Blessed as Believers

 The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today invite us to contemplate our understanding of “Blessing” as we ponder the sermon of Jesus on the Mount.

Inherit the Earth

In the Reading from the First Book of Kings, Elijah Proclaims a Drought

* [17:1] This verse introduces the enigmatic figure of Elijah the Tishbite. (The name “Elijah” means “the Lord is my God.” The meaning of “Tishbite” is unknown; it may refer to a place or to a social class.) His appearance before Ahab is abrupt and involves several matters that will unify the whole Elijah story. His claim to “serve the Lord” (lit., to “stand before the Lord”) points forward to 19:13, where he refuses to do so; the center of narrative tension on this level is the question of the prophet’s autonomy in God’s service. His proclamation of a drought points forward to 18:41–45 where he announces the drought’s end; the center of narrative tension on this level is the struggle between the Lord and the Canaanite fertility god Baal for the loyalties of Israel. His claim that the drought is due to his own word of power (“except at my word”) points forward to 17:24 where the widow acknowledges the divine source of the word Elijah speaks; the center of narrative tension on this level is the gradual characterization of the prophet as one who receives a divine word (vv. 2, 8), obeys it (v. 5), conveys an effective divine word of threat (v. 1) or promise (vv. 14, 16), and even speaks an effective human word of entreaty to God (vv. 20, 22). (1 Kings, CHAPTER 17 | USCCB, n.d.)

Psalm 121 is a blessing given to someone embarking on a dangerous journey.

* [Psalm 121] A blessing given to someone embarking on a dangerous journey whether a soldier going on a campaign or a pilgrim returning home from the Temple. People look anxiously at the wooded hills. Will God protect them on their journey (Ps 121:1)? The speaker declares that God is not confined to a place or a time (Ps 121:2), that every step is guarded (Ps 121:3–4); night and day (Ps 121:5–6) God watches over their every movement (Ps 121:7–8). (Psalms, PSALM 121 | USCCB, n.d.)

In the Gospel of Matthew, The Sermon on the Mount proclaims The Beatitudes.

* [5:3–12] The form Blessed are (is) occurs frequently in the Old Testament in the Wisdom literature and in the psalms. Although modified by Matthew, the first, second, fourth, and ninth beatitudes have Lucan parallels (Mt 5:3 // Lk 6:20; Mt 5:4 // Lk 6:21b; Mt 5:6 // Lk 6:21a; Mt 5:11–12 // Lk 5:22–23). The others were added by the evangelist and are probably his own composition. A few manuscripts, Western and Alexandrian, and many versions and patristic quotations give the second and third beatitudes in inverted order.

* [5:3] The poor in spirit: in the Old Testament, the poor (’anāwîm) are those who are without material possessions and whose confidence is in God (see Is 61:1; Zep 2:3; in the NAB the word is translated lowly and humble, respectively, in those texts). Matthew added in spirit in order either to indicate that only the devout poor were meant or to extend the beatitude to all, of whatever social rank, who recognized their complete dependence on God. The same phrase poor in spirit is found in the Qumran literature (1QM 14:7).

* [5:4] Cf. Is 61:2, “(The Lord has sent me)…to comfort all who mourn.” They will be comforted: here the passive is a “theological passive” equivalent to the active “God will comfort them”; so also in Mt 5:6, 7.

* [5:5] Cf. Ps 37:11, “…the meek shall possess the land.” In the psalm “the land” means the land of Palestine; here it means the kingdom.

* [5:6] For righteousness: a Matthean addition. For the meaning of righteousness here, see note on Mt 3:14–15.

* [5:8] Cf. Ps 24:4. Only one “whose heart is clean” can take part in the temple worship. To be with God in the temple is described in Ps 42:3 as “beholding his face,” but here the promise to the clean of heart is that they will see God not in the temple but in the coming kingdom.

* [5:10] Righteousness here, as usually in Matthew, means conduct in conformity with God’s will.

* [5:12] The prophets who were before you: the disciples of Jesus stand in the line of the persecuted prophets of Israel. Some would see the expression as indicating also that Matthew considered all Christian disciples as prophets. (Matthew, CHAPTER 5 | USCCB, n.d.)

