Блаженство

Blessed are those who have loved God and, out of love for Him, have neglected everything! Blessed are those who weep day and night to escape the wrath to come. Blessed are those who voluntarily humble themselves, for there they will be exalted. Blessed are those who are abstinent, because heavenly pleasures await them. Blessed are those who exhausted their bodies with vigil and struggle, because they are destined for joy in paradise. Blessed are those who voluntarily became the temple of the Holy Spirit, for they will stand at the right hand. Blessed are those who have acquired the love of God in their souls, for they will be called lovers of Christ. Blessed are those who crucified themselves, because their thoughts day and night were on God. Blessed are those who have girded their loins with the truth, having their lamps ready and waiting for their Bridegroom when He returns from marriage. Blessed is he who has acquired contemplation with his mental eyes of future blessings and eternal torment and has diligently labored to obtain eternal blessings. Blessed is he who constantly has that terrible hour before his eyes and strives to please while there is still time. Blessed is he who is dispassionate on earth, like an Angel, so that on that day he may rejoice with the Angels. Blessed is the one who constantly remembers the fear of Gehenna and hastens with tears and sighs to sincerely repent to the Lord; such a one will be delivered from great sorrow Blessed is the one who denounced the tormentor by deed and did not fall into fear from the flame of voluptuousness, because his soul will be watered with the dew of the Holy Spirit. Blessed is the one who, having enlightened the eyes of his heart, always sees the Lord in himself as in a mirror; such a person received relief from passions and evil thoughts. Blessed is he who with spiritual understanding looks at the glittering host of stars and at the beauty of heaven, desiring to behold the Creator of all things. Blessed is the one who voluntarily became like the beautiful and good earth, bearing fruit for the good seed a hundred, thirty and sixty times. Blessed are those who weep day and night, for they will be delivered from the wrath to come. Blessed are those who voluntarily humble themselves, for they will be exalted. Blessed are those who are abstinent, because heavenly pleasures await them. Blessed are those who exhaust their bodies with vigils and deeds, because heavenly joy is prepared for them. Blessed are those who have cleansed themselves of evil thoughts, because the Holy Spirit dwells in them. Blessed are those who love God with all their souls, more than the whole world, for they will be recognized as friends of Christ. Blessed are those who voluntarily bore their cross and truly followed Christ, because they will reach the heavenly Jerusalem. Blessed are those who have girded their loins with the truth and have their lamps ready, waiting for the Heavenly Bridegroom, because with Him they will reign in the Heavenly Kingdom. Blessed is he who acquired intelligent eyes and steadily directed them to the contemplation of future blessings, because he will inherit them. Blessed is he who continually has before his eyes the day of justification and strives to be acceptable on it. Blessed is he who has become a conqueror over carnal pleasures, for on the last day of trial he will gain boldness. Blessed is he who wept on earth for God, for his fruits will be reborn in heaven. Blessed is he who eats bread not in vain, but through the labor of his hands, like the apostle, and who gives to others from his own labors, because he will rest in the bosom of Abram. Blessed is he who corrected himself through repentance and with his life appeased our Lord! If he moves to that country, he will rest in the Kingdom, in the haven of the saints, and will be delivered from the Judgment and the terrible, terrifying torment that awaits Satan, whose condemnation is endless. Blessed is he who never hears of him! The beatitudes are not promised (see Matt. 5:3-11) so that in their name, as if with a beautiful cover, they can cover up evil, but they go to those who fulfill what is contained in them. Anyone can appropriate names under any pretext, but the deed designated by the name is characteristic of someone who does not want to assimilate for himself the name of a virtue that he does not have. So, special bliss is promised for special deeds, and special gifts are promised to special people who are preparing a reward for themselves through heroism. Both the reward that follows good deeds and the punishment that follows crime are foreshadowed.