Gospel for January 30, 2011 — Challenging Yourself

The Gospel for January 30, 2011 is from Matthew 5:1-12 most famously known as The Beatitudes or The Sermon on the Mount. Jesus gives hope to those who feel hopeless and lost in a world that does not always seem good or fair. He talks about how He will comfort the poor, the meek, and the persecuted in Heaven. In the Beatitudes, Jesus proclaims the greatness and majesty of His kingdom of Heaven which is the central theme of the Third Luminous Mystery.

Jesus wants everyone to know that there is more to our existence than what we see, hear, smell, and feel. And it does not matter how successful you are in this lifetime because you worldly successes won’t amount to anything in His kingdom. This message is hard to fully realize since many times we do not see the light at the end of the tunnel when we suffer or make sacrifices for doing what is good and righteous. But the entire point of praying and meditating on this rosary mystery is to ask God for the faith to see the glory of His kingdom even when it seems like our good acts have little impact in this world.

Let’s break down the Beatitudes into its core message since it is sometimes lost in Matthew’s poetic language. If you want to live for God’s kingdom, this is what Jesus asks you to do:

Be devout in your faith, but do not show it off for the sake of looking holy.
Work towards righteousness by not being afraid to call good things good and bad things bad.
Be merciful, especially towards those who make life the most difficult for you.
Be pure of heart by avoiding sin and the near occurrences of sin.
Work towards peace even if it is just within your own heart.
Endure persecution, insults, and attacks against you for doing what is good even if the world considers it bad.

This is not easy. No one said living for God’s kingdom would be. But that is the point of praying the rosary; to ask for the strength and guidance to live, not for the world, but for Heaven. I know that sometimes the Beatitudes can sound a little dry when read during Sunday Mass. I know I sometimes zone out because I’ve heard it so many times. But it is so important to not only know the Beatitudes, but to live them. Ask yourself this in your prayers this week, “Am I living The Beatitudes?” Listen to them one more time from the movie, “Jesus of Nazareth.” It is my favorite Biblical movie because scenes like this bring life and energy to Jesus’ message that is sometimes lacking during Mass.