Beatitudes and the economy

PRAYER FOR THE WEEK

Jesus, help me trust that you’re taking care of the country and focus on how I treat other people! Amen.


BEATITUDES AND THE ECONOMY

“Be happy if you’re poor,” said Jesus; “God’s kingdom, heaven, belongs to you. Be happy if you’re hungry — someday, you’ll eat all you want. If you’re sad, you will laugh. If people hurt you for believing in God, you’ll go to heaven. But those who are rich now will be poor and hungry; the bullies will be the ones crying; and people who think they’re great will be last in God’s kingdom.”

You hear a lot about the economy lately, including words like “recession” — the country not having as much money or as many jobs as it used to. Some kids have parents who have lost jobs; a lot of families are trying to cut back on spending money.

When you hear about money problems, you might get worried. But, as this week’s Gospel (Luke 6:17,20-26) points out, both good times and tough times come and go. In the end, God gives everyone what they deserve.

Jesus’ lesson is called “the Beatitudes.” He said that people who are struggling now — whether you’re sad, being bullied or dealing with money problems in your family — will have good times, too.

Even when you’re not getting everything you want, you’re usually getting most of what you need. It’s important to trust that God is taking care of you.

It’s also important, if you’re not the one having problems, to treat other people gently. Jesus warned that bullying, refusing to share and acting like you’re better than other people is not the way to heaven.

Watching the news right now can make you wonder about when things will get better for the whole country. Since that’s not something you can change, focus on how you can make a difference: Be kind in all the ways you can.