Rejoice and be glad:
your reward will be great in heaven. LK 6:23AB
1 CORINTHIANS 7:25-31
My Soul's Beloved,
The days in this upside-down world we live in are so evil that people are indoctrinated to believe that sexual activity outside marriage is necessary for physical and emotional well-being. Nothing could be farther from the truth. Autonomy over the desires of the flesh demands that we be celibate and even periods of celibacy in marriage are both healthy and necessary. Mastery over our passions helps us exercise discipline in other areas of our lives as well.
The Church is a good mother, she knows the pitfalls of licentious living and the grave harm it does to mind, body, soul, and spirit. We are not animals but children of God and God's commandments are given to us so we may live healthy, happy, and holy lives.
No one knows when the end of the world will occur but the times we live in are in contradiction to all that is good, holy, noble, and beautiful and we seem to be on the fast track to complete annihilation. The Church is the only institution that has held on to the Truth that saves but the rest of the world has deliberately, systematically, stubbornly, disobediently, and foolhardily veered so far from the Way that it would take the Hand of God to bring it back on course.
The world laughs scornfully at the Church but unless they come to her and are taught by her it will be destroyed.
Brothers, this is what I mean: our time is growing short. Those who have wives should live as though they had none, and those who mourn should live as though they had nothing to mourn for; those who are enjoying life should live as though there were nothing to laugh about; those whose life is buying things should live as though they had nothing of their own; and those who have to deal with the world should not become engrossed in it. I say this because the world as we know it is passing away.
PSALM 44(45):11-12,14-17
My Soul's Beloved,
PSALM 44(45):11-12,14-17
Listen, O daughter, give ear to my words.
Listen, O daughter, give ear to my words:
forget your own people and your father’s house.
So will the king desire your beauty:
He is your lord, pay homage to him.
The daughter of the king is clothed with splendour,
her robes embroidered with pearls set in gold.
She is led to the king with her maiden companions.
They are escorted amid gladness and joy;
they pass within the palace of the king.
Sons shall be yours in place of your fathers:
you will make them princes over all the earth.
Listen, O daughter, give ear to my words.
LUKE 6:20-26
My Soul's Beloved,
The Beatitudes are the blueprint for living the divine life while still on earth but they are contradictory to the beatitudes preached and promoted by the world, the flesh, and the devil which preaches a false gospel centered on self-worship, celebrity worship, human worship, and every other form of worship which takes the human heart further and further away from God and divine worship.
The world, the powerful, and the wealthy are so drunk on their possessions, their name, fame, their sense of entitlement regardless of who they crush and destroy hate the Church with a murderous hatred. It is the same hatred that Your enemies had for You as they plotted to murder You and did not rest until they had done so.
But Your little ones, the anawim of God know that only by living the beatitudes that are modeled on Your life, Lord, can we be happy in this life and eternally happy in the life to come.
Happy are you who are poor, who are hungry, who weep
Fixing his eyes on his disciples Jesus said:
‘How happy are you who are poor: yours is the kingdom of God.
Happy you who are hungry now: you shall be satisfied.
Happy you who weep now: you shall laugh.
Happy are you when people hate you, drive you out, abuse you, denounce your name as criminal, on account of the Son of Man. Rejoice when that day comes and dance for joy, for then your reward will be great in heaven. This was the way their ancestors treated the prophets.
‘But alas for you who are rich: you are having your consolation now.
Alas for you who have your fill now: you shall go hungry.
Alas for you who laugh now: you shall mourn and weep.
‘Alas for you when the world speaks well of you! This was the way their ancestors treated the false prophets.’
Fixing his eyes on his disciples Jesus said:
‘How happy are you who are poor: yours is the kingdom of God.
Happy you who are hungry now: you shall be satisfied.
Happy you who weep now: you shall laugh.
Happy are you when people hate you, drive you out, abuse you, denounce your name as criminal, on account of the Son of Man. Rejoice when that day comes and dance for joy, for then your reward will be great in heaven. This was the way their ancestors treated the prophets.
‘But alas for you who are rich: you are having your consolation now.
Alas for you who have your fill now: you shall go hungry.
Alas for you who laugh now: you shall mourn and weep.
‘Alas for you when the world speaks well of you! This was the way their ancestors treated the false prophets.’
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