Jesus begins his Beatitudes with, “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven” (Matt. 5:3). According to the standards of the world, to live a good life, to be truly happy, it is necessary to have wealth and independence. These characteristics are essential to what would constitute success today. However, …
The sixth beatitude is, “blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God” (5:8). To be “pure in heart” is to be holistically devoted to God in thought, word, and deed. In the Bible, the heart refers to seat of the will, which drives our decisions and commitments. For this reason, it is …
The third beatitude is, “blessed are the meek, for they shall inherent the earth” (Matt. 5:5). The Greek word for meek (praus) may refer to someone who is afflicted, which is not merely from difficult circumstances but primarily because they choose to restrain their strength for a greater good or purpose. The meek are those …
Over the past year, it seems as if the world as we know it became undone right before our very eyes. A global pandemic has drastically and dramatically altered everything about our lives. It has isolated us from one another. It has crippled the economy. It has brought governments to their knees. Although we knew …
A key feature of the Gospel of Matthew is the Sermon on the Mount (chapters 5–7), which is a collection of Jesus’ most famous teachings, including the Beatitudes (5:3–12) and the Lord’s Prayer (6:9–13). In these chapters, Jesus is presented as a new Moses, who ascends the mountain and teaches his followers how they ought …
Easter Sunday marks the greatest day the world has ever known. It is the most glorious day for the Church; the most significant day for all of humanity; the most beautiful day for all of creation. To regard it as any less is to underestimate its gravity for our life today and underappreciate its glory …