Blessed are those who mourn
Blessed are the poor in spirit
... for they will be comforted.
This beatitude presents a real challenge, not just to the materialism of the world's culture, but also to what we consider to be signs of God's favour and approval in the church.
This paradoxical teaching of Jesus invites us to develop a Kingdom Consciousness, where our worldly assumptions and value judgments are transformed into prophetic vision.