The Gospel of the eight Beatitudes is clearly one of the best-loved passages in all of the Holy rite, and deservedly so. For the fact is that men of all times have regarded the Beatitudes as the ladder, so to speak, or the staircase by which the saints attain to Heaven. And if we wish to be with the saints in Heaven, then each of us must also mount these same rungs, patiently and perseveringly, hand-in-hand with our Divine Master. Let us, therefore, take each Beatitude in turn, and reflect upon its meaning briefly, asking Almighty God to uplift our minds and our hearts as we do.
1. Blessed are the Poor in Spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.
They are poor in spirit who, similar to the Apostles, leave every single transient thing for the good of Christ and end up poor; they who have lost their property by adversity or unfairness, and bear this misfortune with persistence and abdication to the Will of God; they who are satisfied with their poor and modest station throughout everyday life, don’t take a stab at more noteworthy fortune or a higher position, and would maybe endure need than make themselves rich by unlawful means; they who, however rich, don’t love riches, nor set their hearts upon it, yet utilize their wealth to help poor people; and especially they who are unassuming, that is, who have no commended conclusion of themselves, yet are persuaded of their shortcoming and internal destitution, have an appropriate gauge of themselves and in this manner feel forever their need, and like poor homeless people, bit by bit beseech God’s elegance and help.
2. Blessed are the Meek, for they shall Inherit the Earth.
He is submissive who subdues each rising drive of indignation, anxiety, and want of vengeance, and eagerly endures everything that God, to demonstrate him, declares or enables it to transpire, or that men dispense upon him. He who subsequently controls himself resembles a quiet and serene ocean, in which the picture of the Divine Sun is ever reflected.
3. Blessed are they who Mourn, for they shall be Comforted.
The grievers talked about here are not the individuals who sob and regret over the demise of relatives and companions, or over disaster or loss of worldly wealth, yet the individuals who grieve that God is so frequently irritated, so minimal cherished and regarded by men, that such a large number of spirits, reclaimed by the Precious Blood of Christ, are lost. Among these grievers are likewise the individuals who lead a strict and penitential life, and quietly continue trouble. Sin is the main insidiousness, the main thing to be lamented, and just those tears which are shed because of wrongdoing are valuable tears, rewarded by everlasting happiness and interminable reassurance.
4. Blessed are they who Hunger and thirst after Justice, for they shall have their Fill.
Yearning and thirst mean the enthusiastic aching for those ideals which establish Christian flawlessness. He who looks for such flawlessness with passionate want and sincere endeavoring will be filled, that is, will be embellished by God with the most wonderful ethics, and will be copiously remunerated in Heaven.
5. Blessed are the Merciful, for they shall obtain Mercy.
They are tolerant who help the poor as indicated by their methods, who practice each conceivable otherworldly and corporal work of benevolence, who to the extent they can, calmly bear the shortcomings of others, endeavor dependably to pardon them, and energetically excuse the wounds they have gotten. They particularly are really forgiving who are kind to their adversaries and do great to them, as it is composed: Love your foes, and do great to them that abhor you. Well is it for him who is forgiving, for the best rewards are guaranteed him, however a judgment without kindness will be passed on the unmerciful.
6. Blessed are the Clean of Heart, for they shall see God.
They are spotless of heart who cautiously safeguard the blamelessness which they got in Baptism, and keep their heart and inner voice free from every wicked word and deeds, as well as from every evil idea and wants, and in the entirety of their oversights and payments think just and want just great. These, while yet on Earth, see God in the entirety of His works and animals, in light of the fact that their considerations are coordinated dependably to the Highest Good. What’s more, in the other world, they will see Him eye to eye, getting a charge out of in this consideration a one of a kind delight which is saved for unadulterated spirits just; for as the eye that would see well should be clear, so should those spirits be flawless who are to see God.
7. Blessed are the Peacemakers, for they shall be called the Children of God.
They are peacemakers who protect their inappropriate wants, who are mindful so as to have tranquility in their still, small voices and managed tranquil in the entirety of their activities, who don’t fight with their neighbors and are accommodating to the Will of God. These are called offspring of God since they pursue God Who is a God of Peace, and Who even gave His solitary Son to convey harmony to the world.
8. Blessed are they who suffer Persecution for Justice’s sake, for theirs is the kingdom of Heaven.
They go through abuse for the good of justice who by their words, works, or by their lives ensure reality, the Faith, and Christian excellencies; who stick immovably to God, and enable nothing to divert them from the obligations of the Christian religion, however for its endure disdain, scorn, disfavor, damage, and unfairness with euphoria. At that point, they will end up like the holy people and like them get the brilliant crown. Also, on the off chance that we want to be delegated with them, we too should endure with them, as St. Paul kept in touch with Timothy, “And all that will live genuine in Christ Jesus will endure oppression.”
The rungs of the step shaped by the eight Beatitudes can likewise be depicted and thought of regarding the temperances; let us in this way importune Almighty God, that He allow all of us the beauty to serve Him in holiness and equity, in destitution and quietude, in mildness and apology, in the enthusiastic wish for all ideals, by kindness, ideal virtue of heart, in quietness and persistence, following in the strides of the Divine Master, His solitary Son Our Lord Jesus Christ, to Whom be respect and greatness, now and everlastingly, and to the periods of ages.
