because we would always be unhappy, when we had carefully examined what is
CHAPTER 2: Blessed Are the Poor in Spirit and Those Who Mourn
because we would always be unhappy, when we had carefully examined what is in us. But when we know that God has promised to console us, provided that we cry to him in humility, that we seek him, that we are patient in obeying him: let us not doubt that in the end he will have pity on us, and that even all our afflictions will be so many profitable trials: - and then that they will be like goads to prick us, and to make us move forward in fulfilling our duty. When we know this, then our happiness will be certain and well known to us. And why? For we will seek it in God, and not in ourselves. And thus we see how different this doctrine of our Lord Jesus Christ is from everything that can be learned from the books and writings of the pagans, whatever wisdom they may have had in their times: that although they had a profound and eloquent minds, it was nevertheless nothing but smoke and deception: but what is shown to us by our Lord Jesus Christ, has a firmness which will never fade away. And why? We must look beyond ourselves first of all, and out of the world, and seek in God what we lack, and what we cannot find here below. This then is what we have to remember. Now it is true that there will be many who will cry: but their tears are like the howling of brute beasts: as when a bull bellows, or an ox being slaughtered cries out: so it is with many people. And what is this? These are not real tears and yet this is what the unbelievers are like. For they will cry enough, and cry Alas, more and more: But what? They merely howl, like I said. So let us learn to lament to our God. Because this is also where our tears must be directed. And when we do so, we will feel what David says, Lord, you have put my tears into a phial. For just as we have precious fragrant water, or some precious ointment, so David says that God preserves our tears. It is true that they will fall to the ground, or we will wipe them from our hands: but when we cry before God, it is certain that not one will be lost: but that he will carefully preserve them all. And it is to bring us to this consolation of which he is here spoken. So we see how these two sentences all relate to one goal, which is to know that if we are disciples of our Lord Jesus Christ, even if we carry the cross, if we drag our gallows, if we are poor people condemned, if we are mocked, insulted and defamed, that nevertheless this will not prevent us from being always blessed, and from always having something to rejoice in. Now it remains to note what is said in S. Luke. S. Matthew says simply, Blessed are the poor in spirit, and those who weep: And it is expressed in S. Luke, Blessed are you who weep: and you who are poor are blessed. So then, let us not only understand this doctrine in general: but let us know that our Lord Jesus Christ speaks to each of us, and that he wants us to enter into it, and that after having examined ourselves, we