Reflect today on God's incredible wisdom as he reveals the beatitudes

"Blessed are you who are poor ...
Blessed are you who are hungry now ...
Blessed are you who cry now ...
Blessed are you when people hate you ...
Rejoice and jump for joy on that day! " (See Luke 6: 20-23)

Are the above statements typos? Did Jesus really say these things?

At first, the Beatitudes can seem quite confusing. And when we strive to experience them, they can be very challenging. Why is it lucky to be poor and hungry? Why are those who weep and hate blessed? These are difficult questions with perfect answers.

The truth is that all bliss ends with a glorious result when it is fully embraced in accordance with God's will. Poverty, hunger, pain and persecution are not, in themselves, blessings. But when they do, they offer an opportunity for a blessing from God that far outweighs any difficulties the initial challenge presents.

Poverty offers the opportunity to seek first of all the riches of Heaven. Hunger prompts a person to seek the food of God he sustains beyond what the world can offer. Crying, when caused by one's own sin or by the sins of others, helps us to seek justice, repentance, truth, and mercy. And persecution on account of Christ allows us to be purified in our faith and to trust in God in a way that leaves us abundantly blessed and filled with joy.

At first, the Beatitudes may not make sense to us. It is not that they are contrary to our human reason. Rather, the Beatitudes go beyond what makes immediate sense and allow us to live on a whole new level of faith, hope and love. They teach us that God's wisdom is far beyond our limited human understanding.

Reflect today on God's incredible wisdom as he reveals these, the most profound teachings of the spiritual life. At least try to reflect on the fact that God's wisdom is far above your own wisdom. If you struggle to make sense of something painful and difficult in your life, know that God has an answer if you seek His wisdom.

Lord, help me find blessings in life's many challenges and difficulties. Instead of seeing my crosses as bad, help me see Your hand at work in transforming them and experience a greater outpouring of Your grace in all things. Jesus I believe in you.