Any personal achievement, whether it’s a long marriage, or getting a degree, or climbing a mountain, or raising a family,  begins with a belief that it is possible.

Two people were sent to a remote country to sell shoes. One wrote back, “I have terrible news about this god-forsaken place! Nobody wears shoes! I’m coming home!”

The other wrote home, “This is a wonderful country! Nobody wears shoes ... yet! Send 5,000 pairs!”

It is a matter of attitude, what you believe and how you choose to see.

Each of us is graced by God in baptism and how you live each day in presence of God is your spirituality. The challenge from Jesus is to make God’s gift of grace the basis for your life, a life lived in faith. If you do, you are then expected to live that grace beatitudinally, Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Those who depend entirely on God have got it made. Then you will be with God in your sorrow, humbleness, mercy, clean heart, peacemaker, persecuted, in all of the beatitudes.

Jesus is teaching that you have to have the right attitude in life. If you do that, even when things seem to go wrong you will be blessed with a happiness that only God can give. Blessedness does not depend on external circumstances as though if you changed them, all would be better ... if only I could win lottery, then ... if only I lose a few pounds, then ... if only I retire, then ... Blessedness is connected with the kind of person you have become: you want what is right before God and others. The blessedness Christ brings is based on knowing you belong to God and that, no matter what, God will be standing by you.

Have you ever forgiven someone?

Blessed are they who show mercy.

Have you ever realized that you were helpless in a certain situation and had only God to rely on?
Blessed are the poor in spirit.

Have you ever been in a situation where the wrong thing looked extremely attractive and the right thing looked extremely difficult, and you asked God to help you do the right thing because you really wanted to do it but weren’t sure you could?

Blest are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness.

Have you ever been extremely sad or upset over a loss of some kind but worked your way through it and later realized that it helped you to grow and become a better person?

Blessed are the sorrowing.

Have you ever worked at overcoming violence in all its forms in the family, in society, the world and shown respect for life by the way you live?

Blessed are the makers of peace.

How blessed are you?