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.”
The readings this Sunday point to humility, service, and sacrifice, culminating in the Gospel (Mt 5:1-12a) that teaches us the Beatitudes in Jesus’ “Sermon on the Mount.” The culmination of the sermon foreshadows the sacrificial death of Jesus and the martyrdom of so many of his followers. Jesus says that, when they insult and persecute you because of him, know the exceedingly great reward of heaven and, against all odds and worldly reason, “rejoice and be glad”. How can we live our faith at a level that we know will bring us insult and persecution; and in that, be glad?
Petition:
That we may rejoice and be glad in our sacrifice and suffering in the name of Jesus for the reward of Heaven that awaits us, we pray….