The beatitudes

Thursday April 8, 2021

The beatitudes

Happy is the man who puts his trust in the Lord ! Psalm 40.5

The Beatitudes, which we can read in the Gospel according to Matthew, are undoubtedly one of the best known and most disturbing texts in the Bible. Jesus introduces this series of nine proclamations, at the beginning of his Sermon on the Mount, by the expression "Happy..." which could also be translated as "On the march, towards happiness...". But to whom can we dare to say : “Blessed are the poor ! Happy are those who cry ! Blessed are those who are oppressed for righteousness !" ? It is that Jesus calls his disciples to a radical change of mentality... "It is not a question of the happiness which produces satiety, it is not a question of the enjoyment of satisfied desires, but of deeper happiness. which is given to open eyes and hearts. To be open to God, to his wealth and his constantly renewed gifts, one must feel poor and empty, thirsty and hungry.", declared Eberhard Arnold, German Protestant theologian (1883-1935).

Jesus invites us to find our hope and our joy in God. If we let God rule our life, then he changes our outlook on the world. His promise : we will be blessed in his presence despite any miseries or hardships we may go through. Jesus himself perfectly embodied the Beatitudes, he who was humble and meek of heart. The Beatitudes are an invitation to follow in his footsteps !

Bernard Grebille

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Proposed reading : Gospel according to Matthew, chapter 5, verses 3 to 11.

Source (Live Today)