St. Peter Claver, priest 

＊＊＊ 1st Reading ＊＊＊

1 Corinthians 7:25-31

With regard to those who remain virgins,

I have no special commandment from the Lord, but I give some advice, hoping that I am worthy of trust by the mercy of the Lord. I think this is good in these hard times in which we live. It is good for someone to remain as he is.

 If you are married, do not try to divorce your wife; if you are not married, do not marry. He who marries does not sin, nor does the young girl sin who marries. Yet they will face disturbing experiences, and I would like to spare you.

 I say this, brothers and sisters: time is running out, and those who are married must live as if not mar­ried; those who weep as if not weeping; those who are happy as if they were not happy; those buying something as if they had not bought it, and those enjoying the present life as if they were not enjoying it. For the order of this world is vanishing.

 

Ps 45:11-12, 14-15, 16-17

Listen to me, doughter; see and bend your ear.

 

＊＊＊＊ Gospel ＊＊＊＊

 Luke 6:20-26

 Then looking at his disciples, Jesus said, “Fortunate are you who are poor, the kingdom of God is yours.”  Fortunate are you who are hungry now, for you will be filled.

Fortunate are you who weep now, for you will laugh.

 Fortunate are you when peo­ple hate you, when they reject you and insult you and number you among criminals, because of the Son of Man. Rejoice in that day and leap for joy, for a great reward is kept for you in heaven. Re­member that is how the ancestors of this people treated the prophets.

 But alas for you who have wealth, for you have been comforted now.  Alas for you who are full, for you will go hungry. Alas for you who laugh now, for you will mourn and weep.  Alas for you when peo­ple speak well of you, for that is how the ancestors of these people treated the false prophets.

 

 Gospel Reflection：

There are many ways how to get a fortune. Some inherit it from rich parents. Others achieve it from hard work. Some grab it through luck or lottery. But Jesus speaks of a different course to be fortunate.

It is not a matter of getting or achieving; rather, it is about being preferred or sided by Jesus. He sides with those who have nothing to in herit, cannot get work because of under-qualification, and cannot win sweepstakes.

He then asks those who have plenty to do the same. He sides with us when we share in the misery of the poor, give the unemployed a share of work, and lift people up without a need to buy lottery tickets. To be fortunate is to be on the side of Jesus’ causes.

We renounce everything because if we have Jesus, there is nothing more to inherit, achieve, or win.