If You Want To Be Happy...

Beloved, today’s Gospel is one of the most beautiful and important in the New Testament. Why is it important? It’s important because it is Jesus, the Son of God telling us how to be happy. He’s teaching us how to achieve that which every one of us is searching for— happiness! To be blessed is to be happy! 

Now, at the center and heart of Jesus’ teaching are these two beatitudes: 

“Blessed are the merciful for they will be shown mercy” and “Blessed are the clean of heart, for they will see God.” One of the most important words used in the Old Testament to describe God is the Hebrew word, “Chesed” which means “tender mercy.” And in the New Testament, especially in the first letter of John, God is “Agape” (love). That means, the God we serve is tender and merciful’ he is also love. God is love! God should be seen as Chesed and Agape. Chesed is compassion; agape is desiring the good of others. Therefore, if we want to be happy, we must aspire to be like God. We must strive to love everyone regardless of race, religion and heritage. 

We must see God in everybody. Blessed are the clean of heart, for they shall see God “in everybody.” 

God bless you!

Fr. Marcel