Meditation Minute

My Dearest Brothers and Sisters in Christ:

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” In today’s Gospel (Matthew 5:1-12a) we hear the story of the beatitudes. A beatitude is a condition of perfect happiness and inner peace to be enjoyed by us in heaven. When Jesus says “Blessed are the…,” he is telling us that these people who appear to be suffering greatly are actually going to experience great joy and solace in heaven. Those people who have committed their lives to the betterment of others will have the most to gain in heaven. We are called to live a beatific life. Jesus is telling us that we can be poor, mournful, meek, righteous, merciful, pure, peaceful, and persecuted and be happy on earth. This may seem counter intuitive, but are we not happiest when we actually satisfy one of these traits? Do we not experience the ultimate feeling of inner joy when we realize we have pleased God by fulfilling one of the beatitudes? We have a natural desire to be happy. Society has tried to convince us that material riches are the key to happiness and that we should strive to be rich and accumulate wealth. God also wants us to accumulate wealth; it’s just not earthly material things. It is okay to have money and to have wealth and to have nice things, but when these “nice things” become the desire of heart then we have a problem. When we desire these things more than God, we are placing God second. The material things become the focus of our desires. To find God, one must live a beatific life. One must live the beatitudes.

A Simple Prayer

God in Heaven, I struggle with material goods.

Give the strength to share my earthly treasures with others so that I can lead a beatific life.

May my longings be for a life with you in heaven living in true happiness.

Yours in Christ

Michael Marcon