Announce the blessings and rewards for following Jesus Christ. THE BEATITUDES Announce the blessings and rewards for following Jesus Christ. CCC 1716

My brothers and sisters in Christ Jesus may his grace and peace be + J.M.J.F. My brothers and sisters in Christ Jesus may his grace and peace be with you always. The purpose of this program and other programs in this catechetical series is to give honor and glory to God, our Father and to obey Jesus command to spread the “Good News to all the nations” Let us pray: Father we thank you for the gift of life you have given us. We thank you for most beloved Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, whom You sent to teach us to know, love and serve you, and who suffered and died for our redemption. We thank you for the gift of the Holy Spirit, and pray that the Holy Spirit will open our minds and hearts as we strive through our studies to know, love and serve you better. We offer this thanksgiving and petition in Jesus name. Amen

The Beatitudes Are eight rules given to us by Jesus during his Sermon on the Mount. Each beatitude is a road to perfect happiness They are the rules Jesus gives us to live by and to be truly happy

The Beatitudes They are the standards of conduct for all Christians living in the world. As a baptized Catholic or non-Catholic you live in two (2) worlds, the material world about us, and the spiritual world the Kingdom of God which reigns in our souls here on earth.

The Beatitudes The standards of the world are pagan standards and they reject God. If we live by the World’s standards we are Christian in name only. Christianity is away of life. The standards of the world will or may give us short term happiness, but at the end of our lives we find only misery.

The Beatitudes God made us for himself. He loves us and He wants us to love him in return, but he gave us a free will to decide whether to love him or not to love him. He gave/gives us the means to show our love for him and to be happy. If we reject him here and now while we live here on earth. He has no choice but to give us what ask for, rejection of him in the next world (eternity) and our eternal residence will be hell.

THE STANDARDS OF THE WORLD The Beatitudes THE STANDARDS OF THE WORLD Break all God’s commandments Put yourself first Be powerful at all costs Get even with those who hurt you Hate other people

The Beatitudes THE STANDARDS OF THE WORLD Always seek things that give you pleasure Love only things the world can give you Don’t worry about the poor or afflicted Don’t feel sorry for others who are hurting

The Beatitudes THE STANDARDS OF THE WORLD Do everything you can do, not to suffer, and if you must complain and make others miserable You don’t need God, and you only need other people if you can get something from them.

Seek God above all things BLESSED ARE THE POOR IN SPIRIT, FOR THEIRS IS THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN Seek God above all things Thank God for whatever power, wealth or position you have and use them for the good of others, especially the poor. If you attain no power, wealth, possessions or position thank God, and don’t be envious of those who have. Share what little you have with others CCC 1716

Power, wealth, position mean nothing! BLESSED ARE THE POOR IN SPIRIT, FOR THEIRS IS THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN Power, wealth, position mean nothing! For at your last breathe they will all be gone. You bring to God your love for Him and all you meet in this life. Jesus said, “What does it profit a person to gain the whole world, but to lose his soul.”

BLESSED ARE THEY WHO MOURN, FOR THEY SHALL BE COMFORTED We should be mournful (sorry) for our sins against one another and God. For when we sin against ourselves, or others we sin against God, because we belong to God. We mourn for those we love who have died. CCC 1716

BLESSED ARE THEY WHO MOURN, FOR THEY SHALL BE COMFORTED We mourn: For the sick and dying and ask God’s mercy upon them For those who are less fortunate than we. CCC 1716

BLESSED ARE THEY WHO MOURN, FOR THEY SHALL BE COMFORTED We should mourn for: those who are in serious sin and in danger of losing their immortal souls. We have an obligation to pray for them, that they will repent and turn back to God. all the evil in the world that causes hatred, suffering and greatly offends God. We can help lessen the evil in the world by the way we live our lives.

BLESSED ARE THE MEEK, FOR THEY SHALL POSSESS THE EARTH Know that all you have comes from God, and that you can’t accomplish any good on your own. Don’t be self-centered. Practice the virtue of humility Jesus said, “the first shall be last, the last shall be first.”

BLESSED ARE THE MEEK, FOR THEY SHALL POSSESS THE EARTH If you want to be a leader you must be first a servant to those you lead. Don’t seek power for power’s sake. Seek it to help the less fortunate.

BLESSED ARE THE MEEK, FOR THEY SHALL POSSESS THE EARTH Be humble and obey all legitimate orders/rules of those in authority over you, even if you don’t like them. When you pray, pray with humility. Don’t brag to God how great you are, do as the publican prayed in the bible, “Lord be merciful to me a sinner.” Then seek your petitions.

Do not seek the pleasures of the world, but BLESSED ARE THEY WHO HUNGER AND THIRST FOR RIGHTEOUSNES FOR THEY SHALL BE SATISFIED Seek and thirst for justice for all. Do not seek the pleasures of the world, but the things that will give you treasures in heaven, i.e. (the corporal/spiritual works of mercy) Prayer, Sacraments, love one another as Jesus loves us. CCC 1716

BLESSED ARE THE MERCIFUL, FOR THEY SHALL OBTAIN MERCY Have mercy on all, even those whom you dislike; who have hurt you. Forgive those who trespassed against you, as you have asked God in the Lord’s Prayer Our world is in great mess, because people do not forgive, they take vengeance upon one another. Mercy and forgiveness go hand in hand. When we show mercy and forgiveness healing of the pain of the suffering we cause one another begins. Mercy and forgiveness must be a part of our every day lives, in dealing with those about us. The world tells you to get even with people who have harmed you in anyway. That is not the Christian way CCC 1716

BLESSED ARE THE CLEAN OF HEART, FOR THEY SHALL SEE GOD We obtain this by avoiding anything that may lead us into sin. Avoiding pleasures of the world, that tempt us to break the 10 Commandments Do not take pleasure in looking at or participating sinful acts. When we do we condone (accept) these evil actions Be pure in thought, word, deed and action CCC 1716

Don’t cause others to get angry by the way we BLESSED ARE THE PEACEMAKERS, FOR THEY SHALL BE CALLED THE CHILDREN OF GOD Don’t cause others to get angry by the way we act, speak, or treat them We are responsible for one another. If you see a dispute between people try if possible to help them make peace between themselves. Don’t seek revenge when someone hurts you. Treat others as you want to be treated. CCC 1716

BLESSED ARE THEY WHO SUFFER PERSECUTION FOR JUSTICE SAKE,FOR THEIRS IS THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN To live the life God has called you live in this world will cause you to suffer. The world hates God and all that he stands for. Being a Christian and a child of God is not easy. When we suffer for what is right and do God’s will our reward will be great. As a Christian you should be willing to give your life for what is right. Remember Jesus suffered and died for you CCC 1716