Blessed are you when people revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
—Matthew 5:11-12
One of my favorite rides at Disney is the Carousel of Progress. This experience takes you back in time through different time periods and offers a glimpse of what is what like to live at different points in history. It shows the evolution of electricity and running water, how laundry would take days to complete, and the novelty of ice. Each turn of the carousel always begins and ends with the same song underscoring how even though technology changes the human experience is something that each generation experiences.
Our lives in 2026 are filled with so many comforts and advances in technology that have become part of our every day. When we look back in history, we can take inspiration from people that have carried on despite war, famine, and challenges that we cannot fathom. When we look around us, we can also be inspired by the people that are able to keep going against all odds. It is these inspirational people that can serve as contemporary prophets in our own faith.
We each face challenges in this world. Whether your challenge is health related, financial, relationships, or all of the above, we can take encouragement in these words from Jesus. This final Beatitude is longer in form than the previous ones and ends with words of rejoicing and hope. Let us look to God for hope in the future and at all the people behind and before us to provide inspiration in how to carry on.
Prayer
God of hope, through every trial and twist in our road, we know that you are with us no matter how lost we might seem. We turn to you for hope and sustenance to keep going in this world. Let us be inspired by the prophets and people of this world, for how you have helped and sustained generation after generation. Amen.