Questions for reflection

As you slowly read this Gospel passage, allow its words to soak into your mind. You may want to light a candle to help you ponder the passage, reflect on the image above or on the words of Pope Francis below. You may even want to imagine you are listening to Jesus inviting us into a blessed world.

1. What is this passage saying to you?

2. As you ponder the Beatitudes, how do they make you feel? Which of them most caught your attention; most touched your heart; most challenged you; most comforted you? Are there any you found uncomfortable? Do you feel ‘blessed’ and joyful? From where, from whom, does this joy come

3. ‘Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. ’ Are you meek? Do you show a kindness and gentleness to people you meet? Do you respect the dignity of others?

4. ‘Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.’ Do you hunger and thirst for what is right? Do you dedicate you energies to rectifying the injustices you see around you? Do you fight for the homeless, refugees, victims of human trafficking, those who live in poverty, those who do not receive a fair wage?

5. ‘Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God’.
Are you a peacemaker? Do you try to reconcile and bring people together when you notice rifts in the family and community? Do you feel being a peacemaker is your responsibility or would you rather not get involved?

6. ‘Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account.’ Have you ever felt excluded or hated or persecuted for your beliefs? Did you feel the love of God perhaps through someone unexpected? Do you know someone who is marginalised? What can you do to help them feel included?

7. ‘Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven’ What brings you joy? What blessings can you give thanks to God for?

Pope Francis tells us:

The page from today’s Gospel invites us to reflect on the profound sense
of having faith, which consists in our trusting completely in the Lord. It is
about demolishing worldly idols in order to open our hearts to the true and
living God. He alone can give our life that fullness so deeply desired and
yet difficult to attain.

We are called to happiness, to be blessed, and we become so as of now,
to the measure in which we place ourselves on the side of God, of his
Kingdom, on the side of what is not ephemeral but rather endures for
eternal life. We are happy if we acknowledge we are needy before God —
and this is very important: “Lord, I need you” — and if, like him and with
him, we are close to the poor, the suffering and the hungry. We too are like
this before God: we are poor, suffering, we are hungry before God.
Although we possess worldly goods, we experience joy when we do not
idolize or sell our souls out to them, but are able to share them with our
brothers and sisters. Today the liturgy invites us once again to question
ourselves about this and to be truthful in our heart.

We shall now spend 10 minutes reflecting on this scripture passage by reading, repeating, responding and resting as described above. We will then share what we thought, felt etc. only if you are comfortable to do so.