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“Blessed are  the  poor  in  spirit,  for  theirs  is  the  kingdom  of heaven. Blessed are  the  meek,  for  they  shall  possess  the  land. Blessed are  they  that  mourn,  for  they  shall  be  comforted. Blessed are they  who  hunger  and  thirst  after  justice,  for  they  shall  be filled. Blessed are  the  merciful,  for  they  shall  obtain  mercy. Blessed are  the  clean  of  heart,  for  they  shall  see  God. Blessed are the  peacemakers,  for  they  shall  be  called  the  children  of  God. Blessed are  they  who  suffer  persecution  for  justice’  sake,  for  theirs is the  kingdom  of  heaven. Blessed are  you,  when  men  shall  revile and persecute  you,  and  shall  say  all  manner  of  evil  against  you falsely for  My  sake; rejoice  and  be  exceeding  glad,  because  your reward is  very  great  in  heaven.”

The poor  in  spirit  are  1. the humble  who  know  their  own  misery and sinfulness,  and  who  confess  by  word  and  deed  that  they  can  do nothing  of  themselves,  but  that  they  have  received  from  God  all  that is good  in  them. Examples: Joseph,  Moses,  Gedeon,  David,  Judith, John the  Baptist,  Peter. 2. the  unworldly  whose  heart  does  not  cling to worldly  goods  and  pleasures,  and  who,  be  they  rich  or  poor,  have no inordinate  desire  for  them. Example: Abraham,  Job,  Lazarus,  the Apostles.

The meek  are  those  who  are  not  made  angry  or  bitter  by  contradictions, injuries,  or  abuse. Example: David,  in  his  conduct  towards Saul and  Absalom.

Mourning which  is  pleasing  to  God.  There  is  a great  deal  of mourning  and  complaining  in  this  “vale  of  tears”,  but  all  this  mourning is not  pleasing  to  God. When, for  example,  a man  grieves,  because his pride  or  his  revenge  or  any  other  passion  is  not  gratified,  his  sadness is  the  result  of  sin,  and  can  in  no  way  please  God. Our sorrow for the  dead,  or  for  personal  losses  or  disappointed  hopes,  is  a holy sorrow only  so  far  as  it  convinces  us  of  the  nothingness  of  the  things of this  world,  and  raises  our  hearts  to  God  in  worship  and  resignation.