Matt 5:1-12 NAB
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.”
Reflection
In the first sermon of five Jesus gave during His ministry, He taught the ten basic principles of true happiness called the Beatitude or Blessedness. Each person possessed the natural desire for happiness that God placed in each heart. Without Him, there would be an emptiness that people sought to fill with worldly distractions yet feel dissatisfied. The basic truth; supreme happiness, satisfaction, comfort, joy and purpose can only be found in God and God alone. God sought the highest good for all and allowed suffering to purify the soul. The poor in spirit, those who mourn, the meek, the righteous, the merciful, the pure in heart, the peacemakers, the persecuted, the slandered and those with joyful hope would, through their sufferings, pursue God and be completely dependent on Him. Jesus promised the joys of heaven would compensate and elevate them to the status of the persecuted prophets before them.
Corporate Leadership
Is it better to have wisdom or wealth? Many people see wealth and power as success. Such outward displays are sometimes taken as “signs” that God has blessed them. So, it is with difficulty that, at the working level, the janitors, the clerical staff, the deliverymen and so on feel that God blessed them. Jesus pointed out that the “little people” were blessed spiritually, especially if they looked to God for their comfort and claim their reward in heaven. Likewise, a good leader knows that being rich and powerful are merely outward signs. It does not mean that such people are happy and peaceful. In fact, in the pursuit of wealth and power, happiness and peace are lost. It is wiser to be righteous, honest and peace loving so that it brings harmony to the work place. Sophocles, the most-awarded ancient Greek playwright says, “Wisdom outweighs any wealth.” – XW
Family Leadership
God allows suffering for the highest good of mankind. Through suffering, one develops character qualities like tolerance, patience and understanding. These very qualities help one to persevere and discover one’s inner resolve to happiness. Unlike God, parents can be overly protective. Some of them can not bear to see their children suffer. This caused them to bail the children out of punishment or shield them from their responsibilities. Due to such indulgence, children do not learn their duties and roles in life. They whine, complain, grumble and bargain at every discomfort. Such children will not have the inner resolve to pursue true happiness but seek false comforts of the world. Every parent possesses the natural desire God has placed in their hearts for their children’s happiness. However, due to their misplaced protectiveness, they rob the children of their character development and their true source of happiness. – XW
Thank you, this has help me so much!