Daily Readings - Mon Jun 12 2023
2 Corinthians
1Paul, an Apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Timothy, a brother, to the church of God which is at Corinth, with all the saints who are in all of Achaia2Grace and peace to you from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ3Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and the God of all consolation4He consoles us in all our tribulation, so that we too may be able to console those who are in any kind of distress, through the exhortation by which we also are being exhorted by God5For just as the Passion of Christ abounds in us, so also, through Christ, does our consolation abound6So, if we are in tribulation, it is for your exhortation and salvation, or if we are in consolation, it is for your consolation, or if we are exhorted, it is for your exhortation and salvation, which results in the patient endurance of the same passion which we also endure7So may our hope for you be made firm, knowing that, just as you are participants in the suffering, so also shall you be participants in the consolation
Matthew
1Then, seeing the crowds, he ascended the mountain, and when he had sat down, his disciples drew near to him2and opening his mouth, he taught them, saying3"Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven4Blessed are the meek, for they shall possess the earth5Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be consoled6Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for justice, for they shall be satisfied7Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy8Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God9Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God10Blessed are those who endure persecution for the sake of justice, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven11Blessed are you when they have slandered you, and persecuted you, and spoken all kinds of evil against you, falsely, for my sake12be glad and exult, for your reward in heaven is plentiful. For so they persecuted the prophets who were before you
Sermon
In today’s readings, we encounter powerful reflections on suffering, consolation, and the call to live as children of God. The second reading from 2 Corinthians reminds us that our struggles, though real, are not without purpose or hope. Paul writes that just as Christ’s Passion abounds in us, so too does His consolation. This passage reassures us that our tribulations are not isolated but are part of a larger story of redemption. Through our endurance, we are able to offer comfort to others, just as God has consoled us. This is not a promise of ease but a promise of accompaniment—God walks with us in our trials and transforms them into opportunities for grace.
The Gospel from Matthew takes us to the Sermon on the Mount, where Jesus proclaims the Beatitudes. These blessings reveal the countercultural nature of the Kingdom of God. Jesus teaches that true happiness is not found in power or wealth but in humility, mercy, and a thirst for justice. The Beatitudes are not just descriptions of the blessed; they are a call to live in a way that reflects the heart of God. Those who are meek, who mourn, and who hunger for justice are not pitied by Jesus—they are praised. This is a radical vision of life, one that upends the world’s standards and invites us to embrace a path of love and compassion, even in the face of persecution.
These readings remind us that our faith is not a shield from suffering but a way to navigate it with hope. Like Paul, we are called to find consolation in Christ and to share that consolation with others. Like the Beatitudes, we are invited to live in a way that reflects the values of the Kingdom, even when it is difficult. In our daily lives, this means trusting in God’s plan, embracing the crosses we carry, and striving to be peacemakers and people of mercy. Let us allow these words to transform us, that we might find joy in living as children of God, even in the midst of challenges.