Margo Minnich comments that in the Beatitudes, Jesus offers us eternal joy rather than temporary worldly approval. He reverses worldly values and reveals what true blessedness looks like. The poor in spirit, the meek, the merciful, and those who hunger for righteousness are called blessed because their hearts are oriented toward God.

This Gospel becomes a call to discernment and self-knowledge. His words challenge us to examine where we place trust and what truly governs our daily choices. It asks us to honestly confront the temptations that draw us away from the service of faith and the pursuit of justice toward selfishness. We should ask ourselves: In what ways do I place my own comfort or success before the needs of others? How often do I imitate the priorities of the world rather than recognize God’s goodness already present around me? The Beatitudes invite us to seek Ignatian indifference, not rejecting worldly goods entirely, but refusing to let them control our hearts or determine our worth.

Christ’s standard is not easy because it calls for humility, sacrifice, and trust. Yet it is also the path to authentic freedom and lasting peace. Jesus reminds us that suffering for righteousness is not failure, but participation in the Kingdom of God. His final words offer both consolation and hope: “Rejoice and be glad, for your reward will be great in heaven.” In those words, Christ invites us to live not for the praise of this world, but for the deeper joy that comes from faithfully following Him. (Minnich, 2026)

Don Schwager quotes “Perfect blessedness is humility of spirit,” by Hilary of Poitiers (315-367 AD).

"'Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.' The Lord taught by way of example that the glory of human ambition must be left behind when he said, 'The Lord your God shall you adore and him only shall you serve' (Matthew 4:10). And when he announced through the prophets that he would choose a people humble and in awe of his words [Isaiah 66:2], he introduced the perfect Beatitude as humility of spirit. Therefore he defines those who are inspired as people aware that they are in possession of the heavenly kingdom... Nothing belongs to anyone as being properly one's own, but all have the same things by the gift of a single parent. They have been given the first things needed to come into life and have been supplied with the means to use them." (excerpt from commentary ON MATTHEW 4.2) (Schwager, n.d.)

The Word Among Us Meditation on Matthew 5:1-12 comments that as we hold fast to our vision of Jesus, however cloudy that vision might be, the Holy Spirit takes our efforts and exchanges them with his own divine grace.

This time, instead of getting sucked into saying something negative, you find a way to steer the conversation to a different topic. Maybe you even make a positive comment about the neighbor with the weedy garden. That’s God at work! And because you cooperated with him, your vision of him became just a little clearer and your heart just a little more like his.

So keep cleaning your spiritual glasses and asking yourself, “Where will I see God today?”

“Jesus, I long to see you. Help me turn away from sin. Purify my heart as I gaze on you.” (Meditation on Matthew 5:1-12, n.d.)

Friar Jude Winkler comments that, in 1 Kings, Elijah tells of drought upon the land that reminds us that  “as the sin, so the punishment” after worship by the people of the false God of fertility, there would be a drought. The Gospel of Matthew begins the Sermon on the Mount (Ch 5- 7) The structure of the Gospel of Matthew mirrors the Pentateuch with five sections to indicate a New Law for the people of God. The Beatitudes are a version of that new law in Matthew. Of the three versions in Scripture, Luke with four blessings and four curses follows a traditional format. “Poor in Spirit” means being humble. Those who mourn are blessed as we realize our need for others and God. The meek change the world by their gentleness. Righteousness in Matthew is presented as Joseph by taking care of Mary and Jesus and those leaders who care for their sheep are truly compassionate and righteous. “Clean of heart” is single minded as, in the Bible thinking is a function of our heart. When we are persecuted for justice and care of the poor we are blessed in God’s eyes. Friar Jude also invites us to consider the parable of the sheep and the goats as our choice to be sheep, living a blessed life.

Father Richard Rohr, OFM, describes relationship as the nature of God and reality. It’s true that nothing stands alone! We are intrinsically like the Trinity, living in an absolute relatedness. We call this love.

We really were made for love, and outside of love we die very quickly. If we are going to start with Trinity, then loving relationship is the universal pattern, the nature of our being. When we start with a philosophical concept of being and then try to convince everyone that this being is, in fact, love, we don’t have a lot of success. I’ve been a priest for over fifty years and can say that more Christians seem to be afraid of God than in love with God. Sadly, Christians aren’t more loving than anyone else; sometimes, we’re even less loving than other people! In some ways, that’s inevitable if we’re basically relating to God out of fear, if we haven’t been drawn into the love between the Father and the Son by the Spirit.(Rohr, n.d.)

