The Beatitudes

June 10, Monday of the Tenth Week in Ordinary Time
Daily Readings: 1 Kings 17:1-6; Matthew 5:1-12

The first reading presents the prophet Elijah, whom God supported during a drought. God instructed Elijah to go east and hide in the Wadi Cherith, east of the Jordan. He would drink from the stream there, and God sent ravens to bring him food.

Today's Gospel speaks of the Beatitudes:
●    Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven.
●    Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
●    Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the land.
●    Blessed are those 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 those 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.

These Beatitudes are the teachings of Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount. He encouraged people to live out these Beatitudes to lead a meaningful Christian life.

Call to Action for Catholic Living: Following these teachings is not easy. It takes the innocence and purity of a child to fully embrace these Beatitudes. This is why Jesus says the Kingdom of Heaven belongs to the children, for they can manifest these virtues. Jesus challenges us to embody these Beatitudes to lead a meaningful life.

Lord, help us to practice these Beatitudes.