Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Matthew
At that time,
Seeing the crowds, Jesus went up the mountain.
He sat down, and his disciples approached him.
Then, opening his mouth, he taught them.
He said:
«Blessed are the poor in spirit,”,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are those who mourn,
because they will be comforted.
Blessed are the meek.,
because they will receive the land as an inheritance.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
because they will be satisfied.
Blessed are the merciful,
for they will obtain mercy.
Blessed are the pure in heart,
for they will see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers.,
for they will be called children of God.
Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake.,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
You are fortunate if you are insulted.,
if you are persecuted
And if people falsely say all kinds of evil against you,
because of me.
Rejoice, be glad,
for your reward is great in heaven!»
– Let us acclaim the Word of God.
To rejoice one's soul in the eternal promise
How to welcome the joy of the Beatitudes in our human weariness and transform our burdens into living confidence.
Jesus, on the mountaintop, unfolds the Beatitudes—those luminous phrases where the paradox of the Kingdom overturns our usual ways of thinking: poverty becomes openness, gentleness, strength, suffering, promise. Through the words, «Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven,» the Gospel according to Matthew invites us to look at our struggles with hope. This article is for believers, peace seekers, and anyone searching for an evangelical way of life in the heart of the contemporary world.
- Context: the mountain, the crowd, and the words that overwhelm.
- Analysis: the paradoxical joy at the heart of the Beatitudes.
- Deployment: poverty, mercy, peace — three paths of transformation.
- Applications: family, work, social engagement.
- Echoes: from the Church Fathers to Francis of Assisi.
- Meditation: practicing inner joy.
- Current challenges: how can we still believe in bliss?
- Liturgical prayer and action sheet.
Context
The Gospel according to Saint Matthew places the teaching of the Beatitudes at the beginning of the Sermon on the Mount. Jesus ascends the hill, a symbol of the place where humanity and God meet. He sits down—a gesture of mastery—while the disciples approach. The setting is simple: no temple, no throne, only the horizon and the wind. It is from this austere scene that a message resounds, a message that has resonated through the ages.
The Beatitudes describe the face of the Kingdom, not as a distant promise, but as the revelation of an inner state. The final phrase, «Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven,» is not merely a consolation, but a key to understanding: joy, even in persecution, is a sign of God's presence.
At first glance, everything seems backward: to be poor, to weep, to suffer, and yet to rejoice. But it is precisely here that the spiritual path of the disciples opens. Jesus does not glorify suffering; he gives it meaning. The joy of the Beatitudes is not a superficial feeling; it stems from absolute trust. It does not deny suffering, but transfigures it.
The Alleluia that the liturgy associates with this text—"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened… I will give you rest" (Mt 11:28)—extends the theme: it is an encounter between human weariness and divine promise. Beatitude does not deny the weight of life; it makes it a place of welcome. The first listeners were peasants, the poor, burdened souls. Through them, Jesus announced a silent revolution: the joy of the Kingdom is given not to those who possess, but to those who hope.
Even today, these words resonate in our cities, our homes, our hospitals, our doubts. They reach us where we think we are far away: in the abyss. And it is there that they offer a path to recovery.
Analysis
«Rejoice,» Jesus said. This command is surprising: can joy be commanded? In reality, it is not a moral injunction, but a revelation: joy is part of the divine plan. Christ reveals here a state of being—the joy that comes from God, the joy that no earthly circumstance can take away.
The Beatitudes are structured in a spiral: they begin with the poorest («theirs is the kingdom») and end with those who endure persecution («theirs is the kingdom»). Between these two poles, an inner journey unfolds. The teaching does not function as a list of merits; it describes the transformations of the heart. As one progresses, joy becomes purer, more steadfast, because it is rooted in faithfulness to God.
The promised joy is therefore heavenly, but it is experienced here below. It is the joy of the witness, the joy that springs forth in martyrs, saints, but also in humble, anonymous people. Matthew speaks of "a great reward in heaven," but this reward is not a wage: it is communion, the closeness of the Father. In this sense, every time we choose justice, gentleness, or mercy despite the temptation of despair, we already enter into this foreshadowed joy.
Jesus is not unaware of suffering: he experiences it. Golgotha, the final mountain, will be the confirmation of this message. He who says "Rejoice" is the same one who will carry the cross. Beatitude is therefore the school of a profound freedom—the freedom to love again, even when all seems lost.
The poor in spirit – the power of hospitality
To be "poor in spirit" does not mean diminishing oneself; it means consenting to depend. In a culture that values autonomy, the Gospel offers openness to grace. Poverty of spirit is not destitution, but availability. It enables one to receive without possessing. This attitude changes the way we experience relationships, work, and serve: the poor in spirit are those who make room for God.
In practical terms, this translates into acts of humility: giving thanks, listening, and refraining from judging. These seemingly simple attitudes become sources of joy because they restore the creature's rightful place before the Creator.
