Blessed are the poor in spirit; for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven - Daily Bible Readings June 19,2015

1ST READING   Paul’s experience of suffering is impressive. Should we compete with him on this? Of course not! Paul is Paul and we have our own lives to live. Let us encourage the world to embrace the Gospel and heed its call to love. The Church has seemingly lost sight of the simplicity of the Gospel message. Let us return to it, embrace it, and bring it to the world.   2 Corinthians 11:18, 21-30 18 Brothers and sisters: Since many boast according to the flesh, I too will boast. 21 To my shame I say that we were too weak! But what anyone dares to boast of (I am speaking in foolishness) I also dare. 22 Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they children of Israel? So am I. Are they descendants of Abraham? So am I. 23 Are they ministers of Christ? (I am talking like an insane person.) I am still more, with far greater labors, far more imprisonments, far worse beatings, and numerous brushes with death. 24 Five times at the hands of the Jews I received forty lashes minus one. 25 Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked, I passed a night and a day on the deep; 26 on frequent journeys, in dangers from rivers, dangers from robbers, dangers from my own race, dangers from Gentiles, dangers in the city, dangers in the wilderness, dangers at sea, dangers among false brothers; 27 in toil and hardship, through many sleepless nights, through hunger and thirst, through frequent fasting, through cold and exposure. 28 And apart from these things, there is the daily pressure upon me of my anxiety for all the churches. 29 Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is led to sin, and I am not indignant? 30 If I must boast, I will boast of the things that show my weakness.   P S A L M   Psalm 34:2-3, 4-5, 6-7 R: From all their distress God rescues the just. 1 [2] I will bless the Lord at all times; his praise shall be ever in my mouth. 2 [3] Let my soul glory in the Lord; the lowly will hear me and be glad. (R) 3 [4] Glorify the Lord with me, let us together extol his name. 4 [5] I sought the Lord, and he answered me and delivered me from all my fears. (R) 5 [6] Look to him that you may be radiant with joy, and your faces may not blush with shame. 6 [7] When the poor one called out, the Lord heard, and from all his distress he saved him. (R)     GOSPEL     People today are too busy storing up wealth for themselves. For those who believe in the afterlife, we do not take anything with us. For those who do not believe, would you want to die with a wealth of possessions that mean absolutely nothing to you when you are dead and buried? The world is overcome by greed and the pursuit of pleasure because it has lost sight of the right perspective on life. We are here for a very short time, so let us make what we do count.   GOSPEL ACCLAMATION Blessed are the poor in spirit; for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven.   Matthew 6:19-23 19 Jesus said to his disciples: “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and decay destroy, and thieves break in and steal. 20 But store up treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor decay destroys, nor thieves break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there also will your heart be. 22 “The lamp of the body is the eye. If your eye is sound, your whole body will be filled with light; 23 but if your eye is bad, your whole body will be in darkness. And if the light in you is darkness, how great will the darkness be.”   think: Let us encourage the world to embrace the Gospel and heed its call to love.   T O D A Y’S BLESSING LIST Thank You Lord for: __________________   ____________________________________   God’s special verse/thought for me today_ _____________________________________   READ THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR 1  Chronicles 4-6