The Beatitudes Page 14
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Darkness had now fallen on the beautiful hills around the quiet lake. The deep silence which had fallen on the spell-bound audience was now broken by the noise of men and women preparing to leave, and by the crying of the tired little children who for hours had sat or slept on their parents laps. So you see that there is not much difference even today. Some went away well pleased, their heavy hearts relieved. They had seen no spectacular signs and wonders -- the mountain had not trembled with the sound of the words of Jesus, nor blazed with fire like Mount Sinai when the old commandments were given -- but the people had listened to a sincere, calm man who had tirelessly expounded the Scriptures, pointing out the true way -- the path that was trodden by the Hebrew prophets and which leads to everlasting life. They had found peace and hope in his New Gospel. They had found out for the first time that all the difficulties and tragedies that they experience were due to their own wrong thinking and mis-deeds. They were reaping what they had sown. And now they know that they, themselves, must change, repent, and turn to God before they could expect deliverance from their foreign oppressors.
The profound words of Jesus, which were so revolutionary, could not be easily grasped, nor have they been fully understood even today.
Every generation that has come into this world has heard them, but has wondered at their meaning. Only those with true spiritual insight have understood them, and few have lived up to them.
Now is the time to ponder over the words of Jesus. Now is the time to put them into practice. Our world has never before been so threatened by destructive forces as it is today. Has never been so afraid of the work of its own hands as it is today. Let us turn to the Sermon on the Mount, which is the New Covenant -- the New Commandment that Jesus gave for world peace and for international understanding.
This is the time for Christianity to present a united front and flood the world with love, which is the most powerful weapon in the world, and the only binding force than can bring all people to God and unite them.
When we begin to love our enemies they will start to love us. When we pray for them they will pray for us. Great is the power of a prayer that is prayed with a sincere heart.
The profound words of Jesus, which were so revolutionary, could not be easily grasped, nor have they been fully understood even today.
Every generation that has come into this world has heard them, but has wondered at their meaning. Only those with true spiritual insight have understood them, and few have lived up to them.
Now is the time to ponder over the words of Jesus. Now is the time to put them into practice. Our world has never before been so threatened by destructive forces as it is today. Has never been so afraid of the work of its own hands as it is today. Let us turn to the Sermon on the Mount, which is the New Covenant -- the New Commandment that Jesus gave for world peace and for international understanding.
This is the time for Christianity to present a united front and flood the world with love, which is the most powerful weapon in the world, and the only binding force than can bring all people to God and unite them.
When we begin to love our enemies they will start to love us. When we pray for them they will pray for us. Great is the power of a prayer that is prayed with a sincere heart.