Zeph 2:3, 12-13
1 Cor 1:26-31
Matthew 5:1-12

Bishop Untener's Homily

We're all familiar with the story of St. Paul's conversion - when he was struck down by a blinding light and the Lord asked him, "Why are you persecuting me?"

There is a little detail in the story that intrigues me. The very last thing Jesus tells Paul is interesting. He says, "Now get up and go into the city and you will be told what you must do." Paul does that and the Risen Lord had also appeared to a Christian there named Ananias and the Lord told him to go and visit Paul and baptize him. [The Lord even told Ananias where Paul was staying.] 

So here is the Lord giving instructions to Paul on what he is to do. And the Lord also gives instructions to Ananias on what he is to do. I've thought to myself, "Wouldn't it be nice to have clear instructions from the Lord." I'm sure that, if the Lord told any of us what to do, we'd do it.

Well, as I thought about it in the light of today's Gospel - the beatitudes - I realized: "He did tell me what to do." This is the "inaugural address" of Jesus, the beginning of the great Sermon on the Mount in Matthew. In this sermon, and throughout the Gospel, Jesus does tell us what to do. In a way, these nine "Beatitudes" sum it all up. If we look at them, we know what to do, what kind of a person we're meant to be. 

It's interesting, because it's all about being happy. In Greek, there are two words that are translated "blessed." One refers to what we usually mean by "blessed" - receiving some special gift from God. The other Greek word means being "happy." That is the word used in each of the beatitudes, and you'll see some bibles translate it that way: "happy" - which is really more accurate. 

So, if you want to be a fulfilled, happy person, then this is how you live. There's no mystery to it. Live the beatitudes.

Instead of going through them one by one, I came up with an idea. Stop and think of how you would want to be characterized in just a few words - on your tombstone. Well, instead of making it that personal, stop and think of words that might be put on a tombstone to describe someone - words that you think would be wonderful to be used about anyone. I'm going to ask you to help me out here and suggest some words or phrases that you think would describe a person you'd be proud to be.

[At this point, people in the assembly raised their hands and made suggestions. Some of these were:

• a friend to all
• kindness personified
• a loving person
• blessed one
• labored to find God in his heart
• forgiving
• lived a simple life
• she had a down-deep happiness;
• the sun shone in her face
• always a peacemaker.]

The nice thing about the beatitudes is that they describe the kind of person we're meant to be, which is to say, we're made that way. Like the deer is meant to run in the woods, we're meant to be merciful. Now you could tie a deer up, but the deer wouldn't be happy. And we can live differently from these beatitudes, but we won't be happy. Because these beatitudes describe what we're made to be, and that is the key to happiness.

I have a suggestion. At the beginning of the day, think about how you would like to be characterized after you die - just a couple of words - but words that express the kind of person you would truly like to be. Then, live the day that way.

Think about it... a couple of words you'd want on your tombstone. Then live a day that way. Live every day that way.

Originally given on February 3, 2002