The Beatitudes – The Pathway to True Happiness, Term Paper Example

This paper gives an account of the Beatitudes as found in the Gospel of St. Matthew and illustrates the intimate and inseparable unity between moral theology and spirituality. Each of the Beatitudes will be examined in light of how the Church interprets it. Additionally, the world view of each of the Beatitudes is included in this paper. Finally, a connection is drawn between moral theology and spirituality. The Beatitudes are all about an attitude of being.  Following, it is explained that the Beatitudes are considered the path to happiness.

Introduction

“Teacher, what good must I do to have eternal life?” (Matthew 19:16)

In the verse where the rich man asks Jesus what good must he do to have eternal life, Jesus told him that he (the young rich man) was incapable of doing good.  Jesus told him that only the Father was good, and capable of doing good deeds, and that no human being can do anything good without the help of the Spirit of God.[1] The rich man in the story is a good man, by human standards, yet he had great wealth.  It is not morally wrong to have great wealth, but Jesus said that it will be more difficult for rich people to enter into the Kingdom of Heaven.

As Jesus knows the minds of all men, he knew that the young rich man was not yet prepared to be good. Jesus listed the commandments, all of which the rich man answered that he had obeyed. Jesus then told the rich man that since he had kept all of the commandments, he should sell everything he had and give his money to the poor.  This is something the rich man could not do because he had a corporeal attachment to his earthy possessions. He had so much of an attachment to them that he turned away and decided not to follow Jesus as a disciple.

The scene with the rich man asking Jesus about how to obtain eternal life is an example of the connection between moral good and eternal life.^[2] The rich man was morally good by human standards. He did not hoard his wealth and he helped those less fortunate than he. However, he personally was not willing to relinquish all of his treasures in order to find true happiness and gain eternal life by following Jesus as his disciple. The Bible says that Jesus is the only way to eternal life, and the rich man was unable to give up his earthly riches in order to receive heavenly riches and eternal life.  Jesus elaborated on the rich man’s situation later with his disciples by saying that “it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for the rich to enter the kingdom of Heaven” (Matthew 19:24). Jesus had asked the rich man to give up his riches to follow Him as his disciple, because Jesus’ disciples were to strive to be a perfect model for Christian life. However, the rich man was not willing to be that Christian life model.

The Sermon on the Mount illustrates the Perfect Model of Christian Life

Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount gives various precepts and concepts of the perfect model of Christian life through the presentation of the Beatitudes. It is a model used by the Roman Catholic Church to help their congregants live a life in accordance with the teachings of the Church and the teaching of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. His example and the spirit in which he lived out the Beatitudes were in grace and truth. Catholics must obey the Lord Jesus by receiving the same spirit that enabled Jesus to live the Beatitudes.  It is the perfect role of Christian life because it teaches Christians how to imitate Christ here on earth.  With the help of the Holy Spirit, believers are empowered with the same spirit of Christ which allowed him to live a virtuous life.

Beatitude #1: “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven” (Matthew 5:3). Poor in spirit refers to a constant, childlike dependence upon God. It is a realization that one cannot keep the Law of God on his or her own. The only way for someone to be poor in spirit is for the Holy Spirit to come and dwell within that person. A person cannot be poor in spirit on his own because he needs God’s grace. Once he acknowledges the need for God’s grace, the Holy Spirit will come and dwell within that person. This will give him the ability to be poor in spirit, so that he can inherit the Kingdom of Heaven. “Poor in spirit” also refers to living a simple way of life.

Beatitude #2: “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted” (Matthew 5:4). One must turn to Jesus and trust in Him in times of sorrow. Jesus will give comfort in times of sorrow. Suffering is part of life that exists on the earthly realm. Suffering can be alleviated by placing one’s trust in Jesus, and not in the wisdom of the world. The world believes that no one should have to suffer. However, followers of Jesus know that the world was never created for suffering. Man sinned in the Garden of Eden and brought original sin into the world. That is why there is suffering. Jesus is one’s only hope of alleviation from suffering because Jesus experienced redemptive suffering on the cross.^[3] Those who reach out and trust Jesus shall be comforted by Him.

Beatitude #3: “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth” (Matthew 5:5). One must trust in God, and God will provide for that person. The person who lives honestly and observes God’s law will be rewarded by God. The important word in this verse is the word “meek.”  Meek does not mean weak. It means being patient and trusting. According to the world, people think that they need to take care of themselves without the help of God. They worry, control, and push until they get what they want. But the meek will be those who truly get what they want because they will be rewarded by God.

