284. The Beatitudes teach us the final end to which God calls us.

YOUCAT Catechism + Catechism of the Catholic Church Lesson 284

Ave Maria series

Why are the Beatitudes so important?

Those who yearn for the kingdom of God look to Jesus’ list of priorities: the Beatitudes.  [1716-1717, 1725-1726]

“Let the Children Come to Me” by Carl Heinrich Bloch 1834-1890. …..284 
Blessing of the Children     Then children were brought to him that he might lay his hands on them and pray. The disciples rebuked them,  but Jesus said, “Let the children come to me, and do not prevent them; for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.  After he placed his hands on them, he went away.

From Abraham on, God made promises to his people.  Jesus takes them up, extends their application to heaven, and makes them the program for his own life: the Son of God becomes poor so as to share our poverty; he rejoices with those who rejoice and weeps with those who weep (Romans 12:15); he employs no violence but rather turns the other cheek (Matthew 5:39); he has mercy, makes peace, and thereby shows us the sure way to heaven.

“For he alone is the way that is worth following, the light that is worth lighting, the life that is worth living, and the love that is worth loving.”  Bl. Teresa of Calcutta (1910-1997)

“To will all that God wills, and always to will it, on all occasions and without reservations, is the kingdom of God that is completely within.”  Francois Fenelon (1651-1715)

[1716-1717, 1725-1726]

THE BEATITUDES

1716 The Beatitudes are at the heart of Jesus' preaching. They take up the promises made to the chosen people since Abraham. The Beatitudes fulfill the promises by ordering them no longer merely to the possession of a territory, but to the Kingdom of heaven: --Catechism of the Catholic Church, Second Edition

Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. 
Blessed are the meek, 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 are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 
Blessed are you when men 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. (Matthew 5:3-12)¹²

1717 The Beatitudes depict the countenance of Jesus Christ and portray his charity. They express the vocation of the faithful associated with the glory of his Passion and Resurrection; they shed light on the actions and attitudes characteristic of the Christian life; they are the paradoxical promises that sustain hope in the midst of tribulations; they proclaim the blessings and rewards already secured, however dimly, for Christ's disciples; they have begun in the lives of the Virgin Mary and all the saints. --CCC 

IN BRIEF

1725 The Beatitudes take up and fulfill God's promises from Abraham on by ordering them to the Kingdom of heaven. They respond to the desire for happiness that God has placed in the human heart. --CCC

1726 The Beatitudes teach us the final end to which God calls us: the Kingdom, the vision of God, participation in the divine nature, eternal life, filiation, rest in God. –CCC

JT Suffer the Children by C. Bloch

282 & 283. Our vocation to beatitude

YOUCAT Catechism + Catechism of the Catholic Church Lesson 282 & 283

Ave Maria series

Does Sacred Scripture speak about a way to happiness?

We become happy by trusting in Jesus’ words in the Beatitudes.  [1716-1717]

Sermon on the Mount by Carl Hendrich Bloch where Jesus gave the beatitudes.  See Matthew 5:1-7:29…..282

The Gospel is a promise of happiness to all people who wish to walk in God’s ways.  Especially in the Beatitudes (Matthew 5:3-12), Jesus has told us specifically that eternal blessedness is based on our following his example and seeking peace with a pure heart.

“Happiness is not in us, nor is happiness outside of us.  Happiness is in God alone.  And if we have found him, then it is everywhere.” Blaise Pascal  (1623-1662)

[1716-1717]

THE BEATITUDES

1716 The Beatitudes are at the heart of Jesus' preaching. They take up the promises made to the chosen people since Abraham. The Beatitudes fulfill the promises by ordering them no longer merely to the possession of a territory, but to the Kingdom of heaven:

Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.
Blessed are the meek, 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 are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are you when men 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.(Matthew 5:3-12.)¹²–Catechism of the Catholic Church, Second Edition

1717 The Beatitudes depict the countenance of Jesus Christ and portray his charity. They express the vocation of the faithful associated with the glory of his Passion and Resurrection; they shed light on the actions and attitudes characteristic of the Christian life; they are the paradoxical promises that sustain hope in the midst of tribulations; they proclaim the blessings and rewards already secured, however dimly, for Christ's disciples; they have begun in the lives of the Virgin Mary and all the saints. –CCC

JT  Beatitudes Sermon On 

281. “The Beatitudes respond to the natural desire for happiness.”

YOUCAT Catechism + Catechism of the Catholic Church Lesson 281

Ave Maria series

Why do we yearn for happiness?

God has placed in our hearts such an infinite desire for happiness that nothing can satisfy it but God himself.  All earthly fulfillment gives us only a foretaste of eternal happiness.  Above and beyond that, we should be drawn to God.  [1718-1719, 1725]

Saint Monica did not lose faith. She continually fasted, prayed, and wept on behalf of her wayward son Augustine. She implored the local bishop for help in winning him over, and he counseled her to be patient, saying, "God's time will come." Monica persisted in importuning him, and the bishop uttered the words which have often been quoted: "Go now, I beg you; it is not possible that the son of so many tears should perish."  We now know St. Monica’s wayward son as Saint Augustine, Bishop of Hippo.…..281

“God wants us to be happy.  But where does the source of this hope lie?  It lies in a communion with God, who lives in the depths of the soul of every man.”  Brother Roger Schultz  1915-2005. 

