Matthew 5:1-12 Now when HE saw the crowds, HE went up on a mountainside and sat down…and HE began to teach them saying:
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 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 sons 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….because great is your reward in heaven… [New International translation]
Definition: The word “Beatitude” is from the Latin “beatus” meaning both “blessed” and “happy.” It is a description of Supreme happiness or Supreme blessedness.
SCRIPTURE DISCUSSION
The verses of Matthew chapter 5:1-12 are often referred to as JESUS’ “Sermon on the Mount” or “The Beatitudes.” Like Moses’ receiving the Ten Commandments on Mt. Sinai, JESUS’ teaching of the eight Beatitudes is a message, instruction or proclamation from GOD. The message of the beatitudes is about humility, charity, and spiritual love.
The message of the beatitudes is how it means to live like CHRIST, who sacrificed HIMSELF out of love for all humanity. The beatitudes are a spiritual guide for the “spiritual” or “inner person.”
The Beatitudes are similar to JESUS’ Passover instruction that to be “great” you must “serve.” See, Luke 22:26.
The Beatitudes are similar to JESUS’ instruction that to be “great” we must become like humble “little children” and not “overbearing adults” ---wanting to have everything our way. See, Matthew 18:1-3
The promise and the reward of living a “blessed” life or embracing “an attitude” for the Beatitudes is Supreme Happiness.
Happiness Research
According to WebMD, one of ways to live a happier life is to not fall for the myths about happiness. In “Happiness: 6 Myths and Truths, Don’t Fall For These Happiness Myths: Learn How to Overcome Them,” Anne Stewart in an article reviewed by Marina Katz, MD discusses several myths about Happiness.
Myth 1: Thinking You Either Have It or You Don’t
According to Katz it is possible to work at being happier. It takes commitment and effort, but it is possible to raise a person’s level of happiness. According to one researcher, working on nurturing relationship, writing in a gratitude journal, developing a program of morning meditation or exercise are the kind of activities that have shown to improve happiness.
Myth 2: Thinking Happiness is An Acquisition of a Destination.
Another myth that Katz discusses is that people think happiness is money, a house, a new location or “a thing.” While researchers note that things can contribute to the happiness picture---say 10%---40% of happiness is “in your hands.” Lasting happiness has to do with “how you think, what you believe, how you behave.”
Myth 5: Thinking Happiness is All About Hedonism
Many people mistakenly believe that happiness is about racking up pleasurable experiences—being able to do things or afford things or having great experiences for yourself. What researchers have found is that the opposite may be true. According to Stephen G. Post, PhD, co-author of “Why Good Things Happen to Good People: The Exciting New Research That Proves the Link Between Doing Good and Living a Longer, Healthier, Happier Life:”
“When people help others through formal volunteering or generous actions, about half report feeling a 'helper's high,' and 13% even experience alleviation of aches and pains," says Post, professor of preventive medicine and director of the Center for Medical Humanities, Compassionate Care, and Bioethics at Stony Brook University in Stony Brook, N.Y.
"For most people, a pretty low threshold of activity practiced well makes a difference," Post says. This might involve volunteering just one or two hours each week or doing five generous things weekly -- practices that are above and beyond what you normally do.
Researchers have found that helping others elevates one’s mood and is associated with the release of serotonin, endorphins and opiates that occur naturally in the body. Some researchers have called it a “compassion hormone,” which is associated with the feeling of joy.
The Katz article discusses a number of ways to boost happiness. Some of the suggestions include doing the following:
- Pick an activity that helps others that is meaningful to you. It will be up to you to choose an activity that promotes a sense of gratitude, connectedness, forgiveness, optimism. Pick something that is personally relevant to you.
- Review your strengths and try to find an activity that fits your “gifts.” For example, are you a good cook? Can you deliver meals to shut-ins? Are you a retired teacher and able to tutor a child? Where can you serve given the gifts you have been given?
- Vary your activities until you find a good fit.
See, www.webmd.com/balance/guide/happiness-6-myths-and-truths.
HAVE A SUPREMELY HAPPY NEW YEAR
Over the next few days, we will be wishing one another Happy New Year. Many of us will be praying for a Happy 2016 for ourselves, our friends, our churches, our cities, our nation and the world.
Let us all meditate on Matthew 5:1-12. Let us open our minds and our hearts to JESUS’ sermon to us. Let us pray about the myths that we need to debunk about happiness in order to be happy in 2016. Let us all pray about how we can serve and how we can achieve greater spiritual happiness.
Let all of us ask GOD for the wisdom to aim higher for SUPREME HAPPINESS and BE BLESSED!
