Matthew 5: 1- 12
Now when Jesus saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him, and he began to teach them. The Beatitudes He said:
“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
“Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
In this reading, Jesus is preaching a sermon on the mountainside. This sermon is widely known as The Beatitudes . To understand our theme of who is blessed, let’s look into the definition of Beatitude. Beatitude is defined as supreme blessedness. Wow. Can you imagine how loved and cherished one is to have supreme blessedness?
Further down in our reading, we find Jesus speaking more about who is blessed and why. In the third and fourth verse he starts with, “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is in the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.” Within this passage we are learning how all persons within any circumstances are cared for. There is no disregard for those in certain situations.
Jesus does not ignore your state of conditions, nor is there any shame placed upon it. You are nevertheless blessed, in his eyes - you are seen. When reading with your family or even alone, think about those highlighted in this passage. What makes you feel blessed, loved, and cherished? Is there anyway that you can bless others?