Jesus’ Secret to Happiness: The Beatitudes

This is article was originally published by Verónica in El Debate in 2023. You can find the original Spanish version here

"Seeing the crowds, he went up on the mountain, and when he sat down his disciples came to him. And he opened his mouth and taught them, saying... The Beatitudes" (Matthew 5: 1-3)

The Beatitudes are supernatural promises made by Jesus. “Beatitude” means happy. The Beatitudes can seem a bit puzzling to us because they contain seeming contradictions and are simultaneously both troubling and hopeful. We find the Beatitudes in two Gospels: Matthew 5:3-12 and Luke 6:20-26.

Matthew writes the 8 Beatitudes in a hopeful manner, whereas Luke, who only includes 4 of them, writes them in two different ways: as hopeful messages and as warnings.

The Beatitudes correspond to a desire that all human beings share: the desire for happiness. This desire was placed in the hearts of each and every one of us by God when he created us, and it is this happiness which is our ultimate end. “No longer do I live in me, and without God I cannot live; to him or me I cannot give myself, so what can living be? A thousand deaths my agony, waiting as my life goes by, dying because I do not die”, writes St. Teresa of Jesus in her poem I Live Without Living in Me.

Now, we cannot aspire to be happy without that “Love”: we cannot be happy without God. The end to which God calls us is himself. He has placed us in this world to love him so that we might reach Heaven. “How, then, do I seek You, O Lord? For when I seek You, my God, I seek a happy life. I will seek You, that my soul may live. For my body lives by my soul, and my soul lives by You”, declares St. Augustine.

As well as telling us where we’ll find happiness, the Beatitudes also tell us where we won’t find it.

The Beatitudes According Matthew:

• “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 obtain 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.

• “Blessed are you when men revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so men persecuted the prophets who were before you”.