The Beatitudes are the navigators of Christian life

The Beatitudes are the navigators of Christian life … Following and living the Beatitudes, which, like a “navigator,” show the right path in life. Christians have a clear signpost on the path of faith, so they do not get lost. Ignoring the direction indicated by the Beatitudes can mean stumbling on three steps, which are the idols of egoism, the idolatry of money, and the idolatry of vanity, that is, the satiety of a heart that enjoys its satisfaction while ignoring others. This is the new law, what we call the ‘Beatles.’ It is the new law of the Lord for us. They are a guide, a guide on the path; they are the navigators of the Christian life. It is here that we see, on this path, according to this navigator’s indicators, how we can move forward in our Christian life. In the text of the Beatitudes according to St. Luke (Luke 6:17-26), Jesus exclaims “woe” four times: woe to the rich, woe to those who are full, woe to those who laugh, and woe to those whom all men praise. Riches are beneficial. What causes evil is attachment to riches, which becomes a kind of idolatry. This is the anti-law; it is a mistaken navigator. Interestingly, these three steps lead to destruction, just as the Beatitudes lead forward in life. And these three steps that lead to destruction are attached to riches so that I lack nothing; vanity, to be praised by all: everyone speaks well of me, I feel important, too much incense… and I think of myself as righteous—not like this one or that one… Let us think of the parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector: ‘I thank you that I am not like this one…’. ‘But I thank you, Lord, that I am a good Catholic, not like my neighbor, my neighbor…’. It happens every day… The second was vanity, and the third is pride, which is satiety, that laughter that closes the heart. Among all the Beatitudes, there is one that may not be key but which can help us to reflect on the Christian life: “Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.” Jesus says of himself, ‘Learn from me, for I am meek in heart,’ because I am meek and humble in heart. Silence is a way of life that brings us so much closer to Jesus. On the other hand, the opposite attitude always causes hostility and war, and so many terrible things happen. But silence, the silence of the heart, which is wisdom, is something else. It is a depth of understanding of God’s greatness and adoration.