The Pope said today, as Christian saints have done throughout the ages, Christ’s followers are called “to confront the troubles and anxieties of our age with the spirit and love of Jesus.”

New situations require new energy and a new commitment, he said, and then he offered a new list of beatitudes for modern Christians:

• “Blessed are those who remain faithful while enduring evils inflicted on them by others and forgive them from their heart.
• “Blessed are those who look into the eyes of the abandoned and marginalized and show them their closeness.
• “Blessed are those who see God in every person and strive to make others also discover him.
• “Blessed are those who protect and care for our common home.
• “Blessed are those who renounce their own comfort in order to help others.
• “Blessed are those who pray and work for full communion between Christians.”

How these words resonate in this year of Mercy. Forgiveness, seeing God in every person, and helping others to do so as well, striving to protect our world, and giving up comforts to be able to help others.

We are grateful to our Holy Father, Pope Francis for articulating these beatitudes for modern Christians.

Full Article here: http://www.americamagazine.org/issue/pope-francis-offers-new-beatitudes

 

Elise Frederick