We seek the guidance of the Spirit as we live in accord with our Baptismal anointing as priest, prophet, and leader in our work of transformation to a society living the Beatitudes.

 

References

Matthew, CHAPTER 5 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved June 8, 2026, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/matthew/5? 

Meditation on Matthew 5:1-12. (n.d.). Word Among Us. Retrieved June 8, 2026, from https://wau.org/meditations/2026/06/08/1587749/ 

Minnich, M. (2026, June 8). Daily Reflection June 8, 2026 | Creighton Online Ministries. Creighton Online Ministries. Retrieved June 8, 2026, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/daily-reflections/daily-reflection-june-8-2026 

1 Kings, CHAPTER 17 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Bible Readings, Audio and Video Every Morning | USCCB. Retrieved June 8, 2026, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/1kings/17?1 

Psalms, PSALM 121 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved June 8, 2026, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/121? 

Rohr, R. (n.d.). Daily Meditations — Center for Action and Contemplation. CAC.org. Retrieved June 8, 2026, from https://cac.org/daily-meditations/a-positive-relationship/  

Schwager, D. (n.d.). Rejoice and Be Glad, for Your Reward Is Great in Heaven. Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations – Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved June 8, 2026, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/ 

Sharing the Bread of Life

 The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today, the Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ, exhort us to share fullness of life with our community through our Communion with the Bread of Life.

Recalling Corpus Christi 2015

The Reading from the Book of Deuteronomy recalls God’s Care.

* [8:3] Not by bread alone: Deuteronomic theology puts the good things promised faithful Israel into the context of the Lord’s gratuitous love. As in 6:10–12, the goods of life must be seen as gift. Israel is to seek what really matters; all else will be added (cf. Mt 6:33).

* [8:15] Saraph: see note on Nm 21:6. (Deuteronomy, CHAPTER 8 | USCCB, n.d.)

Psalm 147 exhorts the holy city to recognize it has been re-created.

* [Psalm 147] The hymn is divided into three sections by the calls to praise in Ps 147:1, 7, 12. The first section praises the powerful creator who restores exiled Judah (Ps 147:1–6); the second section, the creator who provides food to animals and human beings; the third and climactic section exhorts the holy city to recognize it has been re-created and made the place of disclosure for God’s word, a word as life-giving as water.

* [147:15–19] God speaks through the thunder of nature and the word of revealed law, cf. Is 55:10–11. The weather phenomena are well known in Jerusalem: a blizzard of snow and hail followed by a thunderstorm that melts the ice. (Psalms, PSALM 147 | USCCB, n.d.)

The Reading from the First Letter of Paul to the Corinthians proclaims sacrifices establish communion.

 

* [10:14–22] The warning against idolatry from 1 Cor 10:7 is now repeated (1 Cor 10:14) and explained in terms of the effect of sacrifices: all sacrifices, Christian (1 Cor 10:16–17), Jewish (1 Cor 10:18), or pagan (1 Cor 10:20), establish communion. But communion with Christ is exclusive, incompatible with any other such communion (1 Cor 10:21). Compare the line of reasoning at 1 Cor 6:15. (1 Corinthians, CHAPTER 10 | USCCB, n.d.)

In the Gospel of John, in the Bread of Life Discourse, the eucharistic theme comes to the fore.

* [6:35–59] Up to Jn 6:50 “bread of life” is a figure for God’s revelation in Jesus; in Jn 6:51–58, the eucharistic theme comes to the fore. There may thus be a break between Jn 6:50–51.

* [6:54–58] Eats: the verb used in these verses is not the classical Greek verb used of human eating, but that of animal eating: “munch,” “gnaw.” This may be part of John’s emphasis on the reality of the flesh and blood of Jesus (cf. Jn 6:55), but the same verb eventually became the ordinary verb in Greek meaning “eat.” (John, CHAPTER 6 | USCCB, n.d.)

Susan Naatz shares a sacred, communal moment inviting pre-teens, preparing for First Eucharist, to begin to understand why Jesus chose bread as they prepared to someday receive him, the bread of life, in the Eucharist.

