The Beatitudes
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Mt 5:1-12
1When [Jesus] saw the crowds, he went up the mountain, and after he had sat down, his disciples came to him. 2He began to teach them, saying:/ 3“Blessed are the poor in spirit,/ for theirs is the kingdom of heaven./ 4Blessed are they who mourn,/ for they will be comforted./ 5Blessed are the meek,/ for they will inherit the land./ 6Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness,/ for they will be satisfied./ 7Blessed are the merciful,/ for they will be shown mercy./ 8Blessed are the clean of heart,/ for they will see God./ 9Blessed are the peacemakers,/ for they will be called children of God./ 10Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness,/ for theirs is the kingdom of heaven./ 11Blessed are you when they insult you and persecute you and utter every kind of evil against you [falsely] because of me./ 12Rejoice and be glad, for your reward will be great in heaven. Thus they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”
Reflection:
Blessed are the poor.
The Beatitudes describe the persons who are truly happy in the eyes of
Jesus. To be honest, we have to admit that it is not easy for us to see
that the people named here are the truly happy persons. Only faith
enables us to do that.
But
it is this way: the Beatitudes are a self-portrait of Jesus. Jesus is
the one who is poor in spirit, who mourns, who is meek, who hungers and
thirsts for righteousness. He is the merciful one, the one who is clean
of heart, the peacemaker, the one persecuted for righteousness’ sake.
Now,
we ask, is Jesus truly happy? Indeed he is. He is THE BLESSED ONE who
comes in the name of the Lord, as we say at Mass. If Jesus is the
Blessed One, the happy ones are all who are like him (as described in
the Beatitudes) and are also blessed.
Are you among the blessed?
Do you dare to be happy
the way Jesus wants you to be happy?
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