The Gospel reading for this Feast is that of the beatitudes. It can be helpful to think of the different beatitudes as expressing something of the variety of paths to holiness, to sanctity, that Jesus is warmly inviting each of us to take. Some will come more naturally to us than others. But as we pray for the grace to try and live out any one of the beatitudes, it can also help lead us towards the living out of all the others. For example, some people may be drawn to the beatitude, ‘Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness’ and they will then find that they’re also drawn to the beatitude, ‘Blessed are those who mourn’. Why? Because they’re the sort of people who will mourn over the absence of goodness, love and justice in their own lives, and in the lives of others. Such people will also tend to be merciful and to be peacemakers, working to reconcile those who are divided, and so on. One beatitude, that attracts us, tends to lead us to others and, eventually, they all lead into each other. They belong together like pieces of a stained glass image. In the beatitudes Jesus sets before us paths to holiness, paths along which he always accompanies and guides us. May the examples of the saints we have known encourage us to walk in their steps as we continually seek the Lord’s guidance. All saints of God, pray for us. |