My siblings and young students experienced the connective aspect of breaking bread together. Paul’s letter to the Corinthians today beautifully defines its role in the Eucharist: The bread that we break, is it not a participation in the body of Christ? Because the loaf of bread is one, we, though many, are one body, for we all partake of the one loaf.

The next time you share bread in any form with another, reflect on the symbol and the communal moment. May we always remember that Jesus chose that form of loving connection to come to us each time we participate in the Eucharist so that we too, as members of the Body of Christ, will become life-giving bread for others. (Naatz, 2026)

Don Schwager quotes “Let faith confirm you,” by Cyril of Jerusalem, 315-386 A.D.

"Failing to understand his words spiritually, [the Jews] were offended and drew back, thinking that the Savior was urging them to cannibalism. Then again in the old covenant there was the showbread. But that, since it belonged to the old covenant, has come to an end. In the new covenant there are the bread of heaven and the cup of salvation, which sanctify body and soul. For as bread corresponds to the body, so the Word is appropriate to the soul. So do not think of them as mere bread and wine. In accordance with the Lord's declaration, they are body and blood. And if our senses suggests otherwise, let faith confirm you. Do not judge the issue on the basis of taste, but on the basis of faith be assured beyond all doubt that you have been allowed to receive the body and blood of Christ. (excerpt from MYSTAGOGICAL LECTURES 4.4-6) (Schwager, n.d.)

The Word Among Us Meditation on John 6:51-58 comments that Jesus is proclaiming that he himself is “the living bread that came down from heaven” and that he will give them his own “flesh for the life of the world” (6:51). Two thousand years later, we encounter this same Jesus at every Eucharist. What a glorious gift! He offered his Body and Blood on the cross to save us, and now he gives us that same Body and Blood on the altar.

At Mass today, as the priest lifts up the Host, fix your eyes and heart on Jesus. As you pray, “Lord, I am not worthy,” trust in the mercy of your crucified Savior. As you come forward to receive Jesus, proclaim your faith in his true, Real Presence in what was once only bread and wine. And as you kneel in grateful prayer, praise and thank him for giving his life to you and offering himself for the whole world.

“Lord Jesus, I believe you are truly present in the Eucharist. I adore you and I give my life to you." (Meditation on John 6:51-58, n.d.)

Friar Jude Winkler comments that, in Deuteronomy, Moses is renewing the Covenant through a remembrance of past manna in the desert.  The Hebrew word translates as “What is it”. The manna, water for thirst and the protection against danger reveal the care of God for the deepest hunger is nourished in the desert. The participation in the Body and Blood of Christ as expressed by Paul affirms his understanding of being in contact with the very person of Jesus. The Bread of Life Discourse in the Gospel of John moves from beginning as Wisdom of Incarnate and that beginning at verse 51, His “sarx” for the life of the world, a phrase for our physical body. In the Prologue of John’s Gospel, the Word became Flesh, the physical presence of Jesus. The celebrant at the altar, like John, declares not softening “drink His blood”. We are truly participating in Jesus becoming one with us. In marriage, in John, two flesh become One. We are marrying our God and we affirm being raised on the last day, a future eschatology. In the Eucharist, the Presence of Jesus is a promise of truly more Presence in Heaven. Friar Jude comments on the apparent disconnect of some fundamentalist literal interpretation of the Word  cannot see the true flesh and blood in this passage.

Father Richard Rohr, OFM, reflects on how understanding the Trinity, as relationship, encourages us to live in greater communion with God and life. Can we all be converted, not to Jesus (as strange as that must sound) but to the Trinity, where Jesus Christ actually exists? Only inside the mystery of the Trinity can we begin to understand what Jesus is saying, the mystery he is inviting us into, and the meaning of salvation.

The wonderful thing about living in our time is how many scientists, such as physicists and astronomers, are confirming that this interconnected nature of reality is true. Looking through microscopes or telescopes, they see this same pattern of utter relationship. They are discovering that if reality is anything, it’s absolutely relational. It’s something we used to know, something our ancestors knew on an intuitive, spiritual level. But since the Enlightenment, at least in the West, many people basically dismissed the possibility of interconnection or interbeing. We’ve primarily produced individualists who try to save themselves by believing things intellectually. This view of religion is not a mystery of participation. It’s not a mystery of surrendering; no surrender is even necessary. Instead, it’s a quest to get the right information, which only makes us more proud and self-centered. It makes community less possible, which is clearly evident from our politics and our international relations. Everyone is put back upon themselves, where the only question Christians seem to ask is “How can I get to heaven?” That’s not even a gospel question! It’s a question of the ego. It’s not the question of the Trinity within us. (Rohr, n.d.)

