Prior to the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus’ kingdom manifesto, he opens his ministry crying out “repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near.” The word ‘repent’ that Jesus would have used speaks to rethinking everything you’ve known to be true. And from his opening words of the Beatitudes, we are met with a paradox that causes us to rethink how we have always thought of the word “blessed.” Is the way we’ve always thought about blessings and happiness part of the reason happiness proves so elusive? What can the Beatitudes teach us about our pursuit of happiness, and- more importantly- our pursuit of God?
by Suffolk