beatitudesblogco'27

This beatitude is meant to speak to individuals who endure ridicule, persecution, pain, and even death due to their unwillingness to compromise their principles, beliefs, or quest for justice. Doing what is right and standing firm in their convictions usually leads to condemnation from a world that has denied its Maker. According to our textbook on 128, enduring persecution for one’s beliefs and for justice requires great bravery; however, it also makes us followers of prophets and saints. On page 128 of Your Life in Christ it's stated, "To stand up for what is right—especially in the face of mockery, rejection, and verbal and physical abuse—is to stand with Jesus Christ and help him carry his Cross". Fortunately, we learn that while being persecuted for their morals may take its toll on Christians, the Cross provides the key to victory, acting as the ladder through which one ascends to heaven. Jesus says that persecuted believers have a special place reserved for them in the Kingdom of Heaven.

While peacemakers refrain from participating in conflict, they go further than that by actively working towards reconciling people’s differences, mending broken relations, and creating bridges of harmony. This beatitude calls for tremendous bravery as peacemakers find themselves in tough situations in order to foster peace. According to our course book, on pages 128, we learn that shalom, the Hebrew concept of peace, refers to the idea of helping others experience everything life can provide. It is also stated that peace is more than the absence of war because peace implies justice and Christian love. To create peace one must "settle disputes, root out violence, forgive, defend the innocent, and show compassion"(pg 128).

Being of a pure heart means being honest and sincere in everything we do, with absolutely no form of hypocrisy, lying, and any other type of hidden intentions behind our actions. Being of a pure heart means loving God and others unreservedly from the depths of our heart. To be clean of heart means having pure, honest motives in everything we do, completely free from hypocrisy, deceit, or hidden agendas. In the textbook, a pure heart is described as " a precondition of the Beatific Vision, of being able to see God face-to-face." (pg 127). One with a pure heart will be able to see through God’s eyes and accept others as his or her brothers and sisters as well as temples of the Holy Spirit, which is His reflection in others.

To be merciful is to display great acts of forgiveness, compassion, and kindness toward people who have hurt us and towards those who are going through hard times. This entails letting go of any grudges, animosity, and desire for vengeance. We need to love our enemies and show mercy since God has extended unlimited mercy to us. We must "'forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us'... [and] forgive others, even your enemies, without strings attached"(pg 127). Since we are physical creatures, it is required of us to show mercy through caring for the physical well-being of other people, that is, to feed the hungry, clothe the naked, and house the homeless among others. By extending such mercy to others, we become recipients of God's mercy in return.

This beatitude speaks of a passionate, relentless drive towards justice, equity, and righteousness according to God's standards. By stating hunger and thirst, Jesus makes it clear that the quest for righteousness is not merely a leisurely pastime, rather, it should be as much a necessity in one's life as eating and drinking. According to our textbook on pages 127, "When you seek righteousness, you work unceasingly, with God’s help, to secure justice for others". There exists an innate desire for happiness, justice, and righteousness within us. It is stated in the text that God has made the desire for these qualities innate in man. Money, athletics, or social recognition, however, can never fully quench the soul's thirst for justice.

It is usually thought that meekness refers to weakness, whereas in reality, it refers to "controlled strength." The meek individual is one who is soft-spoken, peaceful, gentle, tolerant, and not quick to anger. In our textbook, pages 127, the characteristics of meek people show that they "find... a balance between too much anger and too little anger". It is suggested that the meek are people who have the virtue of controlling their rage in order to strike a balance that prevents them from acting out of uncontrolled rage, yet at the same time, not being totally without it. Thus, meekness is not a weakness.

This particular beatitude alludes to individuals who feel deeply sad, not only because of their own losses but because of the sins, wrongdoings, and suffering of the whole world. Grieving is a sign of a compassionate soul which does not allow itself to become insensitive to suffering.  According to textbook Your Life In Christ (pp. 126-128), mourning is blessed because sorrow enables people to comprehend the true implications of sin and suffering, and unite with other sufferers. As is stressed in the textbook, "the consolation you receive following deep sorrow is much greater than the sorrow itself"(pg 126) because it represents God's unconditional love. Jesus assures those who grieve with others that God's comfort and peace await them at the end.

Being poor in spirit is being aware of our absolute and total dependence on God rather than depending absolutely on our own wealth, successes, or self. As stated in our textbook, Your Life in Christ, from page 126, "poor in spirit" relates to the biblical term known as the anawim, which is the Hebrew name of the poor, the meek, and the powerless, who depend on God for all their needs. According to the text, "anawim realize their helplessness and total dependence on God... [and] they find happiness in using their talents, intelligence, and possessions to satisfy the needs of others" (pg 126). By removing ourselves from pride, we create room in our hearts for God's grace to reign supreme.