The Gospel of Luke 6:17-23
At that time, Jesus stood on a level place, with a great crowd of his disciples and a great multitude of people from all Judea and Jerusalem and the seacoast of Tyre and Sidon, who came to hear him and to be healed of their diseases; and those who were troubled with unclean spirits were cured. And all the crowd sought to touch him, for power came forth from him and healed them all. And he lifted up his eyes on His disciples, and said: “Blessed are you poor, for yours is the Kingdom of God. Blessed are you that hunger now, for you shall be satisfied. Blessed are you that weep now, for you shall laugh. Blessed are you when men hate you, and when they exclude you and revile you, and cast out your name as evil, on account of the Son of man! Rejoice in that day, and leap for joy, for behold, your reward is great in heaven.”
This passage speaks for itself. As you read it, discover where you are blessed. Is it with poverty? Is it with tears? Is it with hunger? Is it with enemies?
Are you blessed with any of these?
No?
Well, then who’s side are you on?
Seriously, precious ones, the glory of the Good News of the Orthodox faith is that all challenges, all problems, all difficulties have been emptied of their power to destroy us. Not even death can harm us now.
In light of that reality, we can consider all that comes to us today to be a gift from God to reveal our true selves and to bring us closer to Him.
Today, can you see this revelation in your life? Right now, take all your sorrows and allow the Holy Spirit to make them the blessings they really are.
Today, I am blessed.
