Read Matthew 5: 3-12 (Video at the bottom of the page)

Discuss the meaning of each Beatitude (define the meaning of being ‘blessed’ – made holy, those who will live with God in heaven)

1. Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven – To be ‘poor in spirit’ means to be humble and realise that all blessings and gifts come from God. This person would be open to the word of God, seek repentance and allow God to lead them. The opposite of humility is pride and this causes people to be angry and seek revenge.
2. Blessed are they who mourn, for they shall be comforted – Sometimes we mourn for the loss of others but in this case, mourning is a blessing because we are thinking about our sins and how we have hurt God (our ultimate Father). Those who seek repentance will be comforted by God’s forgiveness. This allows us to improve ourselves and do what is right.
3. Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth – People who are kind and gentle, even through their problems will receive the ultimate reward of eternal life in Heaven.
4. Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied – Righteous means to do the right thing, not only by law but by God and by others. People who hunger for his will achieve their goal.
5. Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy – Following the corporal and spiritual works of mercy and showing love, compassion and forgiveness towards others will mean that others will show the same towards us and God will also show this to us in His Kingdom
6. Blessed are the pure of heart, for they shall see God – To have a pure heart means to think of others and not to be selfish – This involves selfless giving which brings happiness to all
7. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called children of God – Peacemakers will not only live peaceful lives but they will try to bring peace towards others – The Lord wants us to be filled with peace and pass it on towards others.  By imitating God's love of man, the peacemakers will become children of God.
8. Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven – Jesus said many times that those who follow Him will be persecuted but people should not be deterred from following Jesus even if others make them suffer because of it. Those people who truly glorify God’s name will be rewarded for their faithfulness in Heaven.

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