Today’s Gospel my friends is that of the Beatitudes. Blessed are the . . .  as Jesus goes on to say. In this depiction he becomes the new Moses. Except now, it is not just written law on tablets, but a spoken law that is to be written in our hearts. Instead of a law that instructs avoidance, i.e. don’t do this or don’t do that, it is a law based on love. Once again, we have Blessed are the poor in spirit, they who mourn, the meek, they who thirst for righteousness, the merciful, the clean of heart, the peacemakers, the persecuted, those who are insulted or ridiculed. It is to these that theKingdom of Heaven belongs and will be given to.

I do not want to concentrate on each one, but just two, the merciful and the peacemakers. When Jesus gives us this law and reminds us of it each time we read this passage and especially upon hearing it here today at Mass, we are challenged to live them out.

Jesus has been very merciful to us, this proven easily by the Cross, for there has been no greater love than the Cross. From the Cross Jesus pours out His mercy on us, the mercy that forgives us our sins, even the worst of our sins. In turn just as the two-fold commandment of love requires here also we must be merciful towards others. Do I show mercy when others wrong me, ignore me, betray me, etc.? Now, we are not to take advantage of our brothers and sisters and say to them, “see you must forgive me if you are a true Christian.” Forgiveness must come naturally and prompted by God. No one is ever to be held hostage in their goodness because of another’s manipulation.

The second one I chose was being a peacemaker. What am I like in my attitude towards family, friends, colleagues? When rifts arise do I add fuel to the fire or do I attempt to extinguish the fire?How do I look up my enemies? Do I turn the other cheek or do I have missiles going off in my mind? Jesus challenges us to look for peace, because all of those who live by the sword will die by it. I am not talking about legitimate self-defense, but rather an attitude that is within us, what is that attitude? Is it the same as Christ’s or is it my own justified vengeful attitude?

Jesus has placed the new law in front of us, it’s the old law put into new words and in a new place, our hearts. It is not easier but more challenging. Do you accept the challenge to live it? Well, that question can only be answered by you or better put, lived by you.

God bless you,

Father John