I thought it would be a good series of articles to explore the Beatitudes and to perhaps look at them in a different light. We will look at them from a perspective that most may not have considered. We will also try to look at ways to incorporate the Beatitudes into our modern life.

The information in this series is a compilation of thoughts and ideas from many sources intended for talks given about the Beatitudes. Some of these thoughts include my own. The work to create these articles has taken several years and many of the references to the sources are no longer available.

Contrast with the Commandments

We have all heard the story of Moses. Moses came down from the mountain and brought with him two tablets containing the 10 commandments. These commandments are the laws of God. They teach us the things that we shouldn’t do. They teach us about what is sin. Learning about sin , and we are fearful of sin, because sin is how we move away from God.

At the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus teaches the Beatitudes and these Beatitudes are basis for all Jesus’ teachings. Through the stories and acts that He performs, He demonstrates to us the acts of these Beatitudes in our lives. Jesus lived as an example to us, on how to live the Beatitudes.

Living Like Christ

Christ became poor to teach us where we ought to look for wealth. Christ proclaimed that Love was the most important Law, that first we Love God, and then we love our neighbor (each other). The Beatitudes act as a moral guide for Christians. We can do what Christ teaches us, to Love one another by incorporating the Beatitudes into our lives.

Biology shows us the food we consume becomes a part of us, fuels our body. But our faith tells us that “when we eat this bread and drink this cup” we become what we eat. Our transformation through the body and blood of Christ makes us an active part in the Body of Christ. This is at once a gift beyond any we might hope for. This gift challenges us transform the world.

We live in a society based on compromise. We live life looking for an easy resolution that satisfies everyone involved. We want to appease to the needs of our family, friends, and coworkers. In our worship many have made compromises to allow God to fit into their life; instead of finding a way to incorporate their existence into the life and plan of God. We exercise this false authority over God in a vain attempt to not have a burden of Religion.

The first question of Christian discipleship … is not, What is the minimum requirement? What is the least I am obliged to do, or the minimum I must avoid?

The first question of the moral life is, What does it mean to me to be like Christ Jesus? If we are a new creation in Christ, how does this change the way we should live? Instead of seeking the minimum, we should be moving to become more like Jesus.

If we want to become more like Jesus, the Eucharist is not only the focus of our worship, it bust be the basis for our morality. There is a direct connection between our moral life and the reception of the Holy Eucharist. Through the Holy Eucharist we receive the strength and grace to face the challenges in our life.

The Eucharist is a blessing in the present, a promise for the future, and strength for our journey. The Eucharist is the connection that unites our hope for the future with living the beatitudes today. It transforms us into the Christ who humbled himself to be like us.

Scripture

To conlude this first part in the series we will now look at the scripture passage from Matthew 5: 1 – 12.

When he saw the crowds, he went up the mountain, and after he sat down, his disciples came to him. (2) He began to teach them, saying: The Beatitudes (3) Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. (4) Blessed are they who mourn, for they will be comforted. (5) Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the land. (6) Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be satisfied. (7) Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. (8) Blessed are the clean of heart, for they will see God. (9) Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. (10) Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for their s is the kingdom of heaven. (11) Blessed are you when they insult you and persecute you and utter every kind of evil agains you [falsely] because of me. (12) Rejoice and be glad, for your reward will be great in heaven. Thus they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

I hope that this series will bring us closer to Christ. May it help each of us to see the beatitudes in a different light and allow us to live our lives a little more like Christ.