We follow from the previous post where the The Beatitudes explained simply with salient bible verses.
d) Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled
We live in a world that claims to seek justice for all, but we see injustice abounding everywhere. Our Lord's teachings naturally form a sense of justice and fairness in one, simply by being cognizant of our neighbour’s needs, we achieve righteousness for others and ourselves.
Connected to the beatitude on mourning, is the despair that comes from seeing injustice being carried out everywhere with little that we can do about it. We should however not despair, but try to introduce righteousness in our everyday lives, even in a small way. As more of us act and behave with righteousness and justice in mind, the more that fairness and righteousness will be achieved in our societies.
If you doubt the power of small acts of justice and righteousness to achieve lasting change, think of slavery, civil rights for minorities, human rights courts for genocide, the black lives matter movement, and lawyers that provide their services pro bono on matters of principle and human rights, and so on; all these started in small ways and ballooned into the acceptable way.
Small things eventually lead to societal change, as the conscience of society questions unfair and unjust acts. The power of the Holy Spirit is evident as she rouses the consciences of individuals towards a Christian worldview, respecting all human beings, created in the image and likeness of God.
e) Blessed are the merciful for they shall obtain mercy
If I was to choose an adjective that describes our Lord it would be merciful. He kept saying over and over again, that he came for mercy and not sacrifice. This means that he did not come to condemn but rather to rescue.
The Jews being religious people, followed a code that was to be followed arduously; sin was something to be snuffed out, especially of a more grievous nature.
Birth of Christ, Luke 2:1-20
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I particularly like the story of the adulterous woman (John 8:1-11). This woman, according to the law should have been stoned; there was nothing else for it, the law being very clear. The Pharisees were in constant debate with the teachings of Jesus and they used the occasion to test Him (with the hope of embarrassing Him, should he fail to give a precise determination).
He demonstrated his knowledge of the law by fully agreeing with them that she should be stoned, however, he also demonstrated great mercy through the caveat that the first to cast a stone should be without sin! Our Lord refined the law by adhering to its spirit, rather than its literal meaning.
The parable of the unmerciful servant (Matt 18:21-35), also demonstrates the principle of mercy well. God forgives us when we confess and pray for forgiveness. If we are unable to “pay it forward”, regardless of the gravity of the trespass against us, how can we continue to expect mercy from Him? Let us learn to be merciful and forgiving, no matter how stupid we may look in the eyes of the world. What matters is how God sees our hearts, and not how the world looks at us.
f) Blessed are pure of heart, for they shall see God
This is a truly childlike quality, to have innocence untouched by the motives of men. I don’t know if it’s possible to achieve except possibly for the Saint-like. The practical thinking for this is simply having no ulterior motives in our relationships with neighbours or the world in general. No double-speak, no hidden agendas, just being forthright and clear.
Sin resides in the heart. Our Lord said that it is what is in us, what we utter and think from the heart that leads to sin. A pure heart does not allow sin or the thought of it to linger. This is an arduous task indeed.
g) Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the sons of God
War and violence are always the easier alternatives since they immediately help us to assert our dominance, pride, and ego over others. To aim for peace is ordinarily to be seen as weak. The practical teaching is to aim for peace at all times, even if we are the stronger party. This is not natural to us, but beatitude requires that we rise above our natural inclinations and seek unanimity wherever and whenever we can. This applies at the level of the individual, family, or nation.
There is a bible parable that says that in the home, one should never be a lion. Children are powerless, and the power of participating in decisions in the home is a part of their training in meekness and humility for adulthood. We are advised to be meek and humble, even as the heads of our homes. Surely, does this not extend to the level of nations as well?
h) Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven
What is righteousness? It is living according to the teachings of Jesus. It is a daily attempt to follow the Christian walk of difficulty, which is always in tension with the world and the mammon worldview.
We must all eat, drink, clothe, and the like; this is however not our ultimate goal while here on earth. Our ultimate goal is ascending to a Christian worldview, and eventually residing with Him in the afterlife. The priorities of a disciple are first to honour our maker, then to love and honour our neighbour, and in so doing naturally achieve the third priority, to keep a place in the marathon for our place with the Lord at the end of our lives.
The teachings of Jesus demand justice for all human beings regardless of creed, colour, economic status, genetic make-up, and the rest of it. We demand the protection of the innocent and the eradication of all forms of enslavement to the world (whether to the material mammon or spiritual powers). We demand the reverencing of every human being in principle, being created in the image and likeness of God. There will always be tension between the followers of Christ and the world. This has never changed and is unlikely to since the two adopt completely different worldviews.
Enjoy