
Weekly Message
Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Brothers in Christ,
As deacons and servants of our Lord, we are called to live the Beatitudes in a time of immense political and cultural challenge. When we hear Jesus declare “Blessed are you” in St. Luke’s Gospel, it is not a casual blessing but a call to recognize God’s presence amid our daily struggles. Some might dismiss these words as patronizing, as if Jesus is simply saying ‘Well done, keep it up.’ Yet as we know, the Hebrew concept of a blessing is much deeper, it is the discovery of God’s active presence in our midst. We encounter Him not only in moments of suffering but in our struggles for justice and mercy.
Today’s Gospel, with its stark woes and warnings, and reminds us that every blessing carries with it a call. As deacons, we live in a state of relative blessings with education, resources, and a stable life, but our comfort obliges us to care for those who are truly poor in all aspects. God’s preferential love for the genuinely poor challenges us to use our gifts and positions to uplift the vulnerable. We are called to share our blessings and confront the structures that sustain poverty and a culture of death.
Moreover, when we hear “Blessed are you”, we must not settle for a superficial response that glosses over human pain. Instead, we are urged to see the face of God in every poor, hungry, or suffering soul. These are not mere statistics or abstract ideas; they are real brothers and sisters who deserve our active compassion and justice.
Let us remember: God’s blessings do not end in comfort but transform into responsibility. Our daily actions, our prayers, our political participation, our charitable work must reflect our commitment to the Gospel. In obedience to Catholic teaching and Christ’s call, we must stand as living witnesses to a society that honors life from conception to natural death.
I pray for you and your work in His vineyard, may our ministries be one that makes God’s presence always, ensuring that what others see in the followers of Christ is truly a reflection of His love and mercy. Let us continue be instruments of hope, not complicit in the culture of death by inaction, but actively renewing it with the light of Christ.
RECEIVE + BELIEVE + TEACH + PRACTICE
Be Bold + Be men of prayer + Pray for your Brothers +
See you in the Eucharist
Fr. Innocent Montgomery welcoming the poor to the Friary in Bronx, NY
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