The Beatitudes...
On the fourth Sunday of Ordinary Time, we begin to read the famous Sermon on the Mount, which begins in the 5th chapter and continues through chapter 7 of Matthew. For the next six weeks we will be reflecting on the sermon on the Mount. It is the proclamation of salvation, beginning with Beatitudes which is the center of the good news.
Catechism of the Catholic Church 1965 says, the New Law or the Law of the Gospel is the perfection here on earth of the divine law, natural and revealed. It is the work of Christ and is expressed particularly in the Sermon on the Mount. It is also the work of the Holy Spirit and through him, it becomes the interior law of charity: "I will establish a New Covenant with the house of Israel. . . I will put my laws into their hands, and write them on their hearts, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.
"Sermon on the Mount summarizes the Law of the New Covenant. This reminds us of the giving of the Law on Mount Sinai (Exodus 19-24). Moses brought the Law down the mountain to the people. But Jesus delivers his teaching to disciples who have come up to the mountain. Jesus is the new Moses.
Let us look at each one of them. The poor in spirit: We live in this spirit when we detach from the world and trust God. In this state, we recognize their need for God and his grace. St. Gregory of Nyssa compared poverty in spirit with humility. The one who lives this beatitude will be rich and acquire full possession of the kingdom at the final judgment. Those who mourn: It includes those who suffer for the faith, those who suffer out of love for others, and those who weep for their own sins. They receive comfort in the presence of God who wipes away every tear (Revelation 7:17). The Meek: The meek possess an inner strength to restrain anger and discouragement in the midst of adversity. They may appear powerless and insignificant in the sight of the world. Meekness is exemplified in the life of Moses (Numbers 12:3) and especially in Jesus, Matthew 11:29, 21:5). They imitate Jesus by showing kindness and gentleness towards their neighbors. Those who hunger and thirst for righteousness: Their priority is to seek the Lord’s kingdom and righteousness. They see an urgency to both live the Gospel and spread it to others. Ultimately, they will be satisfied in eternal life (Matthew 25:46). The merciful: They imitate Father’s mercy (Luke 6:36) by overlooking and forgiving others (Matthew 18:21-22,33). The merciful are patient and understanding in bearing with others’ faults, and they are compassionate with respect to the suffering, defects, and need of others (Matthew 6:2-4; 25:34-40). At the final judgment, they will receive mercy which lasts forever (Matthew 6:14). The pure heart: They act with integrity and serve the Lord unselfishly. The heart is the center of one person’s thoughts, words, actions, and emotions. They have purity of intention to associate their wills and minds with God’s. They will avoid evil thoughts and be chaste because it is a liberating virtue that leads to contemplative prayer and charity (Matthew 5:27-30). They find treasures in heaven (Matthew 6:19-21). In eternity the pure in heart will see God as the angels do even now (Matthew 18:10; 1 Cor 13:12; Rev 22:4).
The peacemakers: They not only seek their own reconciliation with God and their neighbor but also seek to help others to reconcile and instill peace in all relationships (CCC 2305, 2330). The Gospel of Matthew 5:45 says peacemakers will be called children of God. The gift of sonship is both a present possession of believers (Romans 8:14-16; 1 John 3:1) and a future hope of the resurrection of the body (Romans 8:23) and the glory of eternal life (Revelation 21:7). Those who are persecuted: They persevere staidly in the faith and suffer for their faithfulness to Christ (CCC 886, 1967). They are targets of the world’s hatred (John 15:18-19) because of their commitment to the Gospel (1 Peter 3:14). They will receive a great reward in the coming kingdom of heaven (Matthew 5:12). We can see the perfection of the beatitude in the life of Christ. He invites us to follow him in prayer, humility, self-sacrifice, hardship, and persecution because of it