“Blessed are you who are poor, for the Kingdom of God is yours.
Blessed are you who are now hungry, for you will be satisfied.
Blessed are you who are now weeping, for you will laugh.
Blessed are you when people hate you, and when they exclude and insult you, and denounce your name as evil on account of the Son of Man.
Rejoice and leap for joy on that day!
Behold, your reward will be great in heaven.
For their ancestors treated the prophets in the same way.
But woe to you who are rich, for you have received your consolation.
But woe to you who are filled now, for you will be hungry.
Woe to you who laugh now, for you will grieve and weep.
Woe to you when all speak well of you, for their ancestors treated the false prophets in this way.”
REFLECTION
"Blessed are you when people hate you, and when they exclude and insult you, and denounce your name as evil on account of the Son of Man."
The sermon of the Mount is one of the most famous in the Bible. Jesus tells us we will be blessed if we suffer. However, can these words be taken out of context?
Is a person blessed just by being poor, and a rich person dammed because of their monetary advantage?
In the last year I have met very poor people, refugees, that regardless of their condition hold on to their faith in God with the hope of a better life for their children. I've met poor widows that are probably giving to charity money they could be using to cover their own basic necessities. Instead they help others in spite of their own conditions. And I've met very rich people that because of their generosity children, women, and men in our city are evangelized and educated with good Catholic principles.
I am also seeing more and more hatred from society towards basic morality. Many outlets will make fun of conservative/Christian values, and repulse those contrary even to basic nature. It will be very easy to lose our temper and despair when this is happening. How should we act?
We still need to speak and act truthfully. Asking the Holy Spirit for His help to do His will, we need to pray and bless those who curse and persecute us. And be humble.
Jesus, please guide us to do your will and always say the Truth, regardless of how unpopular this can be.
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