Friday of the Eleventh Week in Ordinary Time
June 17, 2022
Today’s Readings:
https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/061722.cfm
Today, in God’s Lavish Mercy, our Alleluia Verse blesses us with one of the Beatitudes
Alleluia, alleluia.
Blessed are the poor in spirit;
for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven.
Poverty of spirit! The concept presents all kinds of questions:
- What does it really mean?
- Must we be materially poor?
- Will material poverty make us holy?
- What other kinds greed, besides the love of money, can consume the soul?
Michael Crosby wrote a book – decades ago now – that touched me deeply. It’s one of the signature books of my spiritual life. Here is a quote from it about being poor in spirit:
The Kingdom of God can only be received by empty hands. Jesus warns against
(a) worldly self-sufficiency: you trust yourself and your own resources and don’t need God;
(b) religious self-sufficiency: you trust your religious attitude and moral life and don’t need Jesus.
Michael H. Crosby, Spirituality of the Beatitudes: Matthew’s Vision for the Church in an Unjust World
Our verse today leads to one of the most profound lines of the Gospel:
Let’s think on these simple yet power-packed encouragements as we examine our own possessions and poverties.
Poetry: from Augustine of Hippo
Thou hast made us for thyself, O Lord,
and our heart is restless
until it finds its rest in thee.
Music: St. Augustine’s Prayer – Ed Conlin
Lavish Mercy 
It took me a long while to discover LAVISH MERCY, Renee. Thank you.
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So glad you did, Sheila!❤️🙏
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