Daily Reflections

September 7, 2011
Blessedness Is Being With God

Who is truly blessed? In the Gospel today, Jesus said they are the poor, hungry, weeping, hated and excluded, insulted, and denounced as evil. On the contrary, He pronounced woes on the rich, the laughing and those of good reputation. Then and now, this teaching would receive much resistance, criticism and ridicule. But Jesus knew what He was saying.
The key to unlocking the wisdom of His reversal teaching is in the cause of the blessedness and the curse. Jesus points out that blessedness is achieved if the above situations occur because of Him. Poverty, hunger, weeping, and so on will be blessed situations if we experience them because of faithfulness to the Lord. But if one, in his poverty, sorrow and difficulties, is unfaithful and resorts to sin, then he is not blessed but cursed instead. But they, too, can attain blessedness if they share their gifts with the poor and so on.
Situations of dire need comes to every person. There’s always the temptation to take the easy way out. I was not spared of it. Once, I made an appeal for medicines for our parish medical clinic. After the Mass, a person approached me and said that his brother, a doctor in the United States, could send me a lot of of medicines. To make the long story short, the medicines arrived in a cargo box addressed to my bishop and was ready for pick up at the customs office. I went there at 8:00 a.m. and on the first window, I was charged P20 for an application form without a receipt. Then I was made to wait, approach one table after another, and talk to a lot of people. By 3:00 p.m., I had enough. My paper was being processed slowly because I refused to give bribe money to the persons involved. It was immoral and as a priest retriving the cargo of a bishop, it was unbecoming and unacceptable.
I left proud that I did not succumb to the temptation. But I did not give up. I sought help from authorities and eventually, the cargo was obtained morally.
Blessedness is not found in material things, power, fame or whatever this world could offer. It is in having a good relationship with the Lord. Fr. Benny Tuazon

Reflection Question:
How strong am I in resisting the temptation to cut corners to attain my goal or to get out of a problematic situation?

Lord, strengthen me when my resolve to follow Your will in all things and in all situations weaken.

St. Eustace, pray for us.