Reading 1
Col 3:1-11
Brothers and sisters:
If you were raised with Christ, seek what is above,
where Christ is seated at the right hand of God.
Think of what is above, not of what is on earth.
For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.
When Christ your life appears,
then you too will appear with him in glory.
Put to death, then, the parts of you that are earthly:
immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire,
and the greed that is idolatry.
Because of these the wrath of God is coming upon the disobedient.
By these you too once conducted yourselves, when you lived in that way.
But now you must put them all away:
anger, fury, malice, slander,
and obscene language out of your mouths.
Stop lying to one another,
since you have taken off the old self with its practices
and have put on the new self,
which is being renewed, for knowledge,
in the image of its creator.
Here there is not Greek and Jew,
circumcision and uncircumcision,
barbarian, Scythian, slave, free;
but Christ is all and in all.
Responsorial Psalm
Ps 145:2-3, 10-11, 12-13ab
R. (9) The Lord is compassionate toward all his works.
Every day will I bless you,
and I will praise your name forever and ever.
Great is the LORD and highly to be praised;
his greatness is unsearchable.
R. The Lord is compassionate toward all his works.
Let all your works give you thanks, O LORD,
and let your faithful ones bless you.
Let them discourse of the glory of your Kingdom
and speak of your might.
R. The Lord is compassionate toward all his works.
Making known to men your might
and the glorious splendor of your Kingdom.
Your Kingdom is a Kingdom for all ages,
and your dominion endures through all generations.
R. The Lord is compassionate toward all his works.
Gospel
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."
Meditation: Psalm 145:2-3,10-13
“Every day I will bless you!” (Psalm 145:2)
Father, as this day begins, I choose to bless you! I kneel before you and adore you. You are exalted above all creation and worthy of all my praise. Looking down at us from your throne, in your full glory and might, you are filled with love and compassion for every one of your children. You are full of love and compassion for me. Worthy are you, worthy to be praised!
Father, I choose today to go through my day blessing you, whether my circumstances are comfortable to me or not. I will bless you, even if the car won’t start or the kids’ commotion won’t stop. I will bless you in rain or drought, in hot or cold, in feast or famine. I will bless you because you have rescued me from sin. I lift up your holy name and exalt your goodness because you are holy and righteous.
I will bless you, Father, when gas prices rise, and when my income falls. I will proclaim that you are good and you hold all things in the palm of your hand. When insects swarm, when crops fail, when stock markets falter, even when your favor seems to flee my life, still I will bless you. You are mysterious in your ways, yet compassionate in your wisdom. I will trust you, Lord, and bless you, God most high.
Father of time, I will bless you when years of debt are behind me or a few days of rest lie ahead of me. I will exalt you, Lord, in every circumstance, for you are worthy of all praise. I will bless you today when that which I’ve lost is found, when the bus is on time, when the computer starts working again. I will bless you when you calm the confusion inside me and the turmoil outside me. Your love never fails. It always meets me where I am. It always comforts me. It always satisfies me.
Loving Father, enduring in patience, may you be blessed! Jesus, our heavenly provision and divine healer, may you be blessed! Holy Spirit, inscrutable wisdom and eternal counselor, may you be blessed! Holy, Triune God, your mercy endures forever. Your promises are true. Even when circumstances or people fail me, you remain faithful. Yours is a kingdom for all ages, and your dominion endures through all generations.
“Let all your faithful ones bless you, Lord!”
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