In last Sunday’s Gospel we heard Jesus proclaim at the start of His public ministry, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” Today, as Paul Harvey would say, we now hear the rest of the story in “The Sermon on the Mount.” Jesus reveals what it means to be living in His new kingdom. Like Moses, who received from God the Ten Commandments on a mountain, Jesus now delivers the Beatitudes – meaning blessings or gifts. Matthew wants the Jewish community to see these teachings of Jesus as their new Torah, their new way to live. They do not replace the Ten Commandments of Moses which tells us what we should or should not do in order to honor God. Instead, the Beatitudes describe what “we” will be like if we truly are living our lives in God’s kingdom. We will be Blessed. We will be happy because we are living in right relationship with God and others. It is a lifestyle that goes far beyond just obeying rules. In short, Jesus is inviting His disciples to follow Him into a whole new way of relating to God. These values to a happy and blessed life include being “poor in spirit” or one who recognizes the need for God. Another, “those who mourn” are those who suffer but open themselves in faith to receive God’s comfort and strength. Also “the meek” are those who keep a humble spirit conceding control that allows God’s will to be first in their life. Those who “hunger for righteousness” are those who see Christ in every person and want them treated with respect and justice. Then “the merciful” are those who are forgiving and accepting of all human failings as God is to us. The “clean of heart” are true to themselves and feel no need to hide from God. The “peacemakers” are those working for peace and reconciliation through compromise and dialogue. Those who face “persecution” yet stand firm in their faith are key to the new kingdom. The beatitudes are in many ways, the complete opposite of 21st century cultural values. It is a difficult choice to be part of God’s new kingdom on earth. Still our time on this earth is short and we have the assurance Jesus gave us, “Rejoice and be glad, for your reward will be great in heaven.” And that’s for eternity! Reflection by parishioner, Dale Gerber