The Beatitudes – we have all heard them – many can recite them by heart – they have a poetic ring and flow so well - In many of the eastern rites, they are regularly sung as the third antiphon – there are many beautiful settings – but do we really think about them?
When we stop and think about them, something seems odd. The Beatitudes – what is translated as blessed, is the Greek word Μακάριος – Makarios. – which means “to being fortunate or happy because of circumstances” – Happiness is the point of the beatitudes.
Yet these are not things many people think of when they want to be happy – Poor? Persecuted? Meek? Hungry? Mourning? These are not things that come to mind when I think of the conditions of happiness. Ask many people what they need for happiness, and they will list the opposite– abundance, acceptance, joy, and pleasure – How are we to understand the beatitudes?
Fr. Servais Pinckaers, a 20th Century French Dominican friar, notes that the Beatitudes were the basis of Christian morality for the early Church Fathers – not the Ten Commandments that we know so well.
It is not that the Ten Commandments are bad – they are good and still bind. Many learn to go to confession with an examination of conscience based on the 10 Commandments – Indeed, the examination of conscience that we have in the back by the confessional is based on them – When I teach someone to examine their conscience, I always start with the Ten Commandments – they are good and a great a place to start. They are a great guide to where one might have sinned.
But the Ten Commandments are not distinctly Christian – As Thomas Aquinas notes, they are part of the natural law – each knowable by reason – One can learn them by reason alone – The obligations of family, the sin of lying, of envy, or murder– these can be known by reason alone. Even that we owe worship to God be known by reason alone, even if one cannot know precisely how – and indeed, the pagans knew it.
The Beatitudes bring something different – St Augustine starts his consideration of the moral life with the fact that everyone desires to be happy – but the question is then, how does one find true happiness? – The beatitudes could be translated as “happy are they” – but how the world tries to find happiness comes up short – There are many wealthy people who have it all yet are miserable – It is how one can actually be happy
The Beatitudes are something beyond what can be known by reason alone. The ten commandments give us things we are obligated to do and things that we must not do – they are helpful for finding where we have sinned – but the beatitudes tell us something about who we ought to be – and where true happiness lays – ultimately, - “the kingdom of heaven” -
So how do we approach these beatitudes? How are we to follow them? It is possible to start matching different lists up - Augustine fits the Beatitudes with the gifts of the Holy Spirit – and Aquinas puts them with the virtues.
Blessed are the poor in spirit – The virtue of temperance – not seeking happiness in material things – which comes from the gift of fear of the Lord
Blessed are they who mourn – the gift of knowledge, for we see the sin and dangers – but leads to the virtue of hope – for there is hope in Christ.
Blessed are the meek – the gift of piety and giving true worship to God – leading to the virtue of justice.
Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness – the gift of courage, which leads to the virtue of fortitude.
Blessed are the merciful – the gift of counsel, following the example of our gracious God – leading to the virtue of prudence.
Blessed are the clean of heart – Demonstrates the gift of understanding – leading to the virtue of faith.
Blessed are the peacemakers – demonstrates the gift of wisdom – and the virtue of charity.
Finally – “blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when they insult you and persecute you and utter every kind of evil against you falsely because of me. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward will be great in heaven.”
For happiness is to know God, “to love Him, and to serve Him in this world, and to be happy with Him forever in heaven.” This is the goal of the moral life and a Christian morality. It is about the good – not just what one does - behaviors, but also virtues.
It is not so essential to give clean, easy matches between the beatitudes and the gifts of the Holy Spirit and the virtues – but what it shows is – the moral life is about more than just meeting obligations and following rules – for the beatitudes are not just a poetic list – but a particularly Christian morality that all Christians are called to – in pursuit of the good and happiness.
Can we do it on our own? Not it is beyond use -but by God’s grace and the gifts of the Holy Spirit, we can – and it is there that we find happiness, the fulfillment of our actual desire, to behold God in the kingdom of heaven. The next time one thinks about the moral life and sins –consider more than the ten commandments; also take a moment to consider the beatitudes as well.