A priest told his bishop of a story he heard about a holy man named Brother George. “He lives up in the mountain all by himself and all he does is pray. He’s been doing that for 27 years!” 

The bishop was surprised and said, “Wait, how does he eat?” The priest replied, “God provides. There’s this woman—an old widow—who cooks for Brother George and brings his food up the mountain. She climbs up for two hours, leaves the food by his door, and then goes down the mountain —for the past 27 years! That’s why this holy man is able to pray every single day!”

The bishop then said, “If I were the pope, I would canonize this person.” The priest said, “Me too. I will make Brother George a saint.” The bishop replied, “No, not Brother George, but the widow!”

Friends, there are many ways of loving God and neighbor. One is by generously giving up one’s comfort and convenience to serve another as a way of loving God. That’s called white martyrdom. 

Bo Sanchez (bosanchez@kerygmafamily.com)

reflect

How is God calling you to be a white martyr for Him?

Lord, give me the grace to serve You in ways You are calling me to, no matter how difficult.

St. Brigid of Ireland, pray for us.

First Reading | Zephania 2:3; 3:12-13

We all need to grow in humility. As we reflect on today’s First Reading, let us allow this truth to sink into our hearts and minds, and discover the power of humility in the work of salvation. We cannot save ourselves, but Jesus can. Are we willing to admit this to ourselves and to God? 

³ Seek the Lord, all you humble of the earth, who have observed his law; seek justice, seek humility; perhaps you may be sheltered on the day of the Lord’s anger. ^3:12 But I will leave as a remnant in your midst a people humble and lowly, who shall take refuge in the name of the Lord: ¹³ the remnant of Israel. They shall do no wrong and speak no lies; nor shall there be found in their mouths a deceitful tongue; they shall pasture and couch their flocks with none to disturb them.

Responsorial Psalm | Psalm 146:6-7, 8-9, 9-10

R: Blessed are the poor in spirit; the kingdom of heaven is theirs!

⁶ Who keeps faith forever, ⁷ secures justice for the oppressed, gives good to the hungry. The Lord sets captives free. (R) ⁸ The Lord gives sight to the blind; the Lord raises up those who were bowed down; the Lord loves the just; ⁹ the Lord protects strangers. (R) The fatherless and the widow the Lord sustains, but the way of the wicked he thwarts. ¹⁰ The Lord shall reign forever; your God, O Zion, through all generations. Alleluia. (R)

Second Reading | 1 Corinthians 1:26-31

True wisdom comes from God. His wisdom can enlighten us on what we need to do to embrace the gift of salvation. It is only in surrendering to the Lord that we will be able to receive His saving grace. If we are too proud to accept God’s gift of salvation, then we cannot enter heaven.

²⁶ Consider your own calling, brothers and sisters. Not many of you were wise by human standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. ²⁷ Rather, God chose the foolish of the world to shame the wise, and God chose the weak of the world to shame the strong, ²⁸ and God chose the lowly and despised of the world, those who count for nothing, to reduce to nothing those who are something, ²⁹ so that no human beingmight boast before God. ³⁰ It is due to him that you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God, as well as righteousness, sanctification, and redemption, ³¹ so that, as it is written, “Whoever boasts, should boast in the Lord.” 

Gospel | Matthew 5:1-12

Jesus teaches that the only way to holiness is by embracing the Beatitudes and fostering them in our way of life. Jesus’ life exemplifies living in God's presence by surrendering our hearts and will to Him and drawing closer to Him each day. Let us listen to God’s Word today and live out the Beatitudes.

Gospel Acclamation

Rejoice and be glad; your reward will be great in heaven.

¹ When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up the mountain, and after he had sat down, his disciples came to him. ² He began to teach them, saying: ³ “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. ⁴ Blessed are they who mourn, for they will be comforted. ⁵ Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the land. ⁶ Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be satisfied. ⁷ Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. ⁸ Blessed are the clean of heart, for they will see God. ⁹ Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. ¹⁰ Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. ¹¹ Blessed are you when they insult you and persecute you and utter every kind of evil against you falsely because of me. ¹² Rejoice and be glad, for your reward will be great in heaven.”

Reflect

Which of the Beatitudes are you living out in your life? How? Which ones do you still need to develop and hone? 

Read the Bible in one year! Read ROMANS 9 - 12 today.

To Be Truly Blessed, Bless Others

What brings true happiness and blessing? Is it wealth, relationships, career success, or something deeper within us? Material wealth offers short-term comfort, but it often leaves us yearning for something more lasting. Career success, while fulfilling at times, can feel empty without purpose, often leading to burnout. Even the strongest relationships can fall short if not nurtured with love and mutual growth.

In the Beatitudes found in the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus redefines what it means to be blessed. He blesses not the rich or powerful, but those whom the world often overlooks—the poor in spirit, the mournful, the meek, the merciful, the pure in heart, the peacemakers, and those persecuted for His sake.

The Beatitudes call us to live in alignment with God’s justice, mercy, and peace. True blessing is found not in material prosperity, but in the richness of our relationships, the depth of our spirit, and in qualities like humility, contentment, righteousness, generosity, and dependence on Divine Providence. Real happiness comes not from what we own, but from how we love and grow.

We are not meant to simply receive blessings, but to be a blessing to others. By living with open hearts and hands, we become instruments of God’s love and grace. When we align ourselves with God’s will, we find a peace that no worldly success can offer—even in life’s toughest moments.

By blessing others, we also become truly blessed. The air we breathe out is the air we breathe in—what we give to others returns to us, creating a cycle of grace, peace, and fulfillment. 

Fr. Paolo Asprer, SSP

reflection question

How are you being a blessing to others?

Lord, guide us to live with hearts that are humble and pure, seeking mercy, justice, and righteousness in all things. May our lives be a reflection of Your love as we serve with grace and bring peace to the world around us. Grant us the strength to walk in the path of Your Kingdom, where true blessing flows not from what we possess, but from how we give. Amen.

Today, I pray for: _________________________________________