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 He proceeds to comment on it, saying, 'Blessed are ye when they shall revile you, and persecute you, and speak all that is evil against you, untruly, for my sake; be glad and rejoice, for your reward is very great in heaven. For so they persecuted the prophets that were before you ’ : — and not only the prophets, but the Messias Himself.

Thus we are brought back to the beginning and to the reward shown forth in the first Beatitude. Poverty and persecution for Justice sake equally merit the Kingdom of Heaven.