Understanding the Beatitudes by Father Al Jenkins

The Bible says in Saint Matthew, When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up on the mountain; and after he sat down, his disciples came to him. Then he began to speak, and taught them, saying:

1. "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." Less of me in me and more of God in me! Poverty of spirit tells us that the road to spiritual maturity 'begins with' and is 'built on' humility. Our spiritual journey begins with humility - less of us and more of God. We can only do that by making a place for God in our heart and mind. Some will. Most will not! What makes the difference?
   
   
2. "Blessed are those who mourn for they shall be comforted." Many times we think of those with broken hearts, when thinking of this beatitude. God does care and heal the broken-hearted, but there is something much more important. If we think of our relationship to God and the many times we break our relationship with God, it should cause a state of grief in our soul. That grief causes mourning and it is this mourning that receives comfort from God. It is much like showing sorrow to a parent, when a child has disobeyed.
   
   
3. "Blessed are the meek for they shall inherit the earth." A meek person is a joy to be around! How many of you have been around someone mean-spirited or arrogant. They are joy killers, but a meek person is a gentle and kind person and easy to be around. But, more, importantly God expects us to be gentle and kind. The main reason is that God can establish and maintain a relationship with us when we are easy to get along with! It is in our relationship with Christ where we find this gentleness!
   
   
4. "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled." This tells us that we are to be right with God! Righteousness means to be right with God. We are right when we can face God. We are right when we are 'confessed' with God. We are right when we can stand before God with no shame. To 'hunger and thirst for righteousness' is a figure of speech that means we YEARN to be right with God. We hunger for it! We thirst for it! Jesus says that if we do this, we shall be 'filled' or right with God.
   
   
5. "Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy." This is a strange one. Normally, we would think that this means we are to be caring in our relations with others. And, God DOES expect that! However, we seldom think that from God's perspective and from the perspective of our relationship with God, we are to be caring in our relationship with and to God. We are to be merciful to God. This means to be compassionate to God. Do we have compassion for God or do we just think of God as a 'supplier of needs' and a judge. God has feelings and we maintain a strong relationship with God by practicing compassion for God's direction for our lives and God's correction in our lives.
   
   
6. "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God." I think of a clear cold spring when I think of this. I think of pure, clean, cool water! This beatitude means that what we think, say, and do with God should be holy and single-minded. God is that way!
   
   Jesus says that if we are this way, we shall see God. I think Jesus is saying we shall see God in this life – in miracles, in our families, in our jobs, in that 'still small voice', in our friends, and in our church – and ultimately and soon, in Heaven!
   
   
7. "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called the children of God." We can't make peace unless we have peace. We can't have peace unless know peace. And peace is having made peace by yielding to Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior.
   
   If one feels that Jesus is Lord over their life and that Jesus has saved them from their sin, then they can have peace with God.
   
   Having peace with God is abiding with God and those that abide with God are the peacemakers in the world. It doesn't just start with a person 'making peace' with others. First, a person must have peace with God and peace with God comes through a living relationship with Jesus Christ!
   
   The next two Beatitudes are much the same. They are truly about and for those who have 'dented their armor' for God, those who have a strong relationship with God and HAVE been willing to CHAMPION the cause of God!
   
   
8. "Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven."
   
   "Blessed are you when people revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you." The point here is not to think, "Boy, I've been beat up for standing up for God, so 'my reward' is going to be great." The point is NOT reward! The point is that our relationship with God in Christ is SO STRONG that we have the courage of Christ to champion the causes of God, EVEN if we are hurt in the process. This is what Jesus did. This is what we do, not for reward –which will surely come – but, for the love of God.

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