[1718-1719, 1725]

THE DESIRE FOR HAPPINESS

1718  The Beatitudes respond to the natural desire for happiness. This desire is of divine origin: God has placed it in the human heart in order to draw man to the One who alone can fulfill it:–Catechism of the Catholic Church, Second Edition

We all want to live happily; in the whole human race there is no one who does not assent to this proposition, even before it is fully articulated.(St. Augustine, De moribus eccl. 1,3,4:Patrologia Latina 32,1312.)¹³--CCC

How is it, then, that I seek you, Lord? Since in seeking you, my God, I seek a happy life, let me seek you so that my soul may live, for my body draws life from my soul and my soul draws life from you.( St. Augustine, Conf. 10,20:PL 32,791.)¹⁴  God alone satisfies.(St. Thomas Aquinas, Expos. in symb. apost. I.)¹⁵ --CCC

1719  The Beatitudes reveal the goal of human existence, the ultimate end of human acts: God calls us to his own beatitude. This vocation is addressed to each individual personally, but also to the Church as a whole, the new people made up of those who have accepted the promise and live from it in faith. --CCC

IN BRIEF

 1725 The Beatitudes take up and fulfill God's promises from Abraham on by ordering them to the Kingdom of heaven. They respond to the desire for happiness that God has placed in the human heart. –CCC

Saint Augustine  -Fra_angelico

Third Sunday in Ordinary Time, January 27, 2019

He unrolled the scroll and found the passage where it was written:

 “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me …”

Third Sunday in Ordinary Time, January 27, 2019
Lectionary: 69

Reading 1   NEHEMIAH 8:2-4A, 5-6, 8-10

Ezra the priest brought the law before the assembly,which consisted of men, women,and those children old enough to understand. Standing at one end of the open place that was before the Water Gate,he read out of the book from daybreak till midday,in the presence of the men, the women,and those children old enough to understand;and all the people listened attentively to the book of the law.  Ezra the scribe stood on a wooden platform that had been made for the occasion.  He opened the scrollso that all the people might see it— for he was standing higher up than any of the people —;and, as he opened it, all the people rose. Ezra blessed the LORD, the great God,and all the people, their hands raised high, answered, "Amen, amen!"  Then they bowed down and prostrated themselves before the LORD,their faces to the ground.Ezra read plainly from the book of the law of God,interpreting it so that all could understand what was read.  Then Nehemiah, that is, His Excellency, and Ezra the priest-scribeand the Levites who were instructing the peoplesaid to all the people:"Today is holy to the LORD your God. Do not be sad, and do not weep"—for all the people were weeping as they heard the words of the law.  He said further: "Go, eat rich foods and drink sweet drinks,and allot portions to those who had nothing prepared;for today is holy to our LORD.  Do not be saddened this day,for rejoicing in the LORD must be your strength!"

Responsorial   PSALM 19:8, 9, 10, 15   

R. (compare John 6:63c) Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life.

The law of the LORD is perfect,
refreshing the soul;
The decree of the LORD is trustworthy,
giving wisdom to the simple.

R. Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life.

The precepts of the LORD are right,
rejoicing the heart;
The command of the LORD is clear,
enlightening the eye.

R. Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life.

The fear of the LORD is pure,
enduring forever;
The ordinances of the LORD are true,
all of them just.

R. Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life.

Let the words of my mouth and the thought of my heart
find favor before you,
O LORD, my rock and my redeemer.

R. Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life.

Reading 2   1 CORINTHIANS 12:12-30 

Brothers and sisters:  As a body is one though it has many parts, and all the parts of the body, though many, are one body,so also Christ.  For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body,whether Jews or Greeks, slaves or free persons,and we were all given to drink of one Spirit.
Now the body is not a single part, but many.  If a foot should say,"Because I am not a hand I do not belong to the body, "it does not for this reason belong any less to the body.  Or if an ear should say,"Because I am not an eye I do not belong to the body, "it does not for this reason belong any less to the body. If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be?  If the whole body were hearing, where would the sense of smell be?  But as it is, God placed the parts,each one of them, in the body as he intended. If they were all one part, where would the body be?  But as it is, there are many parts, yet one body.  The eye cannot say to the hand, "I do not need you, "nor again the head to the feet, "I do not need you." Indeed, the parts of the body that seem to be weakerare all the more necessary,and those parts of the body that we consider less honorablewe surround with greater honor,and our less presentable parts are treated with greater propriety,whereas our more presentable parts do not need this.  But God has so constructed the body as to give greater honor to a part that is without it,so that there may be no division in the body, but that the parts may have the same concern for one another.  If one part suffers, all the parts suffer with it; if one part is honored, all the parts share its joy.
Now you are Christ's body, and individually parts of it.  Some people God has designated in the church     to be, first, apostles; second, prophets; third, teachers;then, mighty deeds;then gifts of healing, assistance, administration,and varieties of tongues.  Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers?
Do all work mighty deeds? Do all have gifts of healing?  Do all speak in tongues? Do all interpret?

Alleluia   COMPARE LUKE 4:18

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
The Lord sent me to bring glad tidings to the poor,
and to proclaim liberty to captives.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel LK 1:1-4; 4:14-21

Since many have undertaken to compile a narrative of the eventsthat have been fulfilled among us,just as those who were eyewitnesses from the beginningand ministers of the word have handed them down to us,
I too have decided,after investigating everything accurately anew,to write it down in an orderly sequence for you,
most excellent Theophilus, so that you may realize the certainty of the teachingsyou have received.
Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit,and news of him spread throughout the whole region.
He taught in their synagogues and was praised by all.
He came to Nazareth, where he had grown up,and went according to his custom into the synagogue on the sabbath day.  He stood up to read and was handed a scroll of the prophet Isaiah.He unrolled the scroll and found the passage where it was written:

The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
because he has anointed me 
to bring glad tidings to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim liberty to captives
and recovery of sight to the blind,
to let the oppressed go free,
and to proclaim a year acceptable to the Lord.

Rolling up the scroll, he handed it back to the attendant and sat down,and the eyes of all in the synagogue looked intently at him.  He said to them, “Today this Scripture passage is fulfilled in your hearing."