In today's world where religion and religious persons are pitted against each other over beliefs and practices, today's Gospel provides a refreshing message of peace, harmony and goodwill. It is interesting to know that early Christians never spoke of themselves as belonging to a religion or sect. In fact Christianity is called "the way" on numerous occasions in the Acts of the Apostles.

Jesus inaugurated a new Way of Being in the Kingdom. He addressed the twelve, and a large group of disciples besides a great crowd from all parts of the known world at that time. They had come to be healed and in return received the basic ingredients of a happy life, here in this world, in the present time.

The poor are happy people to be imitated for they live grateful lives, hoping for all things from God. They are never self-sufficient. The hungry and those who weep are filled and comforted in their God-sense ¡K knowing their Father in Heaven cares for them. The rejected and despised know that God "guards the way of the just" (Ps. 1:6).

We are reminded that we are not in this world to amass wealth and fame which will fade like "winnowed chaff", or to laugh at another's expense or reject anyone, for all humanity is a reminder of God on earth. By his death and resurrection Jesus has revolutionized our way of living discipleship graciously in God's presence. The Beatitudes is the blueprint of the Gospel.