Pope Francis on the Beatitudes

Ave Maria!  Yesterday at Mass, Pope Francis preached on the Beatitudes.  "They are the new commandments," the Holy Father said, and they "cannot be understood with human intelligence alone."  We can only grasp them "if we have an open heart, from the consolation of the Holy Spirit." In order to comprehend the Beatitudes, we need the freedom that "is born of the Holy Spirit, who saves us, who comforts us" and is "the giver of life."  Without "a heart open to the Holy Spirit, [the Beatitudes] will seem silly. Just look, being poor, being meek, being merciful will hardly lead us to success. If we do not have an open heart and if we have not experienced the consolation of the Holy Spirit, which is salvation, we cannot understand this. This is the law for those who have been saved and have opened their hearts to salvation. This is the law of the free, with the freedom of the Holy Spirit."

As I read and reflected upon the above, I recalled that the Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC) urges us to prepare ourselves for confession by reflecting upon the Word of God:  "The reception of this sacrament ought to be prepared for by an examination of conscience made in the light of the Word of God. The passages best suited to this can be found in the Ten Commandments, the moral catechesis of the Gospels and the apostolic Letters, such as the Sermon on the Mount and the apostolic teachings. (Cf. Mt 5-7; Rom 12-15; 1 Cor 12-13; Gal 5; Eph 4-6; etc.)." (CCC, #1454)

Among the Scripture passages that the Church recommends in preparation for confession is the fifth chapter of Matthew, the introduction to the Sermon on the Mount, which begins with the eight Beatitudes.  Whenever I use the Beatitudes as my examination of conscience, I am always enlightened by the Holy Spirit as to what I might confess!  And yes, with this revelation, the Spirit of Jesus also gives me the freedom and consolation of God's love and salvation.  Deo gratias!

In closing his homily, the Holy Father invited us to pray.  "Let us ask for the grace to open our hearts to the consolation of the Holy Spirit, so that this consolation, which is salvation, allows us to understand these commandments. So be it!"

Spirit of Jesus,
set us free to love and serve You
for the glory of the Father! 
Amen.