The Paradox of Flourishing

Humans tend to want the same things, no matter the culture or the climate: we want wealth, power, fame, health. We seek these things, or at least whatever we think will gain them, not because of them alone but because they bring with them a happiness, a flourishing in the world. But Jesus has good news for us: God’s flourishing for us, God’s desires for us, include none of those things! We all can have a sense of happiness, be in a state of flourishing, without the trappings of the world. To understand this, let us consider Jesus’ beatitudes.