in turn console others.  Consolation is both gift and service.  If I let the Lord's consolation enter as a gift, it's because I need it.  Once I recognize my need, the Lord comes, consoles me, and gives me the mission to console others.  It's not easy to have an open heart to receive the gift and to serve.
      You need a happy heart to have an open heart, and today's gospel tells us who the happy are:  the poor.  Poverty of spirit opens the heart:  knowing how to cry, being meek, fighting for justice, showing mercy to others, purity of heart, making peace, being persecuted for justice's sake opens the heart; then the Lord comes with consolation and sends us to console others.  They're contrasted with those who feel rich in spirit, sufficient, who don't need to cry because they feel they're right, the violent who don't know meekness, those who commit injustice, those without mercy, who don't forgive or feel the need to be forgiven, the dirty-hearted, war-makers, and those who are never persecuted because they don't care about injustice done to others.  They're not happy because consolation can't enter their closed hearts, and they can't console those who need it.
      Is your heart open and able to ask for consolation, then console others as a gift from the Lord?  Ask this every day, and thank the Lord, who always seeks to console us and asks us to open our hearts.  The Lord will find a way in.
      Read
      • 2 Cor 1:1-7  Grace and peace from our Father and the Lord Jesus.  Blessed be God, Father of compassion, who encourages us in our afflictions, so we may encourage the afflicted.  As Christ’s sufferings overflow to us, so does our encouragement overflow.  If we're afflicted, it's for your encouragement and salvation; if we're encouraged, it's for your encouragement, so you may be able to endure suffering.  Our hope for you is firm....
      • Ps 34:2-9  "Taste and see the goodness of the Lord."  I will always praise the Lord.  Glorify the Lord with me.  He answered and saved me.  Look to him and be radiant with joy.  Taste and see how good the Lord is; blessed those who take refuge in him.
      • Mt 5:1-12  Jesus went up and began to teach:  “Blessed are the poor in spirit, mourners, the meek, those hungry for justice, the merciful, the clean of heart, peacemakers, and those insulted because of me; theirs is the Kingdom, they'll be comforted, inherit the land, be satisfied, be shown mercy, see God, and be called God's children.  Rejoice; your reward will be great in heaven.”
      Reflect
        • Creighton:  'Blessed' is a positive, fulfilling, loving, caring word; its interpretation in the Beatitudes reflects that.  The poor in spirit are those who depend on God.   Dependence so important in our relationship with God and others.  We mourn for loss and sin.  Our dependence on God gives us hope for understanding and resolution.  The meek are those free of malice who receive the fruit of the Spirit.  Individualism and independence push us toward self-centeredness, abuses of power, and self-righteousness.  If we hunger for justice, we view injustice as unacceptable and do something to make a difference.  I must forgive others for what they've done against me, and I must ask forgiveness for what I've done to others. To do so, I must depend on God.  I must make peace in my family, at work, in my neighborhood, and with all I interact with.  I pray for peace every day.  I admire, respect, reverence, esteem, regard, honor those who suffer and are persecuted for their faith.  I marvel at them....
          The Sermon on the Mount/ Bloch
        • One Bread, One Body:  "I bleed for you":  Jesus came to earth and endured our sufferings and so can help others who suffer.  He healed, taught, and delivered, but it was his wounds and sufferings that healed and saved us.  We his disciples are privileged to suffer for him and join them to Jesus'.  Then we find joy in the suffering we endure for his people.  By joining our sufferings to his, we can be "other Christs" for suffering people.  When we "weep with those who weep," our compassion is authentic.  Others sense it and are open when we encourage them to invite Jesus to heal their wounds.  Jesus proclaims, "Blessed are the sorrowing; they shall be consoled."  Who can comfort a mourning person?  Possibly we who have mourned and suffered ourselves.
        • Passionist:  In today's 1st reading, Paul blesses God; in the gospel, Jesus blesses people.  Both recognize that the circumstances of the people they address are difficult, even tragic; their decision to follow Jesus was met with pain and suffering.  To whom do we turn when we suffer or are afflicted or devastated?  Do we bless or curse?  Each day we can bless God and the people around us, family, friends, co-workers, neighbors.  We can bless the homeless person and the shyster trying to steal from us.  Or we can curse crooks, evildoers, those who have wronged us.  Paul and Jesus chose to bless; they let us know that if we turn to God and decide to follow Jesus, we'll have strength, grace, and courage to bless.  Bless God.  Bless those you love.  Bless those who hate you.  God blesses us every day no matter what.
        • DailyScripture.net:  "Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven":  We long for true happiness, complete good.  Jesus says we can live a happy life by living the beatitudes.  The beatitudes respond to our God-given desire for happiness, teaching us the goal of God's kingdom, the vision of God, and the joy and rest of the Lord; they confront us with daily choices. "Let nothing disturb or frighten you; all things pass.  God never changes.... God alone suffices" (St. Teresa of Avila).  Is God enough for me?
        The beatitudes contradict the world's understanding of happiness, but poverty of spirit finds joy in possessing God as treasure, spiritual hunger seeks nourishment in God, and sorrow and mourning over wasted life lead to joyful freedom from guilt.  Jesus promises his the joys to come will exceed today's hardships.  "No one can live without joy.  That's why a person deprived of spiritual joy goes after carnal pleasures" (St. Thomas Aquinas)  Do I hunger and thirst for God alone?
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