The Merciful – The Joy of Healing
«Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.» This saying expresses God’s movement reflected in the human soul. To be merciful is to welcome the vulnerability of others without calculation. It is also the antidote to modern harshness, where everything is measured in terms of efficiency.
Mercy brings joy because it unites: it heals the wounds of others while liberating the one who forgives. In everyday life, this can begin with a kind word, a restrained silence, a gesture of reconciliation. Mercy is never weakness; it is the strength of a transformed heart.
Peacemakers – the joy of uniting
Peace, according to the Gospel, is not the absence of conflict, but the active creation of harmony. To be a peacemaker is to choose, each day, the path of patience, dialogue, and respect. In a polarized world, this choice may seem naive. But that is precisely where it becomes prophetic.
Peacemakers do not triumph through power, but through perseverance. Their joy stems from contributing to the light, however small, that opposes the darkness. This holds true in families, in businesses, and within nations. Jesus calls them "sons of God": a royal title for those who work in silence.
Practical applications
The Beatitudes unfold in all spheres of life:
- In the family, They encourage tenderness towards the weak and patience with oneself. Family joy becomes a sign of the Kingdom.
- In the work, They encourage justice, transparency, and service. To be a peacemaker in the office or workshop is already to experience Beatitude.
- In society, They call for support for those wounded by life, for sharing, and for rejecting the culture of indifference.
- In spiritual life, They open the door to trusting surrender.
Each application shows that the joy of heaven manifests when we stop living for ourselves.
Traditional resonances
The Church Fathers saw in the Beatitudes the very portrait of Christ. Saint Augustine read in them the ladder of salvation; Saint John Chrysostom saw in them "the code of the Kingdom." Francis of Assisi made them the charter of his joyful poverty. Closer to our time, Thérèse of Lisieux made paradoxical joy her hallmark: "My heaven is to do good on earth."«
Liturgical tradition links this passage to the Alleluia of Matthew 11: «Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened.» This connection is not accidental: the promised joy is addressed only to those who have known hardship. The mountain of Beatitudes joins Golgotha; the Paschal light springs forth from the tomb.
These echoes remind us that the joy of the believer is not that of the world. It passes through the cross and opens itself to the resurrection.
Meditations
- Read again Each morning, a different Beatitude and keep it in mind throughout the day.
- Observe where its opposite appears in our attitudes: pride, impatience, harshness.
- Convert through a concrete action: attentive listening, a word of reconciliation.
- Give thanks in the evening for the occasions of having loved, even with difficulty.
- To offer His weariness leads him to God as a place of rest and union.
Practicing in this way, day after day, is to learn the joy of the Kingdom right here on earth.
Current issues
Can we still believe in the Beatitudes in a world of performance and violence? Poverty of heart seems ineffective, mercy naive, peace unattainable. Yet, these words remain alive because they reveal human dignity.
Younger generations, often disillusioned, seek meaning beyond mere success. The Beatitudes respond to this quest: they offer lasting joy, rooted in truth. For the Church to remain credible, it must embody this concrete beatitude: in caring for the poor, in simplicity, in the beauty of worship, and in the sincerity of its message.
The challenge, therefore, is to embrace this hope without sugarcoating reality. Christian joy does not erase the darkness; it kindles a light within it.
Prayer
Lord Jesus, You who engraved the words of life on the mountain,
Come and place in our hearts this joy that never fades.
When we are poor, make us rich in You.
When we weep, let us taste your consolation.
When we seek justice, support our gentle and persistent struggle.
When we lose heart, remind us that our reward is in You.
May your Spirit renew our daily actions,
May our words become seeds of peace.,
and that, beyond our trials, a song of joy may always rise.
Amen.
Conclusion
The Beatitudes are neither an impossible ideal nor a moral code: they are the map of the Kingdom drawn on our human faces. To cling to them daily is to begin to live the promise: joy. «Rejoice» then becomes a rallying cry of spiritual resistance.
In every life, a space remains open for that joy which nothing can buy: it comes from love received and given. Therein lies the true reward — not in distant «heavens,» but in the light already sown today.
Practical
- Reread a Beatitude each morning.
- To add an act of kindness to one's day.
- Offering a prayer for those who are suffering.
- Add a simplification action (reduce, share).
- Choose forgiveness over blame.
- Smiling at someone you're avoiding.
- Keep a journal of the "little joys" offered.
References
- Gospel according to Saint Matthew, chapters 5 and 11.
- Saint Augustine, Sermon on the Mount.
- Saint John Chrysostom, Homilies on Matthew.
- Francis of Assisi, Admonitions.
- Therese of Lisieux, Autobiographical manuscripts.
- Pope Francis, Gaudete et exsultate (2018).
- Catechism of the Catholic Church, §§ 1716-1729.
- Liturgy of the Hours, Feast of All Saints.
