The Beatitudes

" Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven. Blessed are they who mourn, for they will be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the land. Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be satisfied. Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. Blessed are the clean of heart, for they will see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.  Blessed are you when they insult you and persecute you and utter every kind of evil against you falsely because of me. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward will be great in Heaven." --[Matthew 5: 1-12a].


The Beatitudes are among the most well-known and well-loved verses of the Bible. "Beatitude" means "blessing". These blessings of righteousness with (being in right relationship with) God, are pronounced as part of the Sermon on the Mount.

Quite simply,  Jesus is explaining what the Kingdom of Heaven is like, and what qualities we need to enter that Kingdom.

And His list is unlike anything that we would see or consider as a blessing, on this earth.

The Beatitudes pretty much sum up my childhood:

I was poor in spirit: that is, defenseless, vulnerable, lacking in any protection from my family, who should have been the ones to cherish and defend me. Instead, I was under siege by them. And so, my spirit began to falter; and before I was twelve years old, I had totally given up on humanity.

I mourned. The only relative who ever supported me and protected me was my grandfather. I remember one hot July evening, when he fell ill. We were staying over at his house that night. An ambulance came and took him away. From my bed in the room at the top of the stairs, I could see, out of the corner of my eye, the stretcher and the strong men lifting him down the stairs. Somehow, I knew I would never see him again. Sadly, I was right.

I was meek. When I gave up on humanity, I took a vow of silence. What did it matter if I spoke or not? No one was rescuing me, anyway. Why bother to ask?

I went hungry, physically. I refused food that was days old and almost spoiled. I was told eat that-- or you will have nothing. But my hunger was for far more. I wanted a family that would be right with God. This family never said, "I love you." They never showed Love, either.

My family was not merciful. I was hungry and not fed, cold and not allowed a sweater, hurt and told to stop crying.

But, something happened when I began to show mercy.  I was cold, but I knitted my brother a sweater, without being asked. I was not fed, but I baked sweets for our Sunday dinners. I was going to school with black eyes, but I mended my father's socks so they had no holes.

Something happened when I decided not to believe my family when they called out names at African-Americans, or declared that it is weak and pathetic to give to charity. I was "clean of heart", I saw clearly what Love was. This Love that I saw? --- It WAS God.

Something happened when I became the peacemaker in the family. If my father drank at night and was too far gone to help my mother, I was the one who cleared the table and helped with the dishes. If my brother wailed over the difficulty of completing his homework, I helped him study.

I was called ugly every day. I was called a failure when I was the victim of a violent crime, and wanted to come home to heal from my wounds. I was mocked when I asked to go to church. I was insulted, mocked for my Faith, falsely accused.

I used to recite all these trials, like a litany. For years, I was down, woeful, depressed and despairing, that all these things had even ever happened to me. I thought, why couldn't God have given me a better life?!

I used to go to Confession, and "confess" all that my family had done to me, as if confessing these things would make them go away.

In all these attitudes, I was way off base. When I "confessed" my trials, the priest would say to me, "And God loves you for this!" I thought he lacked any kind of compassion. Didn't he know how much I had suffered??

It is only recently that I have turned my trials around-- to see that I was honoring God by turning TO Him; and not using my trials as a contrary reason to turn AWAY from Him. If one person really does have to go through all this, she might as well do it for God!

God is closer to the meek, the peacemakers, the hungry, the insulted, and the persecuted. For, "God is close to the broken-hearted. Those who are crushed in spirit, He saves." -- Psalm 34:18.   I have begun to see that instead of being cursed, I am blessed with God's Love.

God is closer to those vulnerable ones, who need Him the most. He blesses them for the sufferings, which they endure on His behalf.

God will never abandon you. He blesses those who resolutely refuse to abandon Him, no matter what trials come against them. And your reward in Heaven will be great!

[ Related Postings: "Unlikely Blessings", 2/1/11].

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