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Gospel: Matthew 5:1-12
When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up the mountain,
and after he had sat down, his disciples came to him.
He began to teach them, saying:
“Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are they who mourn,
for they will be comforted.
Blessed are the meek,
for they will inherit the land.
Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
for they will be satisfied.
Blessed are the merciful,
for they will be shown mercy.
Blessed are the clean of heart,
for they will see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers,
for they will be called children of God.
Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness,
for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are you when they insult you and persecute you
and utter every kind of evil against you falsely because of me.
Rejoice and be glad,
for your reward will be great in heaven.
Thus they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”
The Gospel of the Lord.
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Critics can be quick to point out what they see as contradictions in our faith.
For example, people call me “Father,” but I have no children.
Jesus teaches us to love our enemies; to pray for those who persecute us; to humble ourselves in order to be exalted; to serve, not to be served.
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These teachings are summarized in the Beatitudes, which we hear in today’s Gospel. The poor, the persecuted, and the peacemakers will be blessed.
To one without faith, this may seem like a strange “how to” on being a doormat; up is down and down is up.
But that’s precisely the point.
Jesus turns the often selfish values of this world upside down, right side up.
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The only path to lasting peace is following Christ’s example of strength through service.
It’s a message our world needs to be reminded of today.
While Jesus’ teachings may seem like a series of contradictions, maybe it’s the world, not us, that has its logic twisted; everything Jesus teaches boils down to love.
Love is the root answer to many problems we face. If we can truly love one another, then peace, understanding, and justice will follow.
What does it look like for me to love my neighbors as myself today?
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Image credits: (1) Malcom Guite, WordPress. (2) Jesus Christ Our Savior (3) She Talks With God, WordPress