The Beatitudes “Now when Jesus saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him, and he began to teach them... THE BEATITUDES ! Can you see any parallels between what Moses and Jesus are doing in these 2 situations ?

The Beatitudes To explain the key terms in the Beatitudes To contrast the Beatitudes with the 10 Commandments To evaluate the difference between the Beatitudes and other kinds of happiness

WHAT ARE THE 8 BEATITUDES? Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God. Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Quiz Quiz Trade Read the beatitudes. Memorise them for 2mins. Then go around the room, asking people to complete your beatitude. If they do, and you complete theirs, swap cards with them. Then find another partner.

You live in peace and try to bring others together in peace You keep clean from sin, selfish thoughts and actions You are forgiving and generous to others, even if they don’t deserve it. You stay faithful to Jesus , and his teachings, even if that means suffering You desire for justice & right to be done in the world You are humble and gentle: do not fight for your own advantage. Let others have their way. You feel sorry for all the sin that is done, and the good that is lost. you feel like you are poor, and need God to help you in all things 1. Write out the endings to the beatitudes on your sheet. (check on p18) Match and write the meaning of each one. How are these Beatitudes different from Moses’ 10 Commandments? Are they rules telling you what you should do, or are they describing what you should be like? How is the beatitude to be a peacemaker different from the Commandment “do not kill”? **Is it fair to have to be meek or merciful or feel bad for other people’s sins? How are more perfect if you live the Beatitudes than if you just follow the 10C’s?

The Beatitudes are Attitudes : they tell you what you should BE like, rather than what you should DO. You have to be willing to put yourself last, and put up with evil from others, if you can’t change thngs. Blessings : “blessed are the… “ You are blessed because you have the happiness of being close to God and the Kingdom of Heaven that nothing can take away. Copy out the 2 key points about the Beatitudes. Would you be willing to follow the Beatitudes? which ones? Why? *Draw your own fuzzy pictures to show the beatitudes.

hunger and thirst for what is right merciful pure in heart peacemakers Match the fuzzy man to the beatitude it represents. Draw them in on your table. What does each beatitude mean? Test your partner. poor in spirit mourn meek hunger and thirst for what is right merciful pure in heart peacemakers Persecute you for righteousness' sake.

According to Aquinas, Jesus on the cross is the most blessed one. St Thomas Aquinas said: “If you want to be fully happy and free, hate what Jesus hated on the cross, and love what Jesus loved on the cross.” On the cross, Jesus has rid himself of the 4 things that we typically seek to make us happy: wealth, power, pleasure and honour. Instead, he has the fullness of the Beatitudes: According to Aquinas, Jesus on the cross is the most blessed one. Explain how different the beatitudes are to things people normally think make them happy. Do you think that following Jesus’ teaching and example really could be a better way to deep and lasting happiness? poor in spirit – Jesus has no power of his own. He is completely in the hands of others, and depends on God’s plan for him. mourn – Jesus grieves over the sin that has nailed him to the cross meek – kind & gentle towards his crucifiers hunger and thirst for righteousness – he prays his suffering will make God’s kingdom known merciful – forgiving and kind to sinners pure in heart – sinless in the face of evil peacemaker – no vengeance, but prays for them persecuted for righteousness' sake – crucified for his goodness, truthfulness and holiness.

WHAT ARE THE 8 BEATITUDES?

Beatitudes Grieve over wrong-doing and evil that is done Depend on God for everything. Live a simple and obedient life. Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn for they shall be comforted. Blessed are the meek for they will inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for what is right for they will be filled. Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God. Blessed are the peacemakers for they will be called children of God. Blessed are those who are persecuted in the cause of right, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven Grieve over wrong-doing and evil that is done Humble/ gentle: don’t fight for their own advantage Hope for justice/ fairness in the world, for people to live rightly Kind, forgiving and generous Clean from sin, in thoughts and actions Living peacefully and promoting peace, to bring people together Faithful to Jesus even if that means suffering