"Count your blessings!" When we do, how often do we do so in terms of things: I own a nice home, a nice car, I have a secure job, a nice nest egg, etc., etc., etc. The Beatitudes in today's gospel ( Matthew 5:1-12a ) assess blessings in an entirely different way, as attitudes and behaviors that are a sign of the presence of God's kingdom. Even more: the Beatitudes identify us as God's primary blessings in the world: Blessed are the poor in spirit... Blessed are those who mour
