Decades ago, Donald Kraybill wrote a book about Christianity called "The Upside Down Kingdom." The book outlines how the values articulated in the Gospels are the opposite of most human political systems. The last are first. The weak are strong. The foolish are wise.

If the kingdom of God is indeed The Upside Down Kingdom, then the Beatitudes, which are presented in today's Gospel reading, are its Constitution. The guiding principles of God's kingdom are the opposite of how the rest of the world operates.

"Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven," Jesus begins. And the list of blessed states goes on - blessed are those who mourn, those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, the meek, the merciful, the clean of heart, the peacemakers and the persecuted.

God's kingdom does indeed seem to be upside down. Not only are the last first. The sad are happy. The meek inherit the land. The peacemakers see God. "Rejoice and be glad," Jesus concludes, for your reward will be great in heaven."

It is fitting, I suppose, that we consider the Beatitudes on the celebration of All Saints. As we reflect on what it means to be a saint, remember the holy people in our own lives, or resolve to live a life of holiness, it is important to remember the definition of holiness we're given by Jesus is indeed the opposite of what popular tradition would have us believe and pursue. Holiness is not a matter of spiritual achievement or moral heroism, but a kind of blessed emptiness in which we relinquish the worldly symbols of success, and they are replaced by God's love and goodness.

As an alternative value system to ruling principles of earthly kingdoms, the Beatitudes are difficult to live. Most of us probably don't want to be poor in spirit, meek, hungry or thirsty. And we are not generally taught that it is best to be merciful, pure hearted and peacemakers. Most of the qualities promoted in the Beatitudes would be seen as signs of weakness in today's social and political environments.

But in the Upside Down Kingdom, we are closest to God when we acknowledge our spiritual poverty, or inability to reach God by the power of our own wills or our efforts. And we are closest to God when we are not set on revenge or retribution in our relationships.

There is, Jesus says, a greater reward than power and status and the envy of our peers. We are promised, if we live by the guiding principles of God's kingdom, heaven.

Maybe we would all be happier if we lived as if the Beatitudes are really true - that the weak are strong, that the mourning find happiness and that the meek are wealthy. Maybe we would find a kind of happiness and contentment that transcends the competitive milieu of free market capitalism, where the strong rule the weak.

And maybe we would find, at our best moments anyway, that we can experience a taste of heaven on earth.

Bill Peatman writes from Napa. He may be reached at bptidings@yahoo.com.