Mass Readings for : Monday, 10th June, 2024

Catholic Ireland

Liturgical Readings for : Monday, 10th June, 2024

Monday of the Tenth Week in Ordinary Time, Year 2

Optional memorials of Ss Ephrem, deacon and doctor of the Church
and Columba, (Colum Cille) abbot and missionary

FIRST READING

A reading from the first Book of Kings 17:1-6
Elijah served the Lord God of Israel.

Elijah the Tishbite, of Tishbe in Gilead said to Ahab,
‘As the Lord lives, the God of Israel whom I serve,
there shall be neither dew nor rain these years except at my order.’

The word of the Lord came to him,
‘Go away from here, go eastwards, and hide yourself in the wadi Cherith which lies east of Jordan. You can drink from the stream, and I have ordered the ravens to bring you food there.’
He did as the Lord had said; he went and stayed in the wadi Cherith which lies east of Jordan. The ravens brought him bread in the morning and meat in the evening, and he quenched his thirst at the stream.

The Word of the Lord Thanks be to God.

Responsorial Psalm Ps 120
Response Our help is in the name of the Lord, who made heaven and earth.

1. Lift up my eyes to the mountains: from where shall come my help?
My help shall come from the Lord who made heaven and earth. Response

2. May he never allow you to stumble! Let him sleep not, your guard.
No, he sleeps not nor slumbers, Israel’s guard. Response

3. The Lord is your guard and your shade; at your right side he stands.
By day the sun shall not smite you nor the moon in the night. Response

4. The Lord will guard you from evil, he will guard your soul.
The Lord will guard your going and coming both now and for ever. Response

Gospel Acclamation 2 Thess 2: 14
Alleluia, alleluia!
Through the Good News that we brought he called us
to share the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Alleluia!

Or Mt 5: 12
Alleluia, alleluia!
Rejoice and be glad: your reward will be great in heaven.
Alleluia!

GOSPEL

The Lord be with you And with your spirit.
A reading from the Gospel according to Matthew 5:1-12 Glory to you, O Lord
How happy are the poor in spirit.

Seeing the crowds, Jesus went up the hill. There he sat down and was joined by his disciples.
Then he began to speak. This is what he taught them:

‘How happy are the poor in spirit; theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Happy the gentle: they shall have the earth for their heritage.
Happy those who mourn: they shall be comforted.
Happy those who hunger and thirst for what is right: they shall be satisfied.
Happy the merciful: they shall have mercy shown them.
Happy the pure in heart: they shall see God.
Happy the peacemakers: they shall be called sons of God.
Happy those who are persecuted in the cause of right: theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Happy are you when people abuse you and persecute you and speak all kinds of calumny against you on my account.
Rejoice and be glad, for your reward will be great in heaven;
this is how they persecuted the prophets before you. ‘

The Gospel of the Lord Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.
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Gospel Reflection Monday, Tenth Week in Ordinary Time Matthew 5:1-12

In today’s gospel reading, Jesus declares blessed or fortunate those who embrace a certain way of life. He is saying that those who live according to these values and attitudes are blessed not primarily because of their present situation but because of a future situation that will come about for them through the power and fidelity of God. Those who live according to these values are blessed because of the future that God has in store for them. In the present they may not seem blessed to others. How can it be said that those who mourn are fortunate or blessed? Jesus is saying that those who experience sadness because of the present state of the world and who, as a result, have a passionate commitment to justice, who hunger and thirst for what is right, and are prepared to be persecuted in the cause of right, will be comforted, will be satisfied, in the kingdom of heaven.

The attitudes and values that Jesus espouses in the beatitudes make people vulnerable in the eyes of the world, such as being poor in spirit, gentle, merciful to others, pure in heart. They are not a recipe for getting on in the world. They are the opposite of the competitive and grasping spirit that stops at nothing to get ahead, that will allow no one to stand in the way of reaching the top. Yet, these are all attitudes and value that give space to God in one’s life and, thereby, promote the coming of God’s kingdom, the doing of God’s will, in the world. God in Jesus looks upon such people and says to them, ‘Congratulation! You are indeed blessed, because you are living as I intended, as sons and daughters of God, and you will know a happiness that this world cannot give’. Jesus is saying that this is the path to happiness not just in the next life but in this life too.
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