The Sermon on the Mount

listen to the MP3 recording of "The Beatitudes":



The Beatitudes


Now when he saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down.
His disciples came to him, and he began to teach them, saying:

 Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
 
 Blessed are those who mourn,
for they will be comforted.
 
 Blessed are the meek,
for they will inherit the earth.
 
 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
for they will be filled.

 Blessed are the merciful,
for they will be shown mercy.

 Blessed are the pure in heart,
for they will see God.

 Blessed are the peacemakers,
for they will be called sons of God.

 Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me.  Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
Matthew 5:1-12




The Starting Place For Being


The Sermon on the Mount is a portrait of the heart of Jesus Christ.
The Beatitudes offer a deep insight into his preferences, his prejudices, and his total personality.

In giving us what John Powell calls the Be-Attitudes, Jesus said that these are
the attitudes that will enable you to be like him.

He talked about being pure of heart.
He talked about being compassionate.
He talked about the attitudes that are deep down inside us, and he said,
"If you really want to be like me, this is how you ought to think."
And right atop the list is "be poor in spirit."

To be poor in spirit means to cling to your impoverished humanity
and to have nothing to brag about before God.
Paul writes, "What do you have that you haven't received; and if you have received it,
why do you go about boasting as if you hadn't received it?" (1 Corinthians 4:7)

Brennan Manning
Reflections for Ragamuffins, p. 24