Gospel: Luke 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.”
The Gospel of the Lord.
The Mass intention is for Steve Morton RIP.
Reflection:
St Peter Claver, whose feast day we celebrate today, was a Spanish Jesuit priest. Based in Cartagena (now in Colombia), the chief slave market of South America, he tended to the African slaves, ten thousand of which arrive in the port every month. It has been said that he entered the slaves’ holds filled with the smell of rotting flesh, bringing food, medicine, and other goods. He also taught the slaves about God’s mercy. In a span of thirty-three years, he instructed and baptized over three hundred thousand slaves. In today’s Gospel, Jesus tells those who are suffering that they are the blessed ones in God’s Kingdom. Through St Peter’s faithful ministry, the slaves have come to know that they are counted among those whom Jesus called blessed.
- St Peter once said, “We must speak to them with our hands, before we try to speak to them with our lips”. How do you share the Gospel with those around you?
- In what ways can you help put an end to modern day slavery?
- How do you deal with people who are indifferent to the evils in society?
Lord Jesus, thank You for Your Word today. Through the prayers and example of St Peter Claver, help us to be do our part in bringing Your Gospel to liberate those enslaved by sin and evil. Amen.
Sincerely,
Pietro
