Blessed

And he lifted up his eyes on his disciples, and said:

“Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God.

“Blessed are you who are hungry now, for you shall be satisfied.

“Blessed are you who weep now, for you shall laugh.

“Blessed are you when people hate you and when they exclude you and revile you and spurn your name as evil, on account of the Son of Man! Rejoice in that day, and leap for joy, for behold, your reward is great in heaven; for so their fathers did to the prophets. Luke 6:20-23

It was a magnificent day yesterday, visiting with Mark's sister and brother in law. It was their wedding anniversary and they graciously shared it with us by taking us to a baseball game. The local team won which is always good. When I first met Andrea she was 8 years old. Over the years she has become one of my sisters, one of the family, and close to my heart. It is amazing how we are blessed with family, both those we are born to and those who choose to be part of our lives.

Jesus was teaching on the mountain side. Many of the people who came to him were poor and ill, broken by life and the treatment of the world. Broken people are often pushed away and not appreciated. The Divine wants us all to know that we are loved and blessed by God, even when our circumstances are dire and we feel shut out from the world. God is growing us family and new possibilities despite what we witness. God is making the broken whole and loving families out of what once were strangers.

Today, I ask God to help me count the blessings of life. When we witness our brokenness and see the injustice around us, may we also know that God is creating blessing and wholeness in spite of what we see. May we always be ready to respond to the needs about us, and may we never despair for God's love is working through us, and surrounds us today.