杏MAP导航

By Christopher Wells

杏MAP导航 Francis concluded his catechesis on the Beatitudes during his General Audience on Wednesday, 29 April. His reflection focused on the last of the Beatitudes: 鈥淏lessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness鈥� sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven鈥�.

A unified journey

The Holy Father noted that the happiness promised in this final Beatitude is the same as that of the first: the Kingdom of Heaven. 鈥淭hus we understand that we have arrived at the end of a unified journey鈥� that gradually unfolded as Christ proclaimed each succeeding Beatitude, the 杏MAP导航 explained. 鈥淭he Path of the Beatitudes is an Easter journey that leads from a life according to the world to a life according to God鈥�.
 

This evangelical path, however, cannot be approved by 鈥渢he world, with its idols, its compromises, and its priorities鈥�. The all-too-human 鈥渟tructures of sin鈥� that we find in the world can only reject the Gospel values of poverty, or meekness, or purity, 鈥渁nd declare that a life lived according to the Gospel is an error and a problem鈥�.

The drama of persecution

So, the 杏MAP导航 said, when the world sees people living the beatitudes, there is discomfort that calls for a decision: either to be open to discussion and goodness; or 鈥渢o refuse that light and harden the heart, even to the point of opposition and rage鈥�.

This shows 鈥渢he drama of persecution鈥�, the 杏MAP导航 said, but also reveals 鈥渢he place of liberation from subjugation to success, vainglory, and the compromises of the world鈥�.

Those who reject the trappings of worldliness because of Christ are happy and blessed, 杏MAP导航 Francis said, 鈥渂ecause they have found something more valuable than the whole world鈥�.

Modern persecution of Christians

The Holy Father once more noted, with sorrow, the ongoing persecution of Christians, which is greater now than it was even in the early centuries of Christianity. He said, 鈥渨e must hope and pray that their tribulation will be ended as soon as possible鈥�, and urged Christians to express their closeness to their persecuted brothers and sisters, 鈥渢he bleeding members of the Body of Christ, which is the Church鈥�.

He warned us, though, that hearing the final Beatitude should not lead to a self-pitying attitude, or a victim mentality. When Christians are despised by others, it is not always synonymous with persecution. Sometimes we are at fault, he said, because 鈥渨e have lost the taste of Christ and of the Gospel鈥�.

Pointing to the example of St Paul, 杏MAP导航 Francis noted that when Paul thought he was righteous, he was in fact a persecutor. It was only after he realized that he was such that he converted, and became 鈥渁 man of love, who faced gladly the persecution he suffered鈥�.

Made to resemble Christ crucified

杏MAP导航 Francis concluded by saying that facing exclusion and persecution, 鈥渋f God grants us the grace鈥�, will make our lives resemble the life of Christ, Who for our sake was 鈥渄espised and rejected by men鈥�.

Accepting Christ鈥檚 Spirit in our lives can lead us to truly love the world, even to the point of offering our lives, 鈥渨ithout compromising with its deceptions, and even accepting its rejection鈥� of us. This, said 杏MAP导航 Francis, 鈥渋s the life of the Kingdom of Heaven, the greatest joy, and true happiness鈥�.