Staying in the chapter on Hope, one finds a brilliant,
Christological interpretation of the Beatitudes. This section alone shows the
deep spirituality of the Pope Emeritus, even in 1989.
He weaves together several passages revealing that Christ is
the Wise Man of the parable concerning the building of the Church, not on sand,
but on Himself.
Taking this further, the Pope Emeritus states the obvious,
only after he points this out, that the Beatitudes are about Christ.
The paradox of the Beatitudes, the way the sentences balance
on what one has and what one does not have, reveals the kenosis of Christ, the
emptying out of the Son of God of His Glory and greatness on earth, in order to
come to us through the Incarnation.
How wonderful that the qualities of Jesus are revealed to
us, He Who Is Perfect, as the Heavenly Father Is Perfect.
Taking only one for the purposes of enlightenment, although
the Pope Emeritus looks at several of the Beatitudes, we see a description of
Christ, “ Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.” Christ is
already pure in heart, of course, but, Benedict points out, if we join with
Christ in love, we, too, shall share in His attributes, as much as we are able.
The Pope Emeritus notes that the Beatitudes are not a New
Testament Decalogue, but a revelation of Christ, our model, and more, an
invitation to us to become one with Christ, and, thus, bear fruit.
I cannot possibly cover all the superb material in this
little book. But, let me refer to one more thing in this chapter before moving
on to the next one.
Bonaventure’s commentary on the Christian with the virtue of
hope being like a bird is extensively quoted in this chapter. I especially like
the metaphor of the Christian having to soar, to look up into the skies,
towards God and the greater reality of God’s plan for us, in prayer. One is
like the bird flying high up in the skies, when one leaves the shadows of land
for the rarified air of hope.
This metaphor reminds us that hope is a virtue to be used in
prayer. Too many people give up too early, too fast, when prayers are not
answered. And, too many people, after a brief period of time think something is
not God’s Will, when the opposite is true. God wants to answer our prayers, but
He also tests how sincere we are in these petitions.
To be continued….