The Beatitudes: A Comfort and a Challenge (Mt 5:1-12)

Jesus shows himself to be starting a new exodus, and fulfill the prophecies of God’s intervention to bring about the Kingdom. However, His plan for how this happens was different than expected. It is not a top down order imposed by Him that we passively receive, but a bottom up transformation of the world that with His strengthen in us we help bring about. This is hard work, and it is a long task, and when we recognize suffering because of this we are blessed to know that we are part of God’s future which He promises will come. This can be a great comfort, but it’s also a challenge for if we’ve become too comfortable in this world, than perhaps we’re not sharing in the transformation of the world that God is asking us to participate in.