Today's Gospel

Your Persecution Status

Welcome back to Radical and Relevant, where we're exploring the genius of Jesus, the genius of the gospels. The genius of these teachings that the church serves up to us in little portions each day for us to integrate into our lives. Today's reading, again, is one of those we're very familiar with. It's the beatitudes from Matthew chapter 5 verses 1 through 12. As we go through the Beatitudes here today, I encourage you just to pick one, just to think about which is the one that jumps out at you the most, and to carry that into your day. Seeing the crowds, Jesus went up on the mountain.

And when He sat down, his disciples came to him, and he opened his mouth, and he taught them, saying, "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied. Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy. Blessed are the pure of heart, for they shall seek God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God. Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

And blessed are you when men revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account? Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven. For so men persecuted the prophets who were before you." Which one jumps out at you?

Blessed are the poor in spirit. You feel called to a renewed humility in your life? That's to those who mourn? Have you lost someone close to you, someone dear to you? Blessed are the meek. So this meekness, this gentleness with strength. If you're called to a more gentle approach to life, maybe even a more gentle approach to yourself. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness.

Do you hunger and thirst for righteousness? Wow, does our age need that hunger and thirst for righteousness? Blessed are the merciful. Do you need mercy in your life at the moment? Is there someone in your life who needs you to be the person who brings mercy into their life? Pure of heart, peacemakers, the persecuted. But the three words that always jump out at me is at the end of verse 11, "Blessed are you when men revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you." Most people, anytime there's anything going on negative around them, any sort of criticism, any sort of anything, they'll claim the victim's status. They'll claim persecuted status.

But they forget about the last three words here, right? I left them out the first time-- or the second time I read them. Because it isn't just, "Blessed are you when men revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely." The last three words on my account. Because in my life, I know there's people who revile me, not on Jesus' account, on my account. And I know there's people who've persecuted me, not because I stood up for Jesus, just because they didn't like me, or I was being a fool or whatever.

And people who utter all kinds of evil against me falsely, but not on Jesus' account, on account of me and the way I have lived or mislived my life. What jumped out at you? Have an amazing day. Remember, be bold. Be Catholic.