The Eight Beatitudes (Matthew By 5:3-10):
1 Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
2 Blessed are they who mourn,
for they will be comforted.
3 Blessed are the meek,
for they will inherit the land.
4 Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
for they will be satisfied.
5 Blessed are the merciful,
for they will be shown mercy.
6 Blessed are the clean of heart,
for they will see God.
7 Blessed are the peacemakers,
for they will be called children of God.
8 Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Living the Beatitudes as a flourishing circle
The Beatitudes go from seeking a blessing, to being blessed, to in return becoming a blessing to those seeking a blessing. This is the flourishing circle of living the Beatitudes.
It is like people maturing from baby to adult, to becoming a parent. In Beatific terms, blessed is the baby who hungers and thirsts for they will be blessed to grow into adulthood. Adults who are parents are a blessing to their children as they love and provide for them while they grow.
The first four Beatitudes are about seeking a blessing and finding a blessing. The last four Beatitudes are about becoming a blessing. The first four Beatitudes are paired to one of the last four Beatitudes in the same order. For example, the first Beatitude is linked to the fifth, and the second to the sixth, and so forth. Then they can be interpreted together to form their circle.
The poor in spirit are blessed to seek mercy from God and are blessed to be children of the kingdom of heaven (the first Beatitude). Through love of neighbor, they become a blessing by being merciful and will be shown mercy (the fifth Beatitude).
Those who mourn their sins are blessed to seek sinlessness and blessed to be comforted. Through love of God, they become a blessing as those clean of heart and will see God.
The meek are blessed to seek peace and are blessed with a peaceful land. Through love of neighbor, they become a blessing as peacemakers and are called children of God.
Those who hunger and thirst for righteousness are blessed to seek righteousness and blessed to be satisfied. Through love of God, they become a blessing enduring persecution for the sake of righteousness and theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Love and the Beatitudes
Love of neighbor and love of God complete all of the Beatitudes. For example, a Christian who is meek seeks peace. But having peace for themselves is not the end. Rather, for love of neighbor a Christian sustains peace as a peacemaker. And in an act of love, for instance, will help the poor.
Living the virtues
To live the Beatitudes is to be virtuous. You live the God-infused four cardinal virtues. To be Merciful is to be prudent in imitation of the Father. To be Clean of Heart is to be a God-infused form of temperance, clear of distractions from God. To be a Peacemaker is to live in imitation of Jesus in justice. To be Persecuted for the Sake of Righteousness is to have fortitude, following Jesus.
Living the Beatitudes is a four-fold way to a fulfilling Christian life which flourishes on love and perpetuates the Kingdom at hand.
The Lord’s Prayer and the Beatitudes
We pray the Lord’s Prayer (Matthew 6:9-13) as one living the Beatitudes.
The Lord’s Prayer starts with “Our Father who art in Heaven,” praying as one ‘Poor in Spirit’ who is a child of God in Heaven.
The Lord’s Prayer continues with “Hallowed be Thy name,” praying as one ‘who Mourns’ in repentance for sinning, all which defame the name of God.
Then the Lord’s Prayer continues, but with the end in mind, praying “Thy Kingdom come,” as one ‘Persecuted for the sake of Righteousness’ hopes in the resurrection.
The Lord’s Prayer proceeds in reverse order along the remaining Beatitudes. “Thy Will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven,” is as one who is a ‘Peacemaker’ bringing Christ’s peace to all.
With “Give us this day our daily bread,” we are praying as one ‘Clean of Heart’ who is not distracted by worldly goods and requires only the basics to live.
Praying, “Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us,” is as one ‘Merciful’ clinging to Jesus’ promise on this.
Praying, “Lead us not into temptation,” it is as one who ‘Hungers and Thirsts for Righteousness’ who desires only to do the will of God.
“Deliver us from evil,” is spoken as one ‘Meek’ who trusts in God.
In this way, one living the Beatitudes prays in every phrase of the Our Father.