Dear friends in Christ

In the Beatitudes—the Gospel for this Sunday—Jesus gives us a road map for life. The Ten Commandments of the Old Covenant that God gave to His people, provided a definitive guide as to how to live according to what tells us will achieve our happiness and well-being here on earth. Often these were obeyed out of a sense of fear of God and a sense of retribution if they were disobeyed. They are, if you like, the instructions of the Maker to help us function properly—in our relation to God and neighbour. Jesus comes as the fulfilment of the Law and the Prophets of the Old Testament and in the Sermon on the Mount, gives us the means whereby we can be fulfilled on earth. Blessed means fortunate, and in each of the Beatitudes Jesus begins by promising us happiness and pointing out the way of achieving it. If you ever look at the pavement around the Baptismal Font of our church, you will see that it has the form of an eight-pointed star. The intention of this was to show that the grace of Baptism flows out to all points of the compass, that the grace of God and salvation is universal for those who seek it. It is also a reminder of the eight Beatitudes which lay-out for us the path on earth which will bring us happiness, and ultimately salvation in Christ. As we listen again to the Gospel this Sunday, we should recall that the truly Blessed person is the one who is poor in spirit, gentle, merciful, pure, peaceable, persecuted—in a word—eager for the things of God.

God bless you all!

Msgr Kevin Hale