When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up the mountain,
and after he had sat down, his disciples came to him.
He began to teach them, saying:
Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are they who mourn,
for they will be comforted.
Blessed are the meek,
for they will inherit the land.
Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
for they will be satisfied.
Blessed are the merciful,
for they will be shown mercy.
Blessed are the clean of heart,
for they will see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers,
for they will be called children of God.
Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness,
for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are you when they insult you and persecute you
and utter every kind of evil against you falsely because of me.
Rejoice and be glad,
for your reward will be great in heaven.
Thus they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
— Matthew 5:1-12
The peace of the Lord be with you. The Gospel of Matthew contains some of the most important teachings of Jesus. Our Gospel reading today reflects on the Beatitudes which are part of his Sermon on the Mount. These words are often read at many of the funerals that I have attended and served. The reason they are very often read at funerals is because these words depict what it means, and what it looks like, to be a Christian — to be a follower of Christ.
As I sat with these words today, I wondered how I am doing with living up to these standards; with living up to this challenge? I wonder how other people see me living up to the standards; to these challenges? Would this community have suggestions for me about the direction of my life not for the purposes of judgement, but so that I can live in great harmony with God and my fellow human beings?
Today, I invite you in a non-judgemental way just sit and to ponder these questions. Christianity is a journey it’s not a destination. So please don’t feel discouraged or frustrated by what you see or don’t see. We just need to ask God for the grace to use today better than we used yesterday. In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.