“Seeing the crowds, Jesus climbed the mountain. He sat down, and his disciples approached him.
Then, opening his mouth, he taught them. He said:
Blessed
Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are the meek, for they shall be comforted.
Blessed are those who mourn, 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 were 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.”
Matthew 5:3-12
THE beatitudes
THE PATH TO HAPPINESS
“We bear the name ‘Beatitudes’, summit and summary of the teaching of Christ, which reminds 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” (CCC, n°1697).
– Book of Life, 1 –
“The Beatitudes are the path to which we have been called to respond to the universal call to holiness in the following of Christ. Our whole life wants to be impregnated by the Beatitudes. To bear witness to the hope and joy of the world to come, we choose to become men and women of the Beatitudes. »
- Statutes of the Community -
the CHRIST
of the BeATITUDES
It means allowing the “Christ of the Beatitudes” to fascinate us and following in his footsteps in order to become more and more like him. The Beatitudes describe his thought, his feelings, his action and his whole life. He was poor, gentle, compassionate and merciful; he hungered and thirsted for righteousness. He had a pure heart and brought peace. He was willing to endure suffering and persecution to save us and give us Eternal Life. He showed us what it means to live as children of God.
“The Beatitudes reveal to us the face of Christ who, alone, lived in its totality. He is the Lion of Judah and the Immolated Lamb , who through his Passover leads us into the glory of the Father. »
- Book of Life -
LITTLE
HISTORICAL
FROM THE LION OF JUDAH TO THE BEATITUDES
In fact, “from the first moments of living together the two faces of Jesus imposed themselves on our meditation: Lion and Lamb, strength and weakness, God-Strong, Almighty and little child; abundant life and annihilation. Death that conquers death to open the doors of eternal life. United with that of the Lamb of God, our silent oblation triumphs in the victory of the Lion of Judah over all the powers of evil. And even if it pleases Him to reveal one face to us rather than another, we must never separate them in our faith and our worship. »
( Book of Life , n°3)
THE LION OF JUDAH & THE BEATITUDES
In 1991, the Community changed its name to that of Community of the Beatitudes, which was easier to bear in the diversity of cultures where it was established, and to express its desire for greater openness to the poor.
The two faces of Christ, Lamb, poor, gentle and humble in his Passion and Lion victorious on the Cross, remain at the heart of the message of the Beatitudes. This is why the Community has kept these two figures of the lion and the lamb as emblems.
