WEDNESDAY OF THE TWENTY-THIRD WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME SEPTEMBER 7, 2022

MASS READINGS

A reading of the holy Gospel according to LK 6:20-26

Raising his eyes toward his disciples Jesus said: “Blessed are you who are poor, for the Kingdom of God is yours. Blessed are you who are now hungry, for you will be satisfied. Blessed are you who are now weeping, for you will laugh. Blessed are you when people hate you, and when they exclude and insult you, and denounce your name as evil on account of the Son of Man. Rejoice and leap for joy on that day! Behold, your reward will be great in heaven. For their ancestors treated the prophets in the same way. But woe to you who are rich, for you have received your consolation. But woe to you who are filled now, for you will be hungry. Woe to you who laugh now, for you will grieve and weep. Woe to you when all speak well of you, for their ancestors treated the false prophets in this way.”

REFLECTION

"Behold, your reward will be great in heaven."

The beatitudes remind me that if I am to follow Jesus and live piously, I will suffer persecution. Many times in thinking about this, my mood changes because to me persecution means people hate me, I am disgraced, a pariah, unloved and uncared for.

However, I can look at it differently. What if I had no obstacles in my life, how do I know I am headed in the right direction? Jesus after all reminded us that persecution would happen. It should be a blessing and a sign of joy and happiness, then to realize I am on the right path.

Reminding myself that all circumstances are permitted by God and when done so it is meant to achieve good results, then why my concern? After all is it not all for His sake? That is when my prayer life should become more intense, and more convicted that my reward in heaven will be great.

In Psalm 120 we are reminded "The Lord will guard you from evil, He will guard your soul. The Lord will guard your going and coming both now and forever." With that promise what does one have to fear.

God Bless You