THE BEATITUDES

(Day 3)

The first part of the Sermon on the Mount is what is commonly known as “The Beatitudes”.

According to the dictionary “Beatitude” means: supreme blessedness; exalted happiness.

The extreme happiness Jesus refers to in this portion does not depend on venture, or luck, or random chance, or external conditions. It comes from an attitude, from a spiritual perspective.

The word translated as “blessed” comes from the greek “Makarios”. It may also be translated as greatly blessed. In the Hebrew language the word “Esher” is used, it literally means “happy”. It is a happiness that does not depend on “luck”, but is the result of a life of justice and righteousness. Psalm 1 gives us a perfect example:

 (Psalms 1:1-6)  Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; but his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers. The wicked are not so, but are like chaff that the wind drives away. Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous; for the LORD knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish.

SPIRITUAL BLESSING

In the Sermon on the Mount Jesus begins by speaking about what brings on blessing and happiness to the citizens of the Kingdom of Heaven… but is not what one would expect.

Let’s read what Jesus said:

 (Matthew 5:3-12)

(3) "Blessed” are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

(4)  "Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.

(5)  "Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.

(6)  "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.

(7)  "Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.

(8)  "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.

(9)  "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.

(10)  "Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

(11)  "Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. (12)  Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

How can mourning, persecution and meekness bring happiness and be considered a blessing? And aren’t the virtues of compassion, justice and peace considered more of a “duty” than a source of happiness?

If we are surprised by the words of Jesus, maybe we don’t have the “mindset of the Kingdom of God”; maybe we are still conditioned to the frame of mind of this world. How much we need to learn from the Lord! And how much our mind needs to be renewed!

During the following days we will carefully examine every one of these truths Jesus taught. Meanwhile, I invite you to take the time to write them down on a piece of paper, to have them at hand and that they may be engraved on your mind, hoping that by studying them they may be engraved also in your heart.

PRAYER

Lord, I do not want to conform to this world, but I wish for my mind to be renewed to live according to that which is good, acceptable and perfect before your eyes. I want to know happiness according to the measure of the Kingdom of Heaven.

I want to remove from myself the old man that gets corrupted with deceitful desires; I want to put on the new man, created in justice and the sanctity of truth. My mind needs to be renewed and my spirit revived.

Lord, I ask that you may give me a spirit of wisdom and revelation in a greater knowledge of you. I pray that the eyes of my heart be enlightened, to know which is the hope of Your calling, which are the riches of the glory of the inheritance of the saints, and which is the extraordinary greatness of Your power for those of us who believe.

Amen.