We humbly and hopefully implore the Spirit of the Trinity to inspire our life in a community of love as disciples of Christ and children of the Father.

References

Deuteronomy, CHAPTER 8 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved June 7, 2026, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/deuteronomy/8?2 

John, CHAPTER 6 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved June 7, 2026, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/john/6?51 

Meditation on John 6:51-58. (n.d.). Word Among Us. Retrieved June 7, 2026, from https://wau.org/meditations/2026/06/07/1587025/ 

Naatz, S. (2026, June 7). Daily Reflection June 7, 2026 | Creighton Online Ministries. Creighton Online Ministries. Retrieved June 7, 2026, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/daily-reflections/daily-reflection-june-7-2026 

1 Corinthians, CHAPTER 10 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved June 7, 2026, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/1corinthians/10?16 

Psalms, PSALM 147 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved June 7, 2026, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/147?12 

Rohr, R. (n.d.). A Pattern of Relationship. CAC.org. Retrieved June 7, 2026, from https://cac.org/daily-meditations/a-pattern-of-relationship/ 

Schwager, D. (n.d.). He Who Eats This Bread Will Live Forever. Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations – Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved June 7, 2026, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/ 

Trinity and Complete Love

 The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today, The Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity, invite us to ponder the presence of Father, Son, and Spirit, as our path to Divine Interaction with our fullness of life.

Life and Love in the Trinity

The Reading from the Book of Exodus presents Renewal of the Tablets.

* [34:6] Gracious…fidelity: this succinct poetic description of God is an often-repeated statement of belief (see Nm 14:18; Ps 103:8; 145:8; Jl 2:13; Jon 4:2). All the terms describe God’s relationship to the covenant people. (Exodus, CHAPTER 34 | USCCB, n.d.)

The Passage from the Book of Daniel are additions to the Aramaic text of Daniel.

* [3:24–90] These verses are additions to the Aramaic text of Daniel, translated from the Greek form of the book. They were probably first composed in Hebrew or Aramaic, but are no longer extant in the original language. The Roman Catholic Church has always regarded them as part of the canonical Scriptures. (Daniel, CHAPTER 3 | USCCB, n.d.)

The Reading from the Second Letter of Paul to the Corinthians is one of the clearest trinitarian passages in the New Testament.

* [13:11–13] These verses may have originally concluded 2 Cor 10–13, but they have nothing specifically to do with the material of that section. It is also possible to consider them a conclusion to the whole of 2 Corinthians in its present edited form. The exhortations are general, including a final appeal for peace in the community. The letter ends calmly, after its many storms, with the prospect of ecclesial unity and divine blessing. The final verse is one of the clearest trinitarian passages in the New Testament. (2 Corinthians, CHAPTER 13 | USCCB, n.d.)

In the Gospel of John, Jesus is in dialogue with Nicodemus.

* [3:16] Gave: as a gift in the incarnation, and also “over to death” in the crucifixion; cf. Rom 8:32.

* [3:17–19] Condemn: the Greek root means both judgment and condemnation. Jesus’ purpose is to save, but his coming provokes judgment; some condemn themselves by turning from the light.

* [3:19] Judgment is not only future but is partially realized here and now. (John, CHAPTER 3 | USCCB, n.d.)

Rev. Larry Gillick, SJ, recalls verbally expressing love to his second girlfriend.

I could not say in words my experience love for dear Beverly, I was and am too conditional. My words never could have totally convinced her, I am sure. She would want to have clarity, surety and more explanations. God as Speaker, Revealer, Creator, says it and does so through this Spirit. The Speaker, the Urgency for expression and then the Word, creation. The Urgency is as infinite as the Speaker and the Spoken. The Trinity is One Love having a lot of work to do, including our accepting the ongoing, always creating and revealing of being so loved and created. God keeps saying It and the Spirit urges our acceptance.

