Monday of week 10 in Ordinary Time
Gospel: Matthew 5:1-12
In today’s Gospel, Jesus proclaims the Beatitudes and concludes with the surprising invitation: “Rejoice and be glad.” The joy Jesus speaks about is very different from superficial happiness dependent on comfort, success, or approval. He calls blessed the poor in spirit, the meek, those who mourn, the merciful, the pure of heart, and even those who are persecuted for righteousness. According to worldly logic, these conditions do not appear joyful, yet Jesus reveals that true blessedness comes from belonging to God and living according to His Kingdom. Christian joy is born not from possessing everything, but from trusting that God is present even in weakness, suffering, humility, and sacrifice. “Rejoice and be glad” therefore becomes a call to discover that the deepest joy is found in communion with God rather than in external circumstances. The Beatitudes are not simply moral teachings; they are the very portrait of Christ Himself.
Don Giorgio