Matthew 5:1-12
When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up the mountain; and after he sat down, his disciples came to him. Then he began to speak, and taught them, saying:
‘Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
‘Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
‘Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.
‘Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.
‘Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy.
‘Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.
‘Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.
‘Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
‘Blessed are you when people revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
Reflection
We can take comfort in God and in following Jesus as our Savior. We are richly blessed. In the situations that we live that are tough to handle, we can know and believe that God has a promise and God has a blessing waiting for us. Not because we deserve a blessing, but rather because of Jesus.
God's Son, Jesus, came into this world to live the tough life. Jesus did not live like a king. Jesus did not live like the rich. Jesus lived like the common people of his day. But, Jesus was different. Jesus came as God with an active message from God. Believe in God in Jesus and you will be saved. Repent and turn from a life of selfishness, a life of sinful acts and follow the Savior.
At this moment life doesn't turn instantly wonderful in the way we think of it with our worldly minds. We still sin, we still get sick, we still endure accidents and even death. But, a dramatic change has taken place. We have the blessing of a Savior in Jesus who lived and died upon a cross and rose again to live eternally. And in this action of God we too become Children of God. We run to be baptized, we run to follow and learn from Jesus. The Word of God is opened up to us to see Jesus in the Old Testament and in the Acts of the Apostles. We learn and yearn for Jesus teaching and learn and yearn to do the will of God in this world, in this time and in this place. Yes! We believe! And... yes we are blessed! Richly and wonderfully blessed in all circumstances one way or another.
As Christians, we may be mocked or ridiculed for our belief in what seems to make no sense to the world. But, as Christians, as Children of God that believe in Jesus our Savior, we focus on the radical change that the results of the cross brought into this world. An instrument of pain and death has become a symbol of new life. New life as a result of Jesus becoming our sin and putting that sin to death and rising again to new life from the tomb. Yes... the cross and the tomb are transformed by Jesus alone into symbols of hope and faith to bring new life to all who believe. Yes we are heirs of the kingdom of heaven.
We are blessed! We belong to Jesus! Thanks be to God!
Prayer
Lord, as I pause this day and each day to thank you for the blessings you graciously give me in this new life in your Kingdom; may I respond in that same love to those you give to me today that may not believe. May I run to tell what you have done for all the people. May I run to act out the love you have shown because of what you have done for all the people through Jesus our Lord and our Savior... today... tomorrow... and forever. --- Amen
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