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“Do ordinary things with extraordinary love” - St. Mother Teresa

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“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven” (Mt 5:3) by Dominique Ducote

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“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven” (Mt 5:3) by Dominique Ducote

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The “poor in spirit” are known by the Hebrew name “anawim”. People should praise God for what he has given them and do so humbly. They don’t have to make grand gestures of themselves so as to be talked about by others. God wants a humble and simple relationship with you. He wants to be within your spirit so as to be more caring, loving and charitable. We must also understand that in every action we take, we must do it in good spirit. The energy you put out in the world will eventually come back to you so it’s better to put your best foot forward with a smile. As children of God we must also recognize that we came from God and without Him we wouldn’t be able to do anything. The anawim “find happiness in using their talents, intelligence, and possessions to satisfy the need of others” (Your Life in Christ, 126). Being poor in spirit means to separate ourselves from material things so as to have a more open heart for Him. When we separate ourselves from the material aspects of life, we may even find that we are at peace with ourselves. We won’t have to worry about the next big trend, or what’s in, who’s doing what or who had the the fanciest cars. We can simply focus on improving ourselves mentally and spiritually so as to be more open to our faith and ultimately towards others.

A person who exemplifies this Beatitude is Mother Teresa. She is known in the Catholic Church as Saint Teresa of Calcutta. She spent her life showing mercy to desperately poor children in the slums of Calcutta India. She was born in Macedonia and experienced her “call within a call” in 1946. She established a hospice center for the blind, aged and disabled and a leper colony. In 1979 she received a Nobel peace prize for her humanitarian work. She passed away in September 1997. Through these selfless acts and charitable organizations, her legacy to help those in need have still continued to this day. She gave up her safety from her convent and instead dedicated her life to the simplicities of some of the poorest people.

For this Beatitude high school students can apply to their life by helping others in their community or anywhere. For example, a student can volunteer to help people that need medical care at nursing homes or through other organizations or can making their own. A student may also help at a local food drive every weekend and set up different groups to focus on specific needs like clothing, food, hygienic items, sanitization, baby formulas etc… They can even form their own clubs at their schools to help donate to specific charities or countries in need. If they have enough funds, they may be able to visit a country and help out with any local work they can find to improve towns of poverty like Mother Theresa has.

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“people who have truly, immensely loved each other are the ones who will handle the loss of loved one gracefully” - Sadhguru

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“Blessed are they who mourn, for they will be comforted” (Mt 5:4) by Dominique Ducote

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“Blessed are they who mourn, for they will be comforted” (Mt 5:4) by Dominique Ducote

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The people who “mourn” are those who suffer an unfortunate loss of someone they knew like a family member. Mourning helps us humble ourselves and truly realize our humanity and the short time we have in our lives. It helps put ourselves aside and focus on others who most likely have it worse than us. It can be people like the abused, the poor, or the religiously persecuted. The deep sorrow we feels is greater and stronger than the sorrow we frequently feel. The consolation you received from family and friends that follow deep sorrow is “much greater than the sorrow itself.” (Your life Christ, 126). One way we can comfort people is just doing simple little things like a handshake or greeting can create a positive monumental change to their mourning state. You can also reminisce about the deceased and remember good times with them and lessons you learn that they might have taught you. You can respect them even when they have passed by putting flowers at their grave and just simply sitting there to talk with them, even if you won’t get to hear their response back.

A person who represents this Beatitude is Jean Donovan. As a missionary, she comforted those who mourned after their family members who died at the hands of death squads in El Salvador. She also helped by distributing food and clothing to people that needed it. Another thing that was amazing and well known for was her huge smile and sense of fun. Sadly she was murdered by one of the death squads herself.

For this beatitude an application to my life was when my grandfather passed away. We all had to be there for my grandmother to help her though the mourning. We were just talking to her, hugging her, and giving her food to comfort her. We all tried to be there for her during this hard time by trying to think positive things about his life and stories that we did together that made us laugh. We also prayed for them to find happiness with all this mourning happening.

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“Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the land” (Mt 5:5) by Dominique Ducote

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“Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the land” (Mt 5:5) by Dominique Ducote

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Living in this beatitude is a “reminder to treat others with full respect and to be aware of their need” (Your Life in Christ, 127). You should treat others with full respect because you don’t know what  they need and what they are going through. You should look around and be cautious of what people need and to put these needs before yours. Being meek doesn’t mean being weak. It’s being emotionally balanced and knowing when to act.

