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Home > Spiritual Aid > Daily Prayer
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JEREMIAH 17:5-8
1 CORINTHIANS 15:12, 16-20
LUKE 6:17, 20-26
http://www.usccb.org/nab/021410.shtml
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The Lucan version of the beatitudes like that of Matthew clearly does not promote poverty, weeping, hunger, and hurt. These realities in life are not supposedly glorified. Destitute poverty is not something to desire for. Rather, it is a condition to be prevented as it deprives the human person of his/her basic dignity.
Some biblical scholars believe that these beatitudes or sayings of Jesus are not prescriptions for becoming poor, hungry, mournful, or afflicted. These are addressed to those who are already involved in the work of salvation, in the enterprise of proclaiming the good news of Jesus. They serve as examples and gives instances of what happens when God reigns in this broken and fragmented world. They reflect various experiences that people go through as a result of their involvement in God’s way of doing things. There is, however, the promise and assurance that God can handle poverty, hunger, tears, and rejection.
In this regard, Jesus becomes our inspiration in that he has shown us the way. His commitment and mission to share God’s providence, love, and mercy inevitably entailed suffering in terms of misunderstanding. There were people who wanted to volunteer themselves to follow his way but he could not even offer a place for them to rest. Jesus experienced hunger, not just hunger that can be satisfied with solid food but the hunger that can only be fulfilled by doing what is right. Jesus had the reason to weep and mourn not only for the death of his friends Lazarus but also for the lost opportunities of his own people especially his “kababayans” when their faith was lacking and thus lost the opportunities to accept him as the promised messiah. But the most painful and hurting fact are the persecution and murder of Jesus for being so faithful in his mission. Jesus, thus, knew and felt the reality of rejection, betrayal and abandonment by his best friends. The good news is his vindication when God raised him from the dead, something that we believe and hope for if we remain as staunch followers of Jesus. Jesus led a life constantly aware that his Father blessed and accompanied him as he always sought his Father in prayer especially during moments of doubt and hesitation as evidenced in the Garden of Gethsemane.
In view of such reservations, the excerpt from the prophet Jeremiah becomes consoling in that it reminds us to put our trust to the One who will sustain us. Consider the imagery used: “He is like a tree planted beside the waters that stretch out its roots to the stream; it fears not the heat when it comes, its leaves stay green; in the year of drought it shows no distress, but still bears fruit.” Corollary, for those who fail to entrust themselves to God, the word of God has this to say: “Cursed is the one whose heart turns away from the Lord for he would be like a barren bush in the desert that enjoys no change of season but stands in a lava waste, a salt and empty earth.”
We then pray for a deeper trust in Jesus whose beatitudes no matter how seemingly difficult these may be will eventually lead us to life.
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View: Prayer Requests
Finally, we pray for one another, for those who have asked our prayers and for those who need our prayers the most.
Have a good day!
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