We hear Jesus proclaim the Beatitudes in Matthew’s Gospel today. It is always interesting to delve into the meaning of the Beatitudes, as Christians throughout the centuries have discussed what this Scripture passage really means to them in practical terms. I think of how the Prime Minister of Great Britain Winston Churchill described Russia in a 1939 radio address: “I cannot forecast to you the action of Russia. It is a riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma.” That is how I see the Beatitudes, as essential a mystery. It is certainly not easy for us to wrap our minds around their true meaning.
The Greek word makarios that is used in the Beatitudes is translated into English as “blessed”, but perhaps a better English word would happy or fortunate. The Beatitudes declare as happy those who are poor in spirit. St. Augustine saw this as a reference to those who are spiritually humble. The Greek word ptōchos that is used for the “poor” here literally means to be dependent or needy, a kind of poverty that places us in a position of absolute dependence on others. When Jesus refers to the poor in spirit in this context, he describes someone who in his humility recognizes his dependence on God. The essence of humility is the opposite of spiritual pride. Thus, the first key to being happy, according to Jesus, is recognizing one's own spiritual dependence of God.
When Jesus proclaims happy are those who mourn, he describes the person who laments the sufferings and the sins of our present life and who laments and mourns those who have died. In our mourning, we experience the pain of loss. We can lament our own sinfulness and the sinfulness of others, our own sufferings and the sufferings of others, and the loss of those who have died. Jesus proclaims that those who mourn will be comforted, a promise of comfort beyond the sufferings of this life.
Jesus proclaims happy are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, that they will be fulfilled. Jesus looks to those who yearn for justice and holiness, in being in right relationship with God. Unfortunately, we often look out at the world and see many injustices and a lack of holiness. For that we thirst.
The promises that Jesus makes to his disciples in the Beatitudes are eschatological, meaning that they will be fulfilled in the end times. Jesus proclaims that those who mourn will be comforted in the end times, when the loved ones we’ve lost in this world will be raised up, body and soul, and we will be with them for all eternity, body and soul in eternal life with God. As the book of Revelation states, “every tear will be wiped away, there will be no more mourning or crying or pain anymore, because Christ will make all things new.” That's the kind of happiness, that is the ultimate happiness, that Jesus is describing for us in the eight Beatitudes at the beginning of the Sermon on the Mount, the happiness of God’s kingdom.
What I have presented to you today is a theology reflection on the Beatitudes, of what they mean spiritually to us as disciples of Christ. But what is the relevance of the Beatitudes in daily life? How can we live out the spirit of the Beatitudes in our daily reality?
First, the Beatitudes call for us to recognize the importance of God in our lives and the importance of being dependent on him. Sometimes, we can stray from the faith or get off track. With our busy lives, we are pulled in many directions; sometimes our relationship with God can get pushed aside. When things are going great in life, we might not see the relevance of God as much. We we have a lot of challenges or struggles, perhaps that is when we recognize that we need God and call upon him in our need. We might reflect upon the reality of our prayer life and our relationship with God. While the secular world sees an independent comfortable life to be a blessing, the ultimate blessing and happiness in life is to surrender completely to God and to put our trust in him.
Second, the Beatitude call us to have a singular focus in life: a focus on God and our faith. Jesus desires us to have a single-minded devotion and focused attitude on the kingdom of God in our present life, but also in the kingdom that awaits us in eternal life. The Gospel is not something we do in our spare time or something we give up on when things are tough. It is the sort of thing we would rather die for than abandon. We should not live out our faith or make time for Church only when it is convenient and when there are no other conflicts. Many in modern world have been overtaken by complacency. Instead, God asks us to make sacrifices for our faith, to hunger for him. Jesus wants us to be so focused on the joy of the kingdom he offers, so that riches, acclaim, comfort, and earthly happiness are not tempting in the least. We can ask ourselves: What do we desire so much that you are willing to give up absolutely everything to obtain it, even our lives?
Third, the Beatitudes call us to a life of empathy and compassion. St Oscar Romero, who was martyred by the military while serving as Archbishop of San Salvador, stated: “There are certain things in life that can only be seen through eyes that have cried.” Any person of goodwill can intellectually relate to the pain and suffering of others. But it is something else to unite their sufferings with our sufferings and with the sufferings that Christ endured. Then, we are able to see the pain and suffering of others with our heart, rather than our eyes. A friend of mine stated he wanted to start a podcast to discuss those issues of injustice and oppression that plague our society today. He wants to do so with very noble intentions. Yes, it is good to discuss those things in the public forum and to bring attention to them, but what are we actually doing about it? How are we reaching out to people who are suffering in our actions not just in words? How do we unite our sufferings with their sufferings to help build up the body of Christ through concrete intentions and actions?
The words of the Beatitudes that Christ proclaims remind us that this world is only transitory, that it is not our eternal home. What we have here on earth should not ultimately define us, nor does it represent what is lasting. Jesus reminds us in the Beatitudes that nothing in this world can truly satisfy us. Only he can. Although our sufferings may appear at first to be without benefit, if it helps us to depend more on God, to focus on what really matters, and to grow in empathy, how can it be anything but a blessing?
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