“The Lord's Spirit has come to me, because he has chosen me to tell the good news to the poor. The Lord has sent me to announce freedom for prisoners, to give sight to the blind, to free everyone who suffers,

Blessings and Troubles

(Matthew 5.1-12)

Jesus looked at his disciples and said: God will bless you people who are poor. His kingdom belongs to you!

Jesus said to the messengers sent by John, “Go and tell John what you have seen and heard. Blind people are now able to see, and the lame can walk. People who have leprosy are being healed, and the deaf can now hear. The dead are raised to life, and the poor are hearing the good news.

If you would only give what you have to the poor, everything you do would please God.

“This is what happens to people who store up everything for themselves, but are poor in the sight of God.”

Sell what you have and give the money to the poor. Make yourselves moneybags that never wear out. Make sure your treasure is safe in heaven, where thieves cannot steal it and moths cannot destroy it.

When you give a feast, invite the poor, the paralyzed, the lame, and the blind.

The servant told his master what happened, and the master became so angry he said, “Go as fast as you can to every street and alley in town! Bring in everyone who is poor or paralyzed or blind or lame.”

But a poor beggar named Lazarus was brought to the gate of the rich man's house.

The poor man died, and angels took him to the place of honor next to Abraham. The rich man also died and was buried.

When Jesus heard this, he said, “There is one thing you still need to do. Go and sell everything you own! Give the money to the poor, and you will have riches in heaven. Then come and be my follower.”

Later that day Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, “I will give half of my property to the poor. And I will now pay back four times as much to everyone I have ever cheated.”

He also saw a poor widow putting in a few cents.

And he said, “I tell you that this poor woman has put in more than all the others.

Everyone else gave what they didn't need. But she is very poor and gave everything she had.”