Beatitude Attitude

This summer I get to teach Sunday School since all our usual volunteers are busy with summery vacationy things. We're slowly going through the beatitudes, one sentence per week. I'm planning ahead and reading and re-reading and re-re-reeading this short passage over and over. And it has brought me some encouragement and maybe it will for you too!

Matthew 5:1-11

Now when Jesus saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him, and he began to teach them.

He said: 

“Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

“Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

So week one of summer, we spent an entire hour discussing verse 1, that a crowd followed Jesus and he sat uphill from them. 

You can follow anything you want, up any mountain, and sit at its feet and hear what it's saying. Maybe that thing is self-doubt. Or gossip. Or maybe it can be Jesus. This is the abbreviated, kid-friendly quasi-translation that our students are memorizing:

Happy are the poor, happy are the sad, happy are the gentle, happy are the justice-seekers. Happy are the merciful, pure, and peaceful.