In today’s Gospel, the “Beatitudes,” Jesus describes both the way already chosen by the ones we honor and sets forth the spiritual habits those of us who remain must acquire and practice in order to one day join the saints (Matthew 5:1-12).
What does Jesus mean to be “blessed”?
For Jesus, “blessed” is the actual state of living in God’s favor. It happens from a concrete choice, a spiritual habit we acquire and practice.
I find it best to take one beatitude at a time, lest I be overwhelmed by them all and discouraged I am keeping none of them.
I recommend we start today with “blessed are the meek” (v. 5).
In a worldly sense, meek is ridiculed as weak, indecisive – a real pushover. In the biblical sense, Jesus is meek personified. He is hardly weak or indecisive and assuredly He is no pushover! What then, does it mean to be meek as Jesus is meek?
Meekness is strength focused, strength directed. In old English, a wild stallion was meeked. Still wild, the stallion bucks and bites. When trained or meeked, the raw strength becomes even more impressive focused and directed.
Jesus perfectly meek. He is the total and absolute strength of God focused and directed to us and for our salvation. He requires us to let Him harness our strength so we no longer wildly buck and bite, but imitate Him in speak and action with a strength that becomes focused and directed.
The beatitudes are the spiritual habits we need to acquire them. They are not ideals nor are they optional if I am to get to heaven. I must acquire them. However, approach them one at a time. Make one a daily habit, then move on to another another.
We can do this. Grace (divine power) already within us from baptism equips us to acquire each of the spiritual habits. On our part, we need only desire it and express out desire confidently and humbly to God. The strength already is in you and in me. Simply permit Jesus to make this happen.
