Blessed are the Content

From Pilgrim's Progress by John Bunyan:

Now as they were going along and talking, they espied a boy feeding his father's sheep. The boy was in very mean clothes, but of a very fresh and well-favored countenance, and as he sat by himself he sang.

"Hark," said Mr. Greatheart, "to what the shepherd's boy saith."

So they hearkened, and he said:

"He that is down needs fear no fall, he that is low no pride:
He that is humble ever shall have God to be his guide.
I am content with what I have, little be it or much:
And, Lord, contentment still I crave, because thou savest such.
Fullness to such a burden is that go on pilgrimage:
Here little, and hereafter bliss, is best from age to age."

Then said their guide, "Do you hear him? I will dare to say that this boy lives a merrier life, and wears more of that herb called hearts-ease in his bosom, than he that is clad in silk and velvet."

From Jesus' Sermon on the Mount:

Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.
Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.
Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God.

Still as irrational, still as incomprehensible, still as radical today as it was 2,000 years ago. I just had the notion to tack the Beatitudes onto the end of this post, and I pulled them up online somewhat cavalierly. Just reading the words over again, for perhaps the thousandth time in my life, I felt a shock to my spirit. They still both comfort me and completely freak me out.