Pete Scazzero© 2005

MONDAY:

Matt. 5:3 Blessed are the poor in spirit, for
theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Lord God, my Father, help me to accept my brokenness,
emptiness, and utter need for You. Enable me to reject
the values and pride of the world and, by Your grace, to
make wise choices today that I may climb up the ladder of
humility towards You. “God have mercy on me, a sinner”
(Lk. 18:13).

TUESDAY:

Matt. 5:4 Blessed are those who mourn, for
they will be comforted.

Lord, help me to find safety in You as I embrace my
vulnerability, humanity, and limits. Provide grace for me to
not pretend or lie or deny the pain of life, thus avoiding
both reality and You. May I pay attention this day to the
loss and grief around me, and be willing to wait for You in
what often appears to be a “confusing in-between.” I
place my hope in You, O Lord, and in Your unfailing love.

Matt. 5:5 Blessed are the meek, for they will
inherit the earth.

Lord, grant me grace today to wait on You. You know my
tendency to get angry, frustrated, and impatient with
others, myself and my circumstances. Almighty God, help
me to drop my defenses this day and be approachable,
kind, merciful, non-defensive and appropriately assertive.
“I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in His word I put
my hope” (Ps. 130:5)

WEDNESDAY:

Matt. 5:6 Blessed are those who hunger
and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.

Lord, may I seek You above all else this day, for “Your
love is better than life” (Ps. 63:3). Help me to actively
make wise choices today that will satisfy my deep hunger
for You. Enable me to persevere in faithfulness through
any “dark night of the soul” you may choose for me.
Purge my soul of all polluted affections, habits and
rebellions. May your Spirit saturate my spirit, and may
your deepest desires, longings and dreams become mine,
O Lord. Fulfill Your will through my earthly life this day.

Matt. 5:7 Blessed are the merciful, for they will be
shown mercy.

Lord, enable me this day to slow down and eliminate
hurry, that I might remember You and the richness of Your
mercy towards me. Today I offer you my hurts, anger,
bitterness and disappointments. Enable me to forgive as
generously and consistently as You forgive me. Teach me
how to appropriately process any anger toward You,
others and myself. I wait on You and trust in You, Lord.
Show me the way of Your wisdom and love this day.

THURSDAY:

Matt. 5:8 Blessed are the pure in heart,
for they will see God.

Lord, I ask you today for a pure “clean, uncluttered”
heart. I long to see Your face, that there would be
nothing between You and me. Lord, show me what
to say “no” to, so I will have time and energy to
reflect on my heart before You. Cleanse my heart
from gluttony, lust, greed, uncontrolled anger and
impatience, self-pity, laziness, competitiveness with
others, and pride. May I surrender to Your will this
day, remembering Your loyal love. May it soften my
will and transform me to follow Your leading and
presence in every decision I make this day.

Matt. 5:9 Blessed are the peacemakers, for
they will be called sons of God.

Lord, help me to follow Jesus in bringing true peace
to the world around me. Deliver me today from living
a “false peace” by avoiding conflict and appeasing
others out of fear. Give me courage to disrupt false
peace around me when needed. Fill me with the
love and humility of Jesus as I step out in faith to do
this. Give me wisdom and prudence to discern how
to proceed. Finally, grant me the inner authority, the
clarity, and the grace to persevere as I follow You in
being a true peacemaker today.

FRIDAY:

Matt. 5:10-12 Blessed are those who are
persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is
the kingdom of heaven.

Lord, You say true peacemaking will lead, at times,
to rejection by the world. Fill me with courage to
speak and live the truth – even when it is not popular
or convenient. Today I choose the narrow road of:
poverty of spirit, mourning, meekness, hunger and
thirst for You, mercy, purity of heart, and true peacemaking.
Help me, Lord, not to love the world or
anything in it (1 Jn.2:15), that I may love You alone
with all my heart, mind, soul and strength.

Matt. 5:13-16. You are the salt of the earth.
But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made
salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except
to be thrown out and trampled by men. You are the
light of the world.

Lord, You have richly blessed me and given to me a
purpose and calling. Your desire is that I be salt and
light. Free me from the contamination of pride,
defensiveness, impatience, bitterness, busyness,
and fear of people. Show me how to integrate
spiritual disciplines into my life according to my
unique life situation, temperament and calling. Help
me to live out the Beatitudes so that my life can
preserve and bring life to those around me. And may
people, as a result, praise You, my Father in
heaven.

Center For Emotional Health & Spirituality New Life
Fellowship, Elmhurst, NY 11373

http://www.emotionallyhealthy.org/resources/docs/praying_the_beatitudes.pdf