We cannot be authentic followers of Christ if we adore riches to the neglect of the poor.
Followers of Jesus, Pope Francis reflects, ‘do not find their joy in money, power, or other material goods; but in the gifts they receive every day from God: life, creation, brothers and sisters, and so on.’
In fact, he adds, true disciples of Jesus are ‘content to share even the goods they possess, because they live according to the logic of God.’
The Beatitudes, the Pope explains, ‘may sound strange, almost incomprehensible to those who are not disciples.’ But as challenging as they are, they ultimately ‘define the identity of the disciple of Jesus.’ For Christians, they are non-negotiable.
What the Beatitudes do, the Pope suggests, is remind us that ‘disciples allow themselves to be challenged, aware that it is not God who must enter into our mindset, but we into his.’
‘Disciples,’ the Pope reminds us, ‘in the end, are those who let themselves be led by Jesus, who open their heart to Jesus, who listen to him and follow his path.’
Such a path involves openness to the joys of the present, wherever we may find them. It also involves a readiness and willingness to become Christ’s blessing to others.
Source: Nick Brodie - https://www.liturgyhelp.com/calendar/date/2025Feb16/0/RefNickB