Dear Beverly, she never could understand me, and maybe you don’t either. It is all mystery. Yes, God so loves the world that God sends His Son into the world to let us know who we are and what we are to reveal and create. (Gillick, n.d.)

Don Schwager quotes The pledge of the Holy Spirit, by Ambrose of Milan, 339-397 A.D.

"Recall then that you have received the spiritual seal, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of right judgment and courage, the spirit of knowledge and reverence, the spirit of holy fear in God's presence. Guard what you have received. God the Father has marked you with His sign; Christ the Lord has confirmed you and has placed His pledge, the Spirit, in your hearts" (excerpt from De Mysteriis 7, 42). (Schwager, n.d.)

The Word Among Us Meditation on Exodus 34:4-6, 8-9 invites on this feast of the Holy Trinity, that we celebrate the fact that God has revealed himself in such a moving way.

“Father, I praise you because you are always in control. Your plans can’t be deterred by the schemes of any enemy…

“Jesus, you revealed the humility of God when you came to us as a child under the authority of a mother and a father… 

“Holy Spirit, you are the glory of God who has been poured out to give us a glimpse of heaven. You are the One who transforms and comforts me…

“I praise you, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit!” (Meditation on Exodus 34:4-6, 8-9, n.d.)

Friar Jude Winkler comments that in Exodus we have the the episode in which God is revealed in front of Moses with the name of God.  God identified as merciful and gracious. Moses’ people are still necked and yet God is merciful to them. In the Letter to the Corinthians, we are urged to  live in peace as we model the persons of the Trinity. At the end of the message today, Paul gives the Trinitarian blessing in Corinthians. Paul now declares the trinitarian formula we understand, confirming Paul's belief in the Trinity. Chapter Three of the Gospel of John proclaims Jesus has come to save the world and reveal who God is and what He wants of us. We are invited to accept the person of Jesus whereby we are saved, and Friar Jude notes that if we choose rejection this condemns us to the loneliness of living without God.

Father Richard Rohr, OFM, highlights the importance of developing an open, “beginner’s mind”. In the beginning contemplation is simply a practice of living with and looking out from our stable foundation in God, what we might call the Inner Witness. We have to be willing to see how attracted we are to negative, paranoid, oppositional, and even violent thinking. We start to wonder, Where did this come from? Why am I doing this?

We must be willing to question, “How could this little flimsy mind ever know God? How could it understand or even hold space for the great love or great suffering that enter every human life?” It will simply jump to the next thing because the dualistic mind is always moving toward resolution. It loves closure and rushes toward judgment. That’s why all great spiritual teachers said, “Do not judge.”  

To well-educated, dualistic thinkers, that just feels irresponsible. We have to make judgments, don’t we? Of course we do, especially when it comes to issues of justice and solidarity. But the first lens through which we receive a moment, a person, or a situation has to be nondual. I have to accept all parts of reality—that which I think I understand (and call good), and that which I don’t understand (and assume is bad). Sadly, most never go beyond that. Anything that they don’t yet understand is presumed to be wrong, dangerous, sinful, heretical, or even to be destroyed. (Rohr, n.d.)

We embrace the Trinity as the model of Love that is mystical, beyond complete understanding, and yet reassuring of the Divine Love offered for all people and Creation.

References

Daniel, CHAPTER 3 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved May 31, 2026, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/daniel/3?52 

Exodus, CHAPTER 34 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved May 31, 2026, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/exodus/34?4 

Gillick, L. (n.d.). Daily Reflection. Creighton Online Ministries: Home. Retrieved May 31, 2026, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/ 

John, CHAPTER 3 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved May 31, 2026, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/john/3?16 

Meditation on Exodus 34:4-6, 8-9. (n.d.). Word Among Us. Retrieved May 31, 2026, from https://wau.org/meditations/2026/05/31/1581430/ 

Rohr, R. (n.d.). Moving Beyond Our Binary Minds. Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved May 31, 2026, from https://cac.org/daily-meditations/ 

Schwager, D. (n.d.). God's Incredible Gift of Love for the World. Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations – Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved May 31, 2026, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/ 

2 Corinthians, CHAPTER 13 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved May 31, 2026, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/2corinthians/13?11