And opening his mouth, he taught them
Matthew 5:2

Matthew described Jesus as opening his mouth and teaching his disciples at the Sermon of the Mount. This reminds me of Deuteronomy 8:3, “He afflicted you with want, and gave you manna for your food, which neither you nor your fathers knew; to show that not in bread alone does man live, but in every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.”

We do not live by anything else, but by what comes from the mouth of God – his Word. At the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus opened his mouth to teach. This word gives life. His sermon on the mount is not only a way of life, it is THE way to life.

The first thing Jesus taught was about being Blessed. God wants to bless us and by giving us the beatitudes, Jesus tells us how we can be blessed by God. God created us so he can bless us. Not only did he create us in his image, he gave us every good thing. God delights in his creation and he blesses them.

The first occurrence of the word 'bless' in scripture is in Genesis 1:22 where he blessed the animals he created. The second occurrence of the word 'bless' is in Genesis 1:28 where he blessed the man and woman whom he created in his image. The third occurrence of the word 'bless' is in Genesis 2:3 where he blessed the seventh day and sanctified it.

This state of being blessed is a state of perfection and abundance that gives pleasure to God. It is a state of perfection because one fulfills the will of God. So when Jesus said one is blessed, it means one is in a state of perfection and one gives pleasure to God because one fulfills the will of God.

We were created to crave for God. Sadly though, we turn away from God and misdirect that craving to other things. This is where sufferings happen. We suffer because this craving is not satisfied by the things we choose over God.

To enter into a life that God has planned for us, to be blessed by God, we need to crave for him and cling to him. This is the only way to life. Before Moses died, he said this to the children of Israel, “I call heaven and earth to witness this day, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing. Choose therefore life, that both you and your seed may live. And that you may love the Lord your God and obey his voice, and adhere to him (for he is your life, and the length of your days), that you may dwell in the land, for which the Lord swore to your fathers Abraham, Isaac and Jacob that he would give it them.” Deuteronomy 30:20.

We are all given a choice, life and death, blessing and cursing. Which do we choose? God tells us to choose life. And this is done only by doing three things: love the Lord, obey him and adhere to him. Trust in the Lord because he is faithful and he will give you the desires of your heart.

May the Lord give us the grace to trust in him because he alone is our life.