Memorial of Saint Alphonsus Liguori, Bishop and Doctor of the Church
The Beatitudes have long been understood as a guide for the Christian life. They bring to life the teaching that God’s ways are not our ways, for they tie blessedness to realities that do not look like blessings when viewed only through natural human eyes. Today’s Gospel acclamation draws our attention to one of them:
“Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 5:10) – footnote: “Righteousness here, as usually in Matthew, means conduct in conformity with God’s will.”
Persecution for the sake of righteousness does not always resemble the martyr shedding blood. Sometimes it looks like the man who declines to join crude conversations at Happy Hour and quietly finds himself passed over for the promotion he earned. Other times, it is the family member criticized or sidelined for insisting that Sunday Mass remains a priority, even on vacation. These sufferings—born from fidelity to God’s will—carry a real and present reward: “Theirs is the Kingdom of heaven.” Not “will be,” but is. His Kingdom has already come to us.
Yet for everyone, that is not yet so. At our Baptism, the Most Holy Trinity came to dwell within us, and through Our Lord Jesus Christ, we became children of God. When we endure persecution for the One who first loved us, we offer a personal witness to the power of God’s love. When we bend the knee in adoration and turn the other cheek when provoked, the Kingdom within us becomes visible to those around us.
On this day in 1868, Father Peter Julian Eymard died at La Mure d’Isère in the house where he was born. His letters reveal the misunderstanding and resistance he endured for the sake of righteousness. Father Eymard truly lived the prayer, “Thy Kingdom Come.”
Let us pray:
“See, you lowly ones, and be glad; you who seek God, may your hearts revive! For the LORD hears the poor, and his own who are in bonds he spurns not.” R. Lord, in your great love, answer me. (From Responsorial Psalm)
