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THE EIGHT BEATUTUDES
1. Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the Kingdom of
Heaven.
2. Blessed are the meek: for they shall possess the land.
3. Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.
4. Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after Justice: for
they shall have their fill.
5. Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.
6. Blessed are the clean of heart: for they shall see God.
7. Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the
children of God.
8. Blessed are they that suffer persecution for justice’ sake:
for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.
(Matt.5:3-10).
CHRISTIAN PERFERCTION
Christian Perfection consists in the love of God above all things, and
in the love of neighbor as ourselves.
“But above all these things have Charity, which is the bond of perfection.”
(Col. 3:14).
The best way to practice Christian Perfection is to imitate Jesus Christ.
“If thou wilt be perfect, go sell what thou hast, and give to the poor,
and thou shalt have treasure in Heaven: and come follow Me.” (Matt. 19:21).
SIN
Sin is a willful breaking of
the Law of God, that is, of the ten Commandments. Sin
is the greatest evil in the world, because by it we offend God, and can
lose our immortal soul.
“What doth it profit a man, if he gain the whole world, and suffer
the loss of his own soul:”
(Matt. 16:26).
Sin may be committed in five different ways:
By thoughts
By desires
By words
By looks
By actions.
The first sin of man was committed by Adam and Eve. This sin is
called Original Sin.
There are two kinds of sin:
Mortal sin and venial
sin, or
Big sins and little sins.
Big sins are called mortal sins:
Because they destroy the
supernatural life of the soul, which is Sanctifying Grace
Because they bring the danger
of everlasting death upon it.
To make a sin MORTAL, three things
are required:
A serious matter;
Sufficient reflection of
the mind; and
Full consent of the will.
We commit a mortal sin when we willfully and knowingly break the Commandments
in a serious matter.
We commit a VENIAL SIN:
When we break the Commandments
in a small matter
When we break them in a
serious matter but without sufficient reflection of the mind and full
consent of the will.
The chief results of mortal sin are:
It robs us of Sanctifying
Grace
It deprives us of all Heavenly
merits
It places us in danger of
everlasting death.
“Thou hast the name of being alive: and thou art dead.” (Apoc. 3:1).
The chief results of venial sin
are:
It lessens the love of God
in our heart;
It makes us less worthy
of His graces;
It weakens our will-power;
and
It gradually leads to mortal
sin.
“He that contemneth (that is, scorns) small things, shall fall
by little and little.” (Ecclus. 19:1).
The chief sources of sin are: Pride, Avarice, Lust, Anger, Glutton,
Envy, and Sloth.
They are called the seven Capital Sins.
Temptations and occasions of sin lead us into sin.
Temptations are thoughts and suggestions.
Occasions of sin are persons, places, or things.
“He that loveth danger shall perish in it.” (Ecclus. 3:27).
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