HOST: Michael Whitworth
Seeing the crowds, he went up on the mountain, and when he sat down, his disciples came to him. And he opened his mouth and taught them, saying: “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied. “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy. “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God. “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. “Blessed are you when others 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 so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
Happiness—the universal desire. Everyone wants to be happy, and most spend a lot of their lives searching for it. Success, money, notoriety, relationships, adventure—on some level, all of these things are sought out by many people for the purpose of finding happiness. But while any of these things can bring some level of happiness or satisfaction to our lives, Jesus tells us that the key to being truly happy (blessed) is not to be found in any physical thing, but rather in filling one’s life with the attitudes and characteristics that draw him closer to God and deeper into relationship with Him. These attributes, which we often call the beatitudes, can help to shape our souls and our lives into what God would have us to be, and to point us toward true and lasting happiness. What a priceless treasure of wisdom these teachings of Jesus are!
Which of the beatitudes is most meaningful to you and why?
Don’t forget to pray and have a great day!