Beatitude #4: “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied” (Matthew 5:6). Righteousness is another word for doing what is right. Righteousness is also doing God’s will. By living the Ten Commandments, and through a life of prayer, the believer will discover righteousness.

Beatitude #5: “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy” (Matthew 5:7). Mercy extends both ways. One must be merciful to others if he expects God to be merciful to him. Mercy is the reception of God’s love. One must forgive and give others God’s love and forgiveness. Mercy is the act of giving an excess of kindness before it is deserved. If on gives mercy, he or she will receive mercy. Forgive people before they seek to be forgiven. Do not seek revenge as the world would do such an ungodly thing.

Beatitude #6: “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God” (Matthew 5:8). A pure heart is a soul that is clean and pure. One must guard his senses in order to protect his mind and heart from lust, materialism, violence, pleasure-seeking, and consumerism. The believer knows that Jesus is present and is guiding him in the right direction. The pure in heart wants what God wants because God knows what is best for that person.

Beatitude #7: “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the sons of God’ (Matthew 5:9). A peacemaker is one who makes intercession for peace. A peacemaker has peace in his soul. Truth must be spoken in love and not in a manner that is judgmental. The peacemaker is reconciled with God, and reconciles others with God. Conflicts are ended and tensions recede by backing down, rather than fighting.  When a peacemaker is misunderstood, that person quietly accepts the fact. The peacemaker prays for healing between people.

Beatitude #8: “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness sake, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven” (Matthew 5:10). The term righteous means ethical, good, right, moral, and living according to God’s values. God loves and cares for the righteous. If one is to be true to Jesus, he will suffer persecutions. He must patiently suffer these persecutions because suffering for Christ takes precedence over reputation, possessions, and life itself.

The Beatitudes were given to the people by Jesus as a guide to living a virtuous life. Jesus taught extensively on the importance of virtues.

The absolute need for God’s grace and the importance of virtues

God’s grace allows the believer to live a virtuous life. Believers cannot live a virtuous life until they have received God’s grace. God’s grace is received simply by accepting His Son, Jesus Christ as one’s Lord and Savior. The virtues that derive from the grace of God allow the believer to bear the fruits of the Spirit such as joy, love, peace, patience, and kindness (Galatians 5:22). All of these fruits are virtues that are mentioned in the Sermon on the Mount. But for the grace of God, it is impossible to live a life full of virtuous deeds.

Thomas Aquinas’ view on grace refers to grace as something that is limitless as it relates to the forgiveness of sins, and is also a gift from God to man. He also explains that God causes the soul of man to be good. This means that there is something in the soul that is grace, by God’s love, initiating goodness within the soul of man.[4] Additionally, Thomas Aquinas is careful to note that grace and virtue are two separate things. However, he notes that virtues are a product of grace, in that grace is relative to participating in the Divine nature, by way of the Gift from God. He states that grace is the root of virtues. Thomas Aquinas’ views on grace and virtues relates to a life lived based on the Beatitudes, in that the entire concept of the Beatitudes is centered on virtues and virtuous living, made possible by grace which is a gift from God.

It is imperative to understand that the Gift (singular) of the Holy Spirit does not refer to “many” gifts. The gift of the Spirit is its indwelling in the saved believer.  The Gift of the Holy Spirit is not separate from Christ. If that were the case, Jesus would have had His time in the spotlight performing miracles, finishing His work on earth, and ascending into Heaven, only to send the Holy Spirit down to take over God’s work. In John 14:18, Jesus tells his disciples that He will not leave them orphaned. In verse 20, Jesus tells them that, on that day, (the day when the Holy Spirit comes) they will know that He (Jesus) is in the Father, and they are in Him (Jesus). In John16, Jesus tells His disciples that when the Spirit of Truth comes, they will know all things.

