by Bunny B. Czarnopys, adapted from the teachings of Bunny’s Beloved Teacher Audle Allison – Sat Guru
Matthew 5:3-12
The Beatitudes are part of Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount. In this sermon, Jesus offers a way of life to each person who chooses to live by the path of Salvation – which is applied Knowledge.
The many levels of physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual experience cause fragmentation and confusion in everybody’s lives. The different levels of action and reaction vary so much about what life’s purpose really is.
But the Beatitudes, when understood from a different perspective, shed light upon on why we are here. They offer keys to the states of performing consciousness which make man whole.
Matthew 5:3
Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
In Biblical times, a spiritual person was one who had developed a great ability to acquire worldly things. Being poor in this type if spirit meant that one had to let go and empty him/herself in a whole-hearted effort to know the TRUTH. Such a person, no longer enslaved by the love of material possessions, is poor in the spirit to acquire such things.
This does not mean that one much be a pauper to know God. We should have all we need to live in a comfortable, satisfying life. However, we should not focus too much of our mental and spiritual energies on material things which thrill the senses. When we stop thrilling after material acquisitions – the spirit for worldly possessions is poor – then the magnificent thrill of the Divine Spirit comes through.
When this happens, heaven becomes a personal reality for us here on earth. We are able to experience the Kingdom of Heaven because we have become one with our Creator. We live with the CS awareness of life and its purpose. We fulfill our reason for being here.
We no longer have any doubts or fears. Heaven is