The Beatitudes are read by most Christians, but are rarely studied. Pope Benedict XVI gives influential insights on the full meaning of the Sermon on the Mount. Jesus Christ gives a guide for his people's journey of salvation. Pope Benedict XVI points out that this guide is not only for the twelve disciples, but for all people. In the Beatitudes there is a fulfilled promise that centralizes the path for the salvation the world.

When Jesus commands us to be poor in spirit, He does not refer solely to spiritual poverty. Spiritual poverty cannot be obtained with an attachment to material things. Though He is not instructing each one of us to live a monastic life, He is in fact establishing a commandment to free our selves from an empty love for worldly goods. The struggle for freedom of service to false masters is as unique as each soul. Spiritual poverty is a personal battle, but ultimately influences the Church as a whole.

The Catholic Church needs its members to have the Beatitudes deeply rooted in their lives. The Church cannot have its effect in the world without strong apostolic missions. Catholics are called to be modern day disciples of Christ. A holy disciple is poor in spirit, meek, and thirsty for righteousness. Only with these virtues can Christians make fruitful their role as a member of the Body of Christ.

Lastly, the Beatitudes must not be taken as a contradiction to the Ten Commandments of the Old Testament. Matthew 5:17 tells us: "Think not that I have come to abolish the Law and the Prophets; I have come not to abolish them but to fulfill them." The Old Testament's prophecies are a foreshadow of the promise that is to come through the Messiah. In the New Testament, God's covenant with this people is fully revealed. The relation between the Ten Commandments and the Beatitudes are similar. The Ten Commandments were set by God with anticipation to proclaim the promise of the Kingdom of God for the poor in spirit.

Reflections on Matthew 3-4:11, John 3 & 9

During a class discussion in high school, my government teacher asked for a reason for the hardships of those affected by Hurricane Katrina. He brought up punishment from God as an option. To my delight, the class outspokenly disagreed with this notion. The Truth of the matter lies in God's Word, the Bible. Through the Bible, Jesus tells us His holy plan for our salvation. These Gospel readings of Matthew and John have a rich underlying message of Jesus Christ's mercy and love for His people.

First, I will quote John 9:2-3(the story of the healing of the blind man): "And his disciples asked him, "Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?" Jesus answered, "It was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but that the works of God might be made manifest in him." The man was not born blind because of sin, but so that he may be a living witness of Christ. To be a witness, His life must be imitated, which includes sacrificial suffering. In order to live with Him in Paradise, we must die with our cross just as He did. The goal of our sufferings is a more intimate relationship with Christ, and ultimately Eternal Joy. It is also interesting to note that the blind man did not ask for the blessing of sight. This reminds me of how God gives us graces when we do not expect it.

In order to carry our crosses sanely, we must turn to His Divine Mercy. Matthew 3:2-3 states: " 'Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.' For this is he who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah when he said, 'The voice of one crying in the wilderness: Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.' " When I read Matthew 3:2, I feel a sense of urgency to constantly seek His mercy, and in seeking His mercy I find the highest love. His mercy is love. This is a love that will never be fully understood on earth.

In resolution, when you read the Bible with an open heart, the poetry of God's Word can be overwhelming. Though the two Testaments are not particularly long, the meaning and rich love in the Word is extensive. While Protestants are our Christian brothers and sisters, they do not grasp the full picture of salvation. The concepts they overlook-- such as fruitful suffering, penance, and the immensity of Divine Mercy-- are beautifully communicated in the Gospels.

In 1989, my mother and father were looking into buying a house. At the time I, my parents' third and last child, was almost two years-old. We were living in Montebello, my birthplace, which is in East Los Angeles. The housing was too costly in inner Los Angeles county, so my parents looked elsewhere. Through word of mouth we found the perfect new house in the city of Lancaster.

Lancaster is about 70 miles north of the city of Los Angeles, but resides in L.A. county. It rests in the Antelope Valley, which makes up the western tip of the Mojave High Desert. When most people think of a desert they picture an arid land in perpetual heat. However, because of the high elevation the Antelope Valley gets a couple inches of snow every winter. The temperatures reach up to 115 degrees Fahrenheit during the summer, but nice breezes throughout the day make it bearable. The abundance of the California golden poppy adds a beautiful orange shade to the seemingly endless desert background along the highway.

With the influx of families moving in from the big city, Lancaster was a good environment for a young child to grow up in. A very important aspect of the city's family life was sports. Near the freeway was a large park with several soccer fields. Every Saturday many families, including mine, used the park for a day of games with a national youth soccer league. Children from an age range of six to sixteen filled the lusciously green park in their colorful uniforms. It was a charming sight in the desert suburb.

I could reminisce about the wonderful environment that I lived in as a child, however, it was not all great. Demographically, Lancaster is diverse. The schools that I attended had an almost even mix of blacks, Hispanics, and Caucasians. At the elementary school level race was no issue. In the intermediate and senior high school crowd race caused many problems. Fights broke out often in some of the district's schools. Many of the fights were fueled by the students' gang involvement. By 1998, my family was ready to say goodbye to Lancaster.

My family enjoyed living in Lancaster, but when street gangs increased in number my parents felt it was best to move to a safer town. We packed our belongings in June of 1998 and made our new home in Clovis, a suburb of Fresno. I have visited Lancaster only a few times since departing, but it will always have a special meaning in my life. I am thankful for having spent my younger childhood in a unique and memorable city.