In today's Gospel, Jesus teaches us the way to happiness through the Beatitudes.
Come Holy Spirit, fill our hearts and our minds. Fill us with your peace, love, and understanding. Help us to hear God's message today and recognize His voice in our daily activities. Amen
Jesus came down with the twelve and stood on a stretch of level ground with a great crowd of his disciples and a large number of the people from all Judea and Jerusalem and the coastal region of Tyre and Sidon. And raising his eyes toward his disciples he 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. 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.”
Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dHpMsnhdTbU (Attributed to Catholic Kids Media)
Say: The people in the crowd were probably surprised when they heard Jesus’ teaching. He said that thinking only about ourselves and having lots of things wouldn’t make us truly happy. We are blessed and happy when we rely on God, who always loves us and never changes. We are blessed and happy when we make good choices and think of others, living as Jesus teaches us to live.
Say: Jesus teaches us to share, to be patient, and to show concern for others. These actions bring us true happiness and help us share Jesus’ peace. How might you share Jesus’ peace when you’re playing with other children? (Accept all reasonable responses, including sharing toys, taking turns, being patient, helping others do well, being happy for other children when they win a game.)
Pray together: “Lord, make me an instrument of your peace. Amen”
Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=47Kf90d7Tf8&list=PLeptbWkN-y6YZ5R9PNv6aYSlF2gCxESwv&index=25 (Attributed to YancyMinistries.com)
Father in heaven, for the sake of bringing others closer to you, we give you today, all that we think and do and say, and we join it with all that was done by Jesus Christ, your Son. Amen
