Blessed Are They

And seeing the multitudes, he went up into a mountain, and when he was set down, his disciples came unto him. And opening his mouth, he taught them, saying:

Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Blessed are the meek: for they shall possess the land.

Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.

Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after justice: for they shall have their fill.

Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.

Blessed are the clean of heart: for they shall see God.

Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called children of God.

Blessed are they that suffer persecution for justice' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Blessed are ye when they shall revile you, and persecute you, and speak all that is evil against you, untruly, for my sake: Be glad and rejoice, for your reward is very great in heaven.
Matthew 5:1-12a (Douay Rheims Bible)

Prayer Reflection

Dear Father blessed are they who live these words in their lifetime. They will be given so much. Most of the time we can't be bothered. It's too hard to live this way. Often we seek ways of living our life in simple yet complex ways. Like destroying a life within our wombs, bombing innocent people, disrespecting life. How often do we harass another because they are different or their ways are not like ours. Or poke fun at those less fortunate or mentally handicapped. The list can truly be a very long one, the things that we do everyday to each other. If we really think about it and look at our own lives and what we do and how we respond to others we may find how we don't live these beatitudes at all. Gossip, something that is constant in our everyday lives, do we stop it or make it grow. We call ourselves Christians yet this is one of our major faults most of all. It's prevalent in our Churches, in our social gatherings, in our homes. Can we say we are blessed at all then? Lent is soon upon us and one great way of putting into practice the beatitudes is to fast from what causes us most harm in our lives. What do we do most of that needs to change. If gossip is one of them, then practice silence. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called Children of God. How about being blessed for a change. Amen