This month of May has passed, in Italy, Spain and other European countries, coinciding with the second part of the Covid-19 confinement.

During this time, all of us - and especially the victims of the pandemic and their families - have been accompanied by his prayer and teachings. We highlight here the catechesis on the Beatitudes, concluded precisely this May. They are, says Francis, "the way to reach joy", a beautiful and sure path to understand the happiness that the Lord proposes to us.

The Beatitudes, "ID card of identity" of Christians

The Beatitudes - he pointed out at the beginning of his catechesis- are the Christian's identity card, "because they delineate the face of Jesus himself, his way of life". It is a message addressed to the disciples, but on the horizon of the crowd, that is, of the whole of humanity.

Just as Moses promulgated "the Law" of the Commandments on Mount Sinai, on this new "mountain" (a somewhat elevated piece of land near Lake Gennesaret), Jesus proclaims these "new commandments," which are rather eight paths to happiness. Each of them begins with the exhortation "Blessed" (meaning graced), followed by the status in which they find themselves and why they are indeed blessed: because of a gift of God that they receive (a passive future is usually used: they will be comforted, satiated or forgiven, they will be Sons of God, etc.), precisely in that humanly difficult or costly status . Therefore, they entail a paradox or contradiction.

To be "poor people" in spirit is the human condition.

In the first beatitude, according to the Gospel of St. Matthew, the poor in spirit are presented. These are - Francis points out - "those who are and feel poor, beggars, in the depths of their being". Each of us should truly realize that we are "radically incomplete and vulnerable". Moreover, we must seek poverty - detachment from material goods, using only what is necessary - in order to be truly free with Christ and like him.

Blessed are those who weep for the death and suffering of others or for their own sins; not so much for having "failed" but for "not having loved" God or others enough.

Therein lies the "gift of tears" and the beauty of repentance. God always forgives, but we are the ones who get tired of asking for forgiveness, we close in on ourselves and do not want to be forgiven. That is why we must open ourselves to his mercy and compassion and learn from him to treat others in this way: "to love with a smile, with closeness, with service and also with tears".

In preaching that the meek are blessed, Jesus presents us with his own meekness, manifested above all in his passion. In Scripture, meekness is linked to the lack of land, because the latter is often the source of conflict. Jesus promises the meek that they will "inherit the earth", because this earth is presented to us as a gift from God that prefigures the "new earth" final which is Heaven.

For this reason Francis points out that the meek person is not the one who is conformed and does not make an effort, but the other way around: the one who defends "the land" of his peace, of his attention with God. And for this reason "meek people are merciful, fraternal, trusting and hopeful people". On the other hand, the one who gets angry loses peace and control, the attention with his brothers and unity with them. Meekness is therefore a "land to conquer": the "land" of peace and fraternity.

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for justice, for it is as vital and daily a requirement as food. The hunger for justice in the human heart is a reflection of the yearning for the deeper justice that comes from God (cf. Mt 5:20; 1 Cor 1:30). From this springs the desire for union with God, the restlessness and yearning to know and love him (cf. Ps 63:2; St. Augustine, Confessions 1:1, 5). This desire is also at the heart of every desire for love and tenderness.

We are all called - and perhaps the pandemic crisis we are experiencing can open our eyes to this - to discover what we really need, the good that is essential to us and what other secondary things we can do without.

We cannot afford to be without mercy

The sixth beatitude - Blessed arethe merciful, for they shall obtain mercy -is the only one in which the cause and the fruit of true happiness coincide. And this is so because, observes Peter's successor, "mercy is the very heart of God" (cf. Lk 6:37; James 2:13; and especially Mt 6:12-15, Catechism of the Catholic Church, 2838).

Our experience is that forgiveness is sometimes as difficult as "climbing a very high mountain", something impossible without the financial aid of God. But we need to be merciful, to forgive, to be patient. Well, considering what God's forgiveness is like for us, his mercy, we can learn to be merciful (cf. Lk 6:36).

Mercy, Francis once again affirms, is "the center of the Christian life", "the only true goal of every spiritual journey", "one of the most beautiful fruits of charity" (cf. St. John Paul II, Dives in misericordia; Francis, Misericordae Vultus and Misericordia et misera; Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1829).

At this point Francis recalls his first Angelus as Pope: "On that day I felt so strongly that this is the message I must give, as Bishop of Rome: mercy, mercy, please forgive". And now he adds: "God's mercy is our liberation and our happiness. We live on mercy and we cannot allow ourselves to be without mercy: it is the air to breathe".

The seventh beatitude links purity of heart - the inner space where a person is most himself - to the vision of God. The reason is that the origin of blindness is a foolish and dull heart that leaves no room for God. Only if that heart is freed from its delusions can it "see" God, even in some way in this life: to recognize his providence and his presence, especially in the most needy brothers and sisters, in the poor and in those who suffer. But we must not forget that this is a work of God in us, who also makes use of the purifications and trials of this life.

The peace of Christ; not false securities.

The last beatitude has to do with the peace that is the fruit of the Lord's death and resurrection. Peace, therefore, is not simply the inner tranquility of a drowsy conscience. The peace of Christ, on the other hand, removes us from our false securities to bring us to that peace which only He can give us. It is the peace embodied in the saints who have always found new ways to love. That is the way to happiness.

In the last beatitude, the Kingdom of Heaven is promised to those who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness, that is, for seeking a life according to God, even if they encounter rejection and civil service examination, by those who do not wish to leave sin and the "Structures of sin" (idolatry of money, greed, corruption, etc.).

But be careful," Francis warns us, "this does not mean letting ourselves be carried away by a self-pitying victimhood, because sometimes it is we ourselves-Christians-who are guilty of being despised because we have abandoned the true spirit of Christ. On the other hand, St. Paul was happy and joyful to be persecuted (cf. Col 1:24). Following the way of Jesus Christ leads to the greatest and truest joy, supported and impelled by the Holy Spirit. 

The Pope also pointed out - at another time - that the pandemic has taught us that "there are no differences or boundaries among those who suffer: we are all fragile, equal and valuable". And that is why it is now "time to eliminate inequalities, to repair the injustice that undermines the health of all humanity"(Homily on Mercy Sunday, April 19, 2020).