The Bible says that when Jesus was a man on earth, he was filled with the Holy Spirit. Jesus received the Holy Spirit at his baptism, and this empowered him for his earthly ministry. According to Romans 8:11, the Father raised Jesus from the dead by the power of the Holy Spirit. Jesus has now poured out his spirit on His Church, according to Acts 2:33. Throughout the Bible, people are described as being “in Christ.” Many mentions are made of how Christ dwells in the believer through the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit unites the believer on earth to Christ in Heaven.^[5]

The Holy Spirit is given by the grace of God. Once that person has received the gift of the Holy Spirit, he or she is empowered to live a righteous life. Believers receive sanctifying grace because Jesus suffered, died, rose from the dead so that sins would be forgiven.  God’s Divine Life takes up residence in the believer’s soul.  This is called sanctifying grace.^[6] Sanctifying grace is received in the sacraments.  There are seven sacraments:  Baptism, Confession, Holy Baptism, Confession, Holy Eucharist, Confirmation, Holy Orders, Matrimony, and Anointing of the Sick.

Jesus sent the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, the birthday of the Catholic Church.  The Holy Spirit came upon the Apostles and empowered them to start the building of the Catholic Church. They did this so future followers of Christ could receive the sacraments.  By receiving the sacraments, God the Holy Spirit came to dwell in the believer, empowering him with the supernatural strength needed to live a faithful Catholic Christian life.  During each sacrament, the believer receives an indwelling of God’s Divine love.^[7]

The relationship between moral/theological virtues and the Beatitudes

Moral or theological virtues are man’s interpretation of how to live the Beatitudes.  Man sets forth a system for believers to follow in order to attain the true happiness that is found in living the Beatitudes. Theology was not created by God; rather it was created my man. Because it was created my man, it is imperfect as man is imperfect.^[8]  However, the Beatitudes are a perfect pathway to living virtuously. Following the concepts written about in the Beatitudes requires discipline on the part of the believer, and also a thorough understanding and acceptance of three theological virtues as they relate to fruits of the Spirit such as faith, hope and charity (Galatians 5:22). The Beatitudes are based on these theological virtues and are meant to serve as a guide for man to abound in grace and show grace to others by living a Beatitude-based life.

The theological virtues of faith, hope and charity are what help people live Beatitude-based lives. In favor of this, the Bible relates to the first theological virtue by stating that “… faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen” (Hebrews 11:1). This means that one’s beliefs are rooted in a confident assurance that what one hopes for is not far away. This assurance helps one live a Beatitude-based life by allowing him or her to stand strong, no matter what a situation looks like, and to encourage others as well.

In Romans 5:5, the Bible relates to the second theological virtue of hope and states “And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.” This means that there is no harm in hope because God pours out his love unto us. Also, hope never gives up and does not despair. If one realizes his hope is protected by God’s love, then he is better able to offer hope to someone else and also to keep doing good works in spite of grim circumstances.

The third theological virtue of charity relates to love and is an unwavering, selfless, unconditional and deliberate loving-kindness toward all people and all life. The Bible refers to this, and to faith and hope, in I Corinthians 13:13 which states “And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.” The message here is clear. Charity (love) is the most important virtue of all, and can help us live Beatitude-based lives, because it allows for the complete opening of the heart and spiritual mind which is necessary for receiving the truth Jesus preaches about in the Beatitudes. Theological virtues flow naturally from living the Beatitudes.

Habits and Virtues

The word “virtue” has the same Latin root as man and power. This implies that virtue represents masculine qualities like courage and strength, along with human perfection and goodness in the moral order. Thomas Aquinas defined a virtue as an element of a habit that stands in special relation to the soul. It makes no difference whether it is by natural order or by the order of elevated grace. A believer’s habits are developed over time and with the help of the Holy Spirit. As one grows in his walk with Jesus Christ, he will become more mature and will be able to understand the “meat” instead of the “milk” of the Word of God. The Word of God comes to Catholics in two different ways: Holy Scriptures and Tradition.^[9] Habits of believers are developed by reading the scriptures and paying attention to the teachings of the Church Fathers.

Two great examples of holy men were Saint Antony and Saint Francis. Saint Antony was able to perform miracles, convict evil, and embrace extreme poverty. He advocated self-denial, but to a vastly exaggerated extent. Saint Francis of Assisi is known for mystical spirituality. He sent monks out two by two to preach the gospel.  He also promoted extreme poverty, even recruiting wealthy citizens to join his order.

Ordinary Christians do not have to go to extremes in order to be a saint. All Christians are called to be saints in the Bible, and are priests and prophets of the Lord Jesus Christ.  Sainthood can be achieved in the daily life of the believer. A person can live a life of purity and sanctity without going to the extremes that Saint Antony and Saint Francis did.^[10] Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, in contemporary society, is characterized by the believer’s actions and attitudes toward their fellow citizens. Holiness, therefore, is hidden within the heart of every believer and is manifested in that believer’s ordinary life.