A person that represents this beatitude is Takashi Nagai. He was a Japanese doctor injured during the bombing of Nagasaki. He cared tirelessly for other victims and worked towards forgiveness and reconciliation through the establishment or a prayer house, the writing of a book and the planting of thousands of cherrry trees to help reclaim the devastated landscape. He chose “to let go (of) everything that dies and give his life only to what never dies” according to the Catholic News Agency.

High schoolers can live this Beatitude by controlling their temper with their siblings. For example, you’re fighting with your little sibling because they took your school iPad to play games on. Instead of getting mad at them, you explain to them why they shouldn’t have taken your iPad and that you need it. Not only did you control your emotions through the gift of meekness, you didn’t engage in anger or fighting. You were level headed and conveyed your emotions and messages clearly and respectfully.

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“Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be satisfied” (Mt 5:6) by Dominique Ducote

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“Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be satisfied” (Mt 5:6) by Dominique Ducote

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Just people seek for the environment of all people, no matter their background or condition. People who are righteous care for both the physical and spiritual needs of others. You work “unceasingly, with God’s help, to secure justice for others” (Your Life in Christ, 127) and you don’t stop until you secure it. You work hard to stand up for others who may not have a voice in the world. Not only will you find peace in yourself for helping others, you will also be happy in knowing you’ve help others find that same peace and security you have.

A person that represents this beatitude is Rosa Parks. She was a civil rights activist who’s refusal to give up her seat on a public bus sparked the civil rights movement. She believed in freedom and that we should all be treated equally no matter our background or skin color. She was actively doing activities through the NAACP. The Rosa  and Raymond Parks Institute of Self-Development was created to offer job training for black youth. She also traveled throughout Alabama talking to those affected by discrimination and witnesses to local lynchings. Even though it was not an easy battle, Rosa Parks stayed strong and wasn’t going to give up on her fight for civil rights, no matter how long it may take.

A high schooler can live this Beatitude by standing up for someone who is being bullied based on their skin. They may witness an ethnic classmate being bullied for their culture and background and called rude slurs. You stand up for them by telling a teacher and telling their bullies off. You tell the person affected that they’ve done nothing wrong and their culture is beautiful. You and that person can even start a culture club to spread awareness about different cultures.

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“Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy” (Mt 5:7) by Emily Cruz

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“Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy” (Mt 5:7) by Emily Cruz

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The Fifth Beatitude asks us to both have empathy and forgive. Just as God forgives us with no strings attached, so too must we do the same for our neighbors. We are also called to place ourselves in another person’s shoes to understand their situation and to be able to feel that empathy and not be quick to judge. Jesus teaching the Our Father to those on the Sermon on the Mount helps us remember to forgive those who hurt us. Being empathetic towards others, especially those who have hurt us the most, helps us to be given the grace to be forgiven by God who will be “empathetic to your needs and merciful and forgiving of your sins” (Your Life in Christ, 127).

A person who is a representation of this Beatitude is Bono. He’s an Irish singer who started the ONE Campaign. It helps feed the hungry and treats diseases. From his umbrella beginnings and current fame, he wanted to give back to those who are in the same state he started out in. He helped those who lived in poor communities and donated more than $37.5 billion dollars. The funds have Healy health initiatives in the fight against AIDS, malaria, and tuberculosis. He was merciful for giving up what he had to help those less fortunate.

A highschooler can practice this Beatitude by forgiving their bullies. For example, One day you are walking to lunch and someone throws food at you and starts calling you names. Although their words hurt you, you don't really understand why they are being rude to you. A teacher walks by and stops the issues and talks to both students separately. The teacher tells you that the other student is recently dealing with a death in their family and has shown that they aren’t taking it well. You feel sorry for them and want to help them instead. You tell the bully that you forgive them for throwing food and calling you names and tell them that if they ever want to talk, you are there for them instead.

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“Education is the the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world” - Nelson Mandela

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“Blessed are the clean of heart, for they will see God” (Mt 5:8) by Emily Cruz

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“Blessed are the clean of heart, for they will see God” (Mt 5:8) by Emily Cruz

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The Sixth Beatitude calls us to be holy in mind, action and body. We should purify our hearts “in love (charity), in chastity (sexual integrity), and in love of the truth (orthodoxy)” (Your Life in Christ, 127). When you do something out of love, it counts more than just doing something out of responsibility. We must be charitable with our time and actions for those in most need of it. You must also respect the integrity of each person and treat them as your brother or sister in Christ. Just as you want others to respect your person, you must give the same respect back. We must seek the truth, not only of each other, but of God and his messages He sends us.

