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Manila Bulletin devider Opinion devider Blessed

Blessed

Published Jun 8, 2026 12:05 am  |  Updated Jun 7, 2026 03:56 pm
REFLECTIONS TODAY
One of the reasons why the Gospel of Matthew is put first among the Gospels, though it is not the oldest, is because of its sayings which are easy to understand. One of these sayings is the famous Beatitudes. Matthew uses makarioi which not only means “blessed,” but also “fortunate” or “happy.”
The Eight Beatitudes enumerates the basic attitude of a true follower of Christ. Without embodying these beatitudes, we cannot go far in our discipleship. We are not here as disciples for its own sake. We have a mission: to establish the Kingdom of God (for Matthew, it is Kingdom of heaven). To succeed, we must be poor in spirit, meek, merciful, clean of heart, peacemaker, etc. We are not establishing a kingdom of the powerful and arrogant people. Let us be identified as the people of the Beatitudes. The reward is great: the Kingdom of God itself.
First Reading • 1 Kgs 17:1-6
Elijah the Tishbite, from Tishbe in Gilead, said to Ahab: “As the Lord, the God of Israel, lives, whom I serve, during these years there shall be no dew or rain except at my word.” The Lord then said to Elijah: “Leave here, go east and hide in the Wadi Cherith, east of the Jordan. You shall drink of the stream and I have commanded ravens to feed you there.” So he left and did as the Lord had commanded. He went and remained by the Wadi Cherith, east of the Jordan. Ravens brought him bread and meat in the morning, and bread and meat in the evening, and he drank from the stream.
Responsorial Psalm • Ps 121
“Our help is from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.”
Gospel • Mt 5:1-12
When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up the mountain, and after he had sat down, his disciples came to him. He began to teach them, saying:
“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven. Blessed are they who mourn, for they will be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the land. Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be satisfied. Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. Blessed are the clean of heart, for they will see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when they insult you and persecute you and utter every kind of evil against you falsely because of me. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward will be great in heaven. Thus they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”
Source: “365 Days with the Lord 2026,” St. Paul’s, 7708 St. Paul Rd., SAV, Makati City (Phils.); Tel.: 632-895-9701; E-mail: [email protected]; Website: http://www.stpauls.ph.

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