As I continue to ponder God’s action in my life, I feel moved to reach out humbly to others and to share with those entrusted to my care the Good News of God’s love. I do so because I myself have experienced God’s blessings through people who cared for me, accompanied me, and became instruments of His grace in countless ways.

The readings for this Sunday speak profoundly about humility in the spirit of the Beatitudes. The First Reading invites us to seek the Lord in humility. The Psalm assures us that God is close to the lowly and attentive to those who place their trust in Him. In the Second Reading, Saint Paul reminds the Corinthians that most believers did not come from the upper classes, but from among the lowly and the ordinary. Indeed, God looks upon our littleness with tenderness and grants us a special place in His heart. He knows our concerns and faithfully provides for our needs.

In the Gospel, Jesus appears as the new Moses. He brings the Law to fulfillment by loving God with all His heart, mind, and soul, and by loving His neighbor as Himself. This becomes the new rule of life for His disciples. By living this commandment of love, we make God present in the lives of others, especially among the poor and those on the margins.

As I recall the life of our Father Founder, Blessed Francisco Palau, I recognize in him a concrete and compelling witness to this Gospel way of life. His spirituality was rooted in a mystical union of love for God and love for neighbor. This is beautifully reflected in the Beatitudes: the first express our relationship with God, while the latter call us into loving responsibility toward others. As his daughter, I can truly say that his life embodies the Beatitudes in a unique and prophetic way. I feel deeply blessed to live his charism of loving the Church through a life of love for God and for His people.

As children of Fr. Palau, we are reminded that prayer must always be accompanied by action. From his experience of finding God in the solitude of the mountains, and through his passionate love for the Church, the Beatitudes can be interpreted in the light of his life and teachings:

• Blessed are the solitary contemplatives, for they shall come to know intimately the heart of the Church.

• Blessed are the lovers of God and neighbor, for they shall see the face of God in every human being.

• Blessed are the obedient children of the Church, for they shall inherit the strength to renew and reform faith.

• Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for justice in the Church, for they shall bring hope amid ignorance and sacrilege.

• Blessed are the tenderhearted, for they shall care for the marginalized, the sick, and those who feel abandoned by God.

• Blessed are the missionaries of truth, for they shall shine as lights in a challenging world.

• Blessed are those who find beauty in devotion to Mary, Our Lady of Mount Carmel, for they shall be sheltered beneath her mantle.

• Blessed are those who are persecuted, for they shall be rewarded for their faithful service to God.

Truly, the life of Blessed Francisco Palau inspires us to live the spirit of the Beatitudes with confidence and hope. It reminds us that the all-powerful God stands on the side of the poor in spirit, those who mourn, the meek, those who hunger and thirst for holiness, the merciful, the pure of heart, the peacemakers, and those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake.

In conclusion, we are invited to examine ourselves honestly: What is my understanding of the Beatitudes? Do I truly live their spirituality in my daily life? Am I grounded in the teaching of Jesus to love God and my neighbor? How can I grow more deeply in living the Beatitudes and give authentic witness to the Gospel through my love and service to others?