Mt 5:1-12a

VSS VPM

At the beginning of the sermon of the mount, Jesus gives the beatitudes.

There is a song with the question, "What is the promise that embraces my need?" These are those promises. These beatitudes respond to the human desire for happiness. They reveal the true dignity and vocation of humanity to heavenly bliss. And this great gift of God is much greater than our need; therefore the promise "embraces" the need. We must allow ourselves to be embraced by God! "God is greater than our hearts" (1 Jn 3:20). What patience, what endurance we can gain from sincerely accepting these promises. The very lack of consolation can become a consolation, because blessed are they who mourn. These beatitudes can help us recover our peace amidst tribulations.

Human happiness is achieved for good in the beatific vision - seeing God in heaven. The beatitudes are like 8 pathways to this vision. Jesus lived them to perfection, and Jesus is the Way. Let us be poor in spirit, dependent on God! Let us mourn for our sins! Let us build the spiritual life on humility! Let us hunger for doing the will of the Father! Let us soften strict justice with mercy! Let us live in the truth with a pure heart! Let us be instruments of peace! Let us bear our share of hardship for the sake of the Gospel!

The beatitudes call us to be little ones, to be poor ones. They turn our expectations on their head. "He who humbles himself will be exalted" (Lk 14:11). They call us to the simplicity of a child in the hands of his or her Father. They call us to St. Thérèse's little way of love. "Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven" (Mt 18:3). Knowing his promises, we can trust God with complete confidence. For God always keeps his promises. "If we have died with him, we shall also live with him. If we hold out to the end we shall also reign with him" (2 Tim 2:11-12).

Lord, thank you for responding to our desire for happiness with these wonderful promises! Convert us to your Way so that already on earth we can begin to experience the joys promised. Send us the grace we need to live these beatitudes every day of our lives!

Mary, gate of heaven, make us worthy of the promises of Christ! See to it that we attain to our happiness by remaining faithful through all our trials. Recall these promises to our minds when things get tough, or when we feel we are little.