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From the Beatitudes (i.e. blessings or benedictions) presented in the Gospel of Saint Matthew Chapter 5 Verses 3 – 10 representing the eight attributes that every Christian must develop and have perfectly in order to get into Heaven. Since many of us will not develop these attributes perfectly by the time we die there is the blessing and the fall-back of spending time in Purgatory to ‘be perfect as your Father in Heaven is perfect’ (command given to us by Jesus Christ).
- be poor in spirit, i.e. detached from the things of the world, loving the poor, loving poverty and loving the things of Heaven. Develop this attribute by growing in humility and in the reverence you show to all things sacred. Use your free will to align your will with God’s.
- be meek like an innocent child; do not wish or do harm to others… rather, pray for their salvation and be thankful to God for all that He gives to you (the sweet and the sour, the comforting and the distressing, the beautiful things and the crosses)
- be mournful of the miseries suffered by the pious people and the evil that exists all around… pray for those who do not pray for themselves
- be hungry and thirsty for justice by never punishing good behavior and never rewarding/encouraging/enabling bad behaviour
- be merciful by engaging in both the temporal and spiritual works of mercy with greatest emphasis on the spiritual works (praying for the holy souls in purgatory, praying for those who do not pray for themselves, praying for those who have been deceived by the evil one and have wandered away from the straight and narrow path to Heaven.)
- be clean of heart by loving the things of Heaven, by guarding one’s thoughts and eyes from impurity, by growing in chastity, modesty and purity
- be a peacemaker by obeying the laws of God and of civil society, by working to maintain order and serenity, by preserving peace and friendship amongst those who cross your path and to help restore the peace when it is disturbed.
- be willing to suffer persecution for justice’s sake… pray for moral courage, for patience and perseverance so that you may always do the ‘right thing’ even if doing so will cost you friends, social status, material goods, or your earthly life because your soul is eternal and more important than your body (which is temporary)… nevertheless, since a human is both ‘body and soul’ it is good to keep the body healthy and out of danger but not at the peril of the soul’s loss of heavenly reward.
May we pray for the strength and graces to begin our ascent to spiritual perfection by growing daily in holiness as we follow each of the above beatitudes.
O my Jesus, forgive us our sins. Save us from the fires of hell and save all souls especially those who are most in need of Thy mercy.
Jesus, Mary and Joseph, bless and protect us and our loved ones.
Dear Jesus I ask Thee to please bless my enemies by sending Thy Holy Spirit to lead them to repentance and conversion. Amen.