Today’s Reflection
Gospel: Mt 5: 1-12a
November 1, 2023 | Wednesday

Today’s Gospel

When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up the mountain. He sat down and his disciples gathered around him. Then he spoke and began to teach them:

Fortunate are those who are poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Fortunate are those who mourn; they shall be comforted.

Fortunate are the gentle; they shall possess the land.

Fortunate are those who hunger and thirst for justice, for they shall be satisfied.

Fortunate are the merciful, for they shall find mercy.

Fortunate are those with pure hearts, for they shall see God.

Fortunate are those who work for peace; they shall be called children of God.

Fortunate are those who are persecuted for the cause of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Fortunate are you, when people insult you and persecute you and speak all kinds of evil against you

because you are my followers.

Be glad and joyful, for a great reward is kept for you in God. For that is how this person persecuted the prophets who lived before you.

Today’s Reflection:

As humans, it is our natural tendency to be distracted by material and finite things hence we do not focus on our unity with God. Because material things are not God, we are oftentimes frustrated by them. We panic and we hunger for more until we unconsciously wallow in the vicious cycle of concupiscence. The Beatitudes remind us: ‘“Blessed are we if we love God above everything else and if we have no other substitute for Him in our lives.” This formula of detachment gives way to spiritual freedom and makes God the center of our being in which there is no need for other things because in the words of St. Thomas Aquinas, “If you want to be happy, despite what Jesus despised and what he embraced on the cross.” Let us remember today’s gospel every time we become obsessed with worldly possessions. / Vulnerasti, 2023