Catherine Doherty was a Russian-Canadian Catholic social worker who opened shelters for the homeless in various locations in Canada. She founded the Madonna House Apostolate where people could meet God through prayer, fasting and solitude. From its founding, it has extended all the way to the United States, Europe, Russia and the West Indies. She exhibits the Sixth Beatitude because of her undying love of God and her eagerness to share it with others and spread the truth so that others might share in the love of God as well. She has created a legacy of a safe space for those in need and an easy way to reach God with a loving community to help people to start to understand and follow God.

I practice this Beatitude by helping 5th and 6th graders in Religious Education as they prepare to receive the Sacraments of the Eucharist and First Reconciliation. Not only has it helped me focus more on the Sacraments so as to teach about it properly, it has also reminded me of memories I've had when I was in their same position. With that in mind, I thought about how I would have liked to learn about my faith at that age which would help me incorporate fun ways to teach. I enjoy singing into Zoom each week to help the Catechist explain and teach about God’s love to them so as to help them understand the significance of each Sacrament and the importance behind why Catholics do what they do.

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“Peace cannot be kept by force, it can only be achieved by understanding” - Albert Einstein 

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“Blessed are the peacemaker, for they will be called children of God” (Mt 5:9) by Emily Cruz

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“Blessed are the peacemaker, for they will be called children of God” (Mt 5:9) by Emily Cruz

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Peace does not solely consist of an absence of war, but helping people enjoy the same happiness and justice no matter the person. It means to act now instead of being a bystander. You are to be one who “unites rather than divides” (Your Life in Christ, 128). You must help settle disputes and stand up for those who cannot do it for themselves. You must be the voice for those who have not been able to speak for themselves and defend them. Stopping war is just a part of this Beatitude. In stopping war you protect millions from devastation and loss of life and loved ones.

Martin Luther King Jr. stood up for those who did not have a voice. He became the voice of African Americans and helped pass the Civil Rights Bill which helped ban discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex or national origin. Although it was a fight not easily won, he did so peacefully. He helped organize and took part in peaceful marches, saying how violence would get them nowhere. He accomplished something that African Americans fought for and dreamed of for years. His efforts helped African Americans start to heal from the descrimination of the past and helped set a tone for future leaders for the African American people for years to come.

When I was in 3rd Grade, me and a couple of friends of mine decided we would start our own campaign called the Stop Bullying, Play Nice (SBPN). We went to the younger grades and taught them about standing up for themselves and how bullying should never be allowed. Although we were young, we understood the importance and effect of bullying. Not only that but I also liked stopping disputes between my friends. It could have been a small thing but I would go to each person and hear their sides of the story and explain to the other why the other was hurt. By the end of recess we would all get along and forgive each other and actually understand one another more.

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“Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven” (Mt 5:10) by Emily Cruz

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“Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven” (Mt 5:10) by Emily Cruz

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As a Chrstian, we must stand up for what is right. In doing so we “stand with Jesus Christ and help him carry his Cross” (Your Life in Christ, 128). When we accept our own crosses, we become a little more like Christ each day. By suffering and giving it all up so that it may in turn help others, we are paving our path to Heaven. We should fight in the face of discrimintion of our faith and should instead learn more on it so as to defend it properly. In extreme cases, we should be witness to our faith until the end, even if that means death.

Oscar Romero was an Archbishop in El Salvador who “denounced the regime of dictator Gen. Carlos Humberto Romero” according to Britannica. He refused to support the military occupation and defended the poor even if he faced threats constantly. He repeatedly showed his readiness to die for those in his country in the face of adversity saying he’d sacrificed his life for the “redemption and resurrection” of El Salvador. Unfortunately, one day when he was giving a Sermon for Sunday mass in 1980, he was assassinated by an unknown assailant. The Church, in 2018, canonized Romero as a martyr. Although in many cases, our faith does not test us with the final outcome being death, but one thing to learn from St. Oscar Romero is that we must be brave and stand up for our faith and our beliefs for the protection of others.

A highschool student could exemplify this Beatitude by not letting others make them feel bad about their faith. For example, You are a Catholic who always goes to mass each Sunday because you always look forward to hearing God’s Word. Your classmate loves to make fun of your religion and makes some crude jokes and pesters you during class. He pokes fun about you believing in Jesus but instead of being mad or annoyed, you try to educate the other person on why you believe what you do. You don’t let his hurtful comments affect your view on your faith and instead feel proud that you can defend your faith.