Happiness is not the primary goal and first step for the Christian disciple. Jesus says, “pick up your cross and walk”. Happiness and joy are outcomes of how we engage in the struggle and how we have first followed Jesus. They come later on. We don’t start with “are you happy?” Yet out culture today starts here.
Jesus did not say “Blessed are those who are happy”. Jesus did not say “Blessed are those that make money”. Jesus did not say “Blessed are those powerful and in control”. Rather Jesus said, “Blessed are those who mourn”. Rather Jesus said, “Blessed are those who are poor”. Rather Jesus said, “Blessed are those who are humble and persecuted”. It is so that the love of God might be seen through you and me. We are called to become instruments of God’s love. We need to realign our values and choices. We cannot do this alone. To be people of the Beatitudes is to choose the road less travelled. Not to choose suffering. But to choose to be instruments of hope. To be chose to be beacons of hope. So that the love of God can flow through our hearts.
Have we missed something in how we live our Christianity today? Why is that…?
Yes. We can be happy. But, happiness should not be a superficial idea or option. Of what we think. We must live more deeply. Christian Joy comes not when we select it from a shopping shelf, but through our deeper encounters which discovers God hidden amongst us. Through our struggle. But also, through other people’s struggle to. We are all called to be children of God. Brothers and sisters of Jesus. Daughters and sons of Mary.
Pope Francis suggests the following modern Beatitudes
Blessed are those who remain faithful while enduring evils inflicted on them by others and forgive them from their heart.
Blessed are those who look into the eyes of the abandoned and marginalized and show them their closeness.
Blessed are those who see God in every person and strive to make others also discover him.
Blessed are those who protect and care for our common home.
Blessed are those who renounce their own comfort in order to help others.
Blessed are those who pray and work for full communion between Christians.'
But can you think of other modern Beatitudes for your life?
The Beatitudes are about bring God’s light within the darkness. From death to new life. From sin to forgiveness. From brokenness to wholeness. From suffering to joy. This is the Christian pattern for living the Beatitudes today. Where reality is turned upside down. But we do not do this alone. We do this with God’s help and modelled on inspirational people from our wider community.
Let us pray “To be people of the Beatitudes”
God our Creator, Mould us to be people of the Beatitudes. So that we might seek to be the love of God Living in us. Through our choices, values, and goals. This day may we renounce our own comforts in order to help others. This day may we protect and care for the Environment. This day may we see God in every person and strive to enable others also to discover the mystery of God. This day may we look into the eyes of the abandoned and marginalized and show love. This day may we remain faithful while enduring evils and sharing forgiveness. This day may we pray and work for communion between Christians and people of other faiths. This day may we Seek to create a new Beatitude. A new beatitude for our world today.
Holy Spirit, make the struggles we face Be a priority in our lives, so that we might be Jesus and Mary’s hands, feet and heart. May the darkness that we face Be opportunities of faith Of Jesus born in us today. To be people of the Beatitudes.
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