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Wednesday of the Twenty Third week in Ordinary Time
1 Corinthians 67:25-31
Psalm 45:11-12, 14-15, 16-17
Luke 6:20-26
S
UMMARY
Today˅s readings have a common thread. There is a purpose and reminder that the Lord
is indeed forgiving, loving, and accepting of precisely who you are. The emphasis and
lesson is in the discovery of the opportunity that exists in serving God through daily in-
teractions; particularly, in one˅s relationships. Paul is humbly offering his ˈsuggestions
and thoughtsˉ on being single. He relays the positives behind it; moreover, the pluses of
being yourself.
In the first reading, Paul prefaces the reader that he is about to provide his opinion about
celibacy and the virtue of remaining a single man. I am opining (like Paul did in the read-
ing) that he is delivering insight and outlook as a devoted apostle of Christ. His faith and
dedication to the Lord is what matters most; not earthly possessions or relationships that
are corporal. He speaks about the importance of being married and, at the same time,
unmarried. In essence, his message is about remaining conscious of your ˈearthly lifeˉ
as it relates to God˅s intent and purpose for placing you on this earth.
In the Gospel, Luke offers a comparable lecture on the ˈBeatitudesˉ (sometimes referred
to as the ˈHappiness˅s or Blessingsˉ) to Matthew˅s (5: 3-12). Matthew˅s version is also
referred to as the ˈ
Sermon on the Mount
.ˉ Both scriptures highlight that the ˈKingdom of
Godˉ is ours. We are blessed and loved by God in every shape and form. We, as
Christians, are sanctified when hungry, weeping or even insulted. The promise and re-
ward of heaven is assured in our faith.
R
EFLECTION
As Catholics, it might not be easy to think of ourselves as ˈholy.ˉ There are times in my
life when I certainly don˅t feel ˈholyˉ or even ˈblessedˉ for that matter. Sometimes, we
reserve that designation for saints and other people who have been called to religious
orders. The beauty of our faith is that in our most trying times and life-changing experi-
ences, we are blessed by God. Living our life as God intends is our blessing and pur-
pose.
My reflection on the scripture is to keep in mind the importance of being authentic. Saint
Paul emphasized the importance of being who you are; married or unmarried. Luke un-
derscores our faith and belief in God˅s will. No matter your disposition or condition in
life, it is important to remember that you are blessed and holy in God˅s eyes. Everyone
should try and live their life with clarity; recognizing that we are holy, too. It is equally im-