This past Sunday the gospel at St. Mary's Church in Chardon, Ohio was Chapter 5 of Matthew, verses 1-12, the Beatitudes. As I listened to this gospel, it struck me that this is one of the great treasures of the world. Here is the sacred text:
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.
What really strikes me is how Jesus stands by the poor, the needy, the persecuted, the underdog. I know this great spirit does not arise out of the blue in the New Testament. This spirit has deep roots in the Old Testament. This is our ancient tradition. The Beatitudes should inform our lives, our politics, and all our social interactions.
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