Assignment #8: Excerpt from the Sermon on the Mount: Pax Vobiscum, amici boni et beati mei!

³ “Blessed are the poor in spirit,
   for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
⁴ Blessed are those who mourn,
   for they will be comforted.
⁵ Blessed are the meek,
   for they will inherit the earth.
⁶ Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
   for they will be filled.
⁷ Blessed are the merciful,
   for they will be shown mercy.
⁸ Blessed are the pure in heart,
   for they will see God.
⁹ Blessed are the peacemakers,
   for they will be called children of God.
¹⁰ Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness,
   for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
   ¹¹ “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. ¹² Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
     I thought we could start today with a little linguistic education.  As part of a classical education, my mom has taught my brother and I Latin for the past five years.  Although I'm a little rusty, I thought I'd share a few tidbits with you about what is commonly called the "mother tongue".  My above greeting was a common one for monks and holy men during the centuries after the fall of Rome.  Latin was the language of the Church then, though few outside the Church knew it at all.  "Pax vobiscum" means "peace be with you", "amici" is "friends", "boni" is "good", "et" is "and", "mei" is "my", and "beati" is the one I want to focus on.  It's the plural form of the adjective "blessed", the singular form being "beatus". 
     From our studies in Matthew 5-7, you should recognize the above passage as the Beatitudes.  Now, with your new knowledge of Latin, what does this title mean?  Litterally, it means "the blesseds".  Looking at the passage, that translation makes sense.  On first glance, Christ is listing all the rewards that faithful believers will receive if they endure through each of the mentioned trials.  On second glance, however, this famous passage outlines vital spiritual processes: redemption and sanctification. 
     The first four verses outline the redemption process.  First, Christ blesses the poor in spirit.  This represents the sinners, the ones who are dead in spirit and longing to be full of something else.  Next, He blesses the mourners.  These are those sinners who are saddened by their sin, and realize that it is wrong.  Next are the meek.  "Meek" is an adjective for "humble"; thus, Christ is blessing those who humble themselves before Him and ask for forgiveness. Finally, Christ blesses those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, those that ask Christ to fill them with His righteousness; He says that they will be filled.    
      The next three verses show the aspects of Christianity a new believer should follow first.  First, be merciful.  Christ tells us that even though we have new life without sin, we can't condemn those who don't.  Second, be pure in heart.  You have a new life without sin, so keep it that way to the best of your ability.  Finally, be peacemakers.  When you see sin, confront it peacefully and gently, as Christ would. 
     Lastly, verses 10-12 relate to the most challenging aspect of Christianity: persecution.  Christ says that those who are persecuted on His account are blessed, because it shows that they are living out their faith.  Showing Christ in our lives will result in persecution, no matter what.  Christ tells us to rejoice in it, to show Him even more through our perseverance, patience, and faith in times of trial.
     The Beatitudes are a comforting passage.  They remind us of the eternal rewards that await us for our faith, and they show us how we should live our lives as Christ lived His.  If we do this, we will be "beati"-blessed.