The challenges in living the Beatitude.

Living a life of happiness is highly desirable, yet difficult to attain. Everyone wants happiness, but it is hard to believe that following the words of Jesus in his Sermon on the Mount will create happiness while on earth. People are promised to have trials and tribulations on this earthly realm, Jesus promised that. The way in which people deal with these trials and tribulations determines their character.

People can only find true happiness here on earth if they live the Beatitudes. Living the Beatitudes is a tremendously difficult task for the regular person.  However, for a Catholic Christian, the task becomes a joy because God’s Divine Love is residing inside and helping that person live a righteous life. The world has its own interpretation of the Beatitudes.

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven” means to the world that one can do anything that he sets his mind to, and that usually involves a desire for possessions. “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth” means that the worldly person will seek to control, worry, and push until he gets what he wants.  “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied” simply means that the worldly person can do whatever he wants. “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy” is translated by the world to mean “seek revenge.” “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God” means to the nonbeliever that he wants what he wants, and he wants it right now.

“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the sons of God” according to the world means, I do not care what you think, I am right. These non-believers grow bitter over perceived wrongs, become selfish, and reject others. “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness sake, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven,” according to the world means that compromise is acceptable, and peer pressure determines one’s choices. Ultimately, these people deny Christ.

Obviously, the world and the Catholic Church look at the Beatitudes in completely different ways. That is because the world is consumed with attaining earthly treasure, just like the young rich man who asked Jesus what he must do to be good.  Jesus knew the man was extremely rich and that the man would not sell all of his riches and joins the rest of Jesus’s disciples. The seduction of this earthly realm and its riches keeps the attainment of the happiness, as spoken of in the Beatitudes, allusive to the normal man.[11]

Since Adam and Eve were expelled from the Garden of Eden for disobeying God, the world was no longer a place to experience true happiness. People were separated from God by the original sin of Adam.  And as one man brought sin into the world, one man bore the sins of the world in order that people could experience happiness again. Contrary to popular interpretations of the Beatitudes which reduce the holy sayings of Jesus down to an instruction manual on how to get rich and live the life of one’s dreams, the Beatitudes are all about an attitude about life.

The person who has the indwelling of God’s Divine Love or the Holy Spirit is able to cast away the evil intentions of the world in order to experience the true path to happiness which is outlined in the Beatitudes.[12] Without the conviction of the Holy Spirit, everyone would have a worldly interpretation of each of the Beatitudes. No one wants to look weak in front of another person, or try to make peace with someone who has harmed them for years. Human beings, on their own, can never achieve happiness by trying to live the Beatitudes. They must receive the Holy Spirit, or they will not have the grace to live as Jesus prescribed[13].

The Ten Commandments were set in place by God to help the people in the Old Testament times. This is equivalent to a moral theology. The Ten Commandments tell a person the route to follow if he wants to please God and live a holy life.  As time went on, however, man began to notice that he could not live up to the high moral standards that the Law demanded.  So God sent his Son down to earth to die for the sins of mankind. Because of Jesus’s death, people no longer had to live by the Law, instead Jesus instructed people in the Beatitudes. The Beatitudes are the path to happiness, and Jesus died so that people could experience happiness on earth.

Jesus knew that people would need help in their everyday dealings on this earthly realm.  He also knew that they needed guidance in being holy. That is why the Holy Spirit was sent to take Jesus’s place, after Jesus ascended back to the Father.  The function of the Holy Spirit is to help those whom He indwells to live a good Catholic Christian life.  By ignoring the worldview on the individual Beatitudes and asking the Holy Spirit to guide in the interpretation of the Beatitudes from the standpoint of what is holy and right, people can change their attitude about life.  Jesus said that he had come to give life to the abundance. Clearly He meant for people to enjoy their time on God’s earth. Man may have been initially kicked out of the Garden of Eden, but God still sent His Son, Jesus for redemption.  Jesus and the Holy Spirit work together by convincing people to live a righteous and holy life. That type of life is the only way of living that will lead to true happiness.

