Jesus came down with the twelve
and stood on a stretch of level ground…
And raising his eyes toward his disciples he said:
“Blessed are you who are poor,
for the kingdom of God is yours.
Blessed are you who are now hungry,
for you will be satisfied.
Blessed are you who are now weeping,
for you will laugh.
Blessed are you when people hate you,
and when they exclude and insult you,
and denounce your name as evil
on account of the Son of Man.
Rejoice and leap for joy on that day!
Behold, your reward will be great in heaven.

(Luke 5:17, 20-16)

Are you feeling poor, my dear child? Deprived of what your heart longs for?
Rejoice in the Lord, for the Kingdom awaits, the Kingdom of God is yours.
Do you hunger now for righteousness? In righteousness do you abide?
Rejoice in the Lord, dear little one, for you will be satisfied.

Are you weeping dear beloved? Shedding tears on others’ behalf?
Rejoice in the Lord, my dear one. For one day you will laugh.
Are you excluded and insulted? For your faith in Christ, met with hate?
Rejoice and leap for joy, your reward in heaven is great.

Lord, help us fight for righteousness, rejoice when met with hatred,
May our hearts be broken by all things which break Your Heart so sacred;
We suffer here for a little while. But the path of the Lord leads to laughter,
It’s the path to a joyful eternity, and a happily ever after.

Grant to loved ones’ the grace they need to fight for righteousness and to win.
Grant them all the grace they need to repent and to weep over sin.
Grant them the grace that for the faith, they’ll endure exclusion and insult.
Grant them the grace to persevere, though hated as a result.

May the path of the Lord be the path we all walk.  May the path of the Lord be our choice.
May the path of the Lord be the only path in which we forever rejoice.
Through the path of the Lord we encounter pain; but pain is no end to the story.
The path of the Lord is the only path to our one-day heavenly glory.