The Beatitudes

The Beatitues is an anglicized-latin mashup basically meaning a "state of blessedness" and can roughly be divided into two groups. Each group of Beatitudes has exactly thirty-six Greek words, all four of the blessed in the first group begin with the Greek letter pi, the last Beatitude in each group honors “righteousness”; and, perhaps most impressively, the first four are all people in need while the last four are all people in service.

The first four beatitudes are blessings on those who have been broken by the world. The second four beatitudes are blessing on those who work on behalf of the broken.

Often the beatitudes are turned into a list of virtues that all followers of Christ are supposed to live up to. This interpretation suggests that followers of Christ must be poor in Spirit AND mourn AND hunger for righteousness AND be merciful, etc. For the beatitudes to be a list of virtues creates an unattainable rubric for the people of God. However, the Beatitudes are not a rubric, they are a roll call for those whom God calls blessed. The Beatitudes are about a diverse population, not a few overly qualified.

To turn these into virtues is to make this a list of things you are suppose to be— and that is hardly good news. But if this is a list of who is included in the Kingdom, that is a different story.

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 receive 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.