Conclusion

The teachings of Thomas Aquinas give insight into the concepts of grace and virtues, with grace being God’s gift to man which infuses man’s soul with goodness, and virtues being necessary for man to realize true happiness by changing his habits to be more in line with moral precepts. Additionally, the pathway to true happiness, as outlined in this paper, is dependent upon embracing the concept of unity between moral theology and spirituality. The earliest teachings on this are presented in the Holy Bible, in the Book of St. Matthew, during the Sermon on the Mount as set forth by Jesus the Christ. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus preaches a compilation of virtuous concepts known as the Beatitudes which serve as a guide for virtuous living as a pathway to happiness.

Regarding the pathway to happiness, it is inferred that, if one can live the Beatitudes then one can experience bliss on earth. Christ lived the Beatitudes and it should be the goal of every Catholic to live a life in imitation of Christ. Being a true follower of Jesus Christ is living the principles of the Beatitudes. The Jesus came to bring us abundant life. He did this by giving us the Beatitudes by which we should live.

Bibliography

Aquinas, Thomas. Summa Theologica: Prima Secundae Partis. n.d. http://www.newadvent.org/summa/2.htm (accessed November 5, 2012).

Aquinas, Thomas. Summa Theologica, trans. The Fathers of the English Dominican Province, 5 vols., rev. ed. 1948; repr., Notre Dame, Indiana: Ave Maria Press, 1981. http://theophilogue.com/2010/05/22/thomas-aquinas-on-the-essence-of-grace-summa-theologica/ (accessed November 15, 2012).

Augustine. On the Sermon on the Mount Book1. n.d. http://www.newadvent.org/fathers/16011.htm (accessed November 5, 2012).

Pinckaers, Servais. The Pursuit of Happiness. Wipf & Stock Publishers, 2011.

—. The Sources of Christian Ethics. 3. Catholic Univ of Amer Pr, 1995.

Pope John Paul ll. Veritatis Splendor. n.d. http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/john_paul_ii/encyclicals/documents/hf_jp-ii_enc_06081993_veritatis-splendor_en.html (accessed November 5, 2012).

[1] Aquinas, Thomas. Summa Theologica: Prima Secundae Partis. n.d. http://www.newadvent.org/summa/2.htm (accessed November 5, 2012).

[2] Augustine. On the Sermon on the Mount Book 1. n.d. http://www.newadvent.org/fathers/16011.htm (accessed November 5, 2012).

[3] Pope John Paul ll. Veritatis Splendor. n.d. http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/john_paul_ii/encyclicals/documents/hf_jp-ii_enc_06081993_veritatis-splendor_en.html (accessed November 5, 2012).

[4] Aquinas, Thomas. Summa Theologica, trans. The Fathers of the English Dominican Province, 5 vols., rev. ed. 1948; repr., Notre Dame, Indiana: Ave Maria Press, 1981. http://theophilogue.com/2010/05/22/thomas-aquinas-on-the-essence-of-grace-summa-theologica/ (accessed November 15, 2012).

[5] Pope John Paul ll. Veritatis Splendor. n.d. http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/john_paul_ii/encyclicals/documents/hf_jp-ii_enc_06081993_veritatis-splendor_en.html (accessed November 5, 2012).

[6] .Pinckaers, Servais. The Sources of Christian Ethics. 3. Catholic Univ of Amer Pr, 1995

[7] Pope John Paul ll. Veritatis Splendor. n.d. http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/john_paul_ii/encyclicals/documents/hf_jp-ii_enc_06081993_veritatis-splendor_en.html (accessed November 5, 2012).

[8] Aquinas, Thomas. Summa Theologica: Prima Secundae Partis. n.d. http://www.newadvent.org/summa/2.htm (accessed November 5, 2012).

[9] Pope John Paul ll. Veritatis Splendor. n.d. http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/john_paul_ii/encyclicals/documents/hf_jp-ii_enc_06081993_veritatis-splendor_en.html (accessed November 5, 2012)

[10]  Pinckaers, Servais.The Sources of Christian Ethics. 3. Catholic Univ of Amer Pr, 1995.

[11] Aquinas, Thomas. Summa Theologica: Prima Secundae Partis. n.d. http://www.newadvent.org/summa/2.htm (accessed November 5, 2012).

[12] Augustine. On the Sermon on the Mount Book1. n.d. http://www.newadvent.org/fathers/16011.htm (accessed November 5, 2012).

[13] Pope John Paul ll. Veritatis Splendor. n.d. http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/john_paul_ii/encyclicals/documents/hf_jp-ii_enc_06081993_veritatis-splendor_en.html (accessed November 5, 2012)