“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.” μακάριοι οἱ καθαροὶ τῇ καρδίᾳ, ὅτι αὐτοὶ τὸν θεὸν ὄψονται. With this beatitude we are at the absolute summit. This is the holy of holies of the holy of holies! I looked at close to 50 translations. The majority say “pure in heart.” Jesus …
“Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth”
In his commentary, Gregory of Nysa - whose feast is today, January 10th - skipped the second beatitude in order to ask a question about the third beatitude: Is it a step down from the first beatitude? From kingdom of heaven down to earth? But didn’t the Word come down to this earth, to meet our lowliness? …
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“Blessed are the poor in spirit”
There is no other way to be raised up to God but by constantly looking upwards and having an unceasing desire for sublime things, so as not to be content to stay with what has already been achieved, but to regard it as loss if one fails to attain what lies above. ουκ έστιν …
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