Zephaniah 2:3; 3:12-13 / 1 Cor 1:26-31 / Matthew 5:1-12
It is good to have an ambition in life.
When we were young, we were often asked what is our ambition, or what do we want to be in life.
Well, there are many professions to consider, like being a doctor, lawyer, pilot, engineer, police officer, firefighter.
Those are the usual and regular professions that we are quite familiar with.
Of course, there are other unique professions that can also be considered.
So, it could be being a singer, actor, fashion designer, social influencer, content creator, youtuber.
But of course, in the end what we dream of doing and what we eventually end up doing can be quite different.
Whichever and whatever it is, the question is whether we are happy with what we are doing.
A story goes that a young man asked a wise man, “Tell me Sir, in which field could I make a good career?”
The wise men said with a smile, “Be a good human being. Because, there are a lot of opportunities in this area and very little competition.”
We might want to think about that statement.
Is it that difficult to be a good human being, such that there are many opportunities and very little competition?
We know that if we want to be happy, we have to be a good person.
And yet, we also know how difficult it can be to be a good person, in the midst of sinfulness, wickedness and evil.
Sinfulness, wickedness and evil are like sharp fires that poke at our goodness and puncture us.
And when we get irritated and frustrated, we react in retaliation with an eye for an eye, and a tooth for tooth, and we lose our happiness as well as our goodness.
So, if being a good person is so difficult, then how can we become a good Christian?
In the gospel, Jesus teaches us the way to happiness and to holiness.
Happiness is the fruit of holiness. When we are holy, we will be happy.
In the gospel, Jesus gave a teaching on what is called the Beatitudes.
Beatitudes means blessings, and Jesus is teaching us the way of holiness so that we can receive the blessings of happiness.
To be poor in spirit is to trust in the Lord God and to understand the heart of God.
It can be as simple as choosing to like a flower or to love a flower.
If we like a flower, we will just pluck it for our own pleasure.
But, if we love the flower, we will help it to grow beautifully by watering it.
Similarly, to be gentle is to have control over our anger.
Just as we cannot see our reflection in boiling water, neither can we see truth in a state of anger.
The person who can control his anger will also grow in gentleness and happiness.
But the way to happiness is also not about looking for something external.
It begins within, just as holiness begins within.
It is said that if we spend our time chasing butterflies, they will fly away.
But if we spend our time growing a beautiful garden, the butterflies will come, and we will also have a beautiful garden.
So, there is no need to look around for happiness or to chase after it.
Let the Beatitudes be our way of life.
When we have a beautiful heart of gentleness, kindness, compassion, purity and charity, God will pour His blessings on us, and we will truly be happy.