“When he saw the crowds he went up on the mountainside. After he had sat down his disciples gathered around him, and he began to teach them:
Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.
Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.
Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.
Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.
Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so men persecuted the prophets who were before you.”
The Beatitudes in the Sermon on the Mount – Mt 5 : 1-12
The Beatitudes, a path to happiness !
“We bear the name of the Beatitudes, the summit and summation of Christ’s teaching, which remind us of our vocation to Happiness. Proclaimed by Jesus on the Mount, the Beatitudes trace the only path that leads to the eternal beatitude for which the human heart longs.” (Book of Life, no. 1) *
“The Beatitudes are the way in which we have been called to respond to the universal call to holiness in the following of Christ. Our whole life is to be permeated by the Beatitudes (cf. Mt 5:1-12). In order to testify to the hope and joy of the world to come, we choose to become men and women of the Beatitudes.” (Statutes of the Community, no. 10)
Christ of the Beatitudes
This means that we let ourselves be fascinated by “Christ of the Beatitudes” and following in His footsteps we may become more like Him.
The Beatitudes describe Jesus Christ: his thoughts, his feelings and his actions. He was poor, meek, compassionate and merciful; he hungered and thirsted for justice. He had a pure heart and imparted peace. He was ready to endure suffering and persecution that He may give us Eternal Life.
He has shown us what it means to live like children of God.
“The Beatitudes reveal to us the face of Christ, the only one to have lived them out in their fullness. He is the Lion of Judah and the Slain Lamb who, through his death and resurrection, brings us into the Father’s glory.” (Book of Life, no. 2)
We contemplate the face of Christ as He reveals himself to his disciples on Mount Tabor and on the Mount of the Beatitudes, both strength and weakness, almighty and weak, abundant life and annihilation, true God and true man. A call to follow the Beatitudes is nothing other than a call to life in Christ through whom God predestined us from all eternity to be his adopted sons, to be the praise and glory of his grace (see Eph 1:5-6).
*The “Book of Life” of the Community is the ‘foundation’ text of the Community’s spirituality. You can download it or order it from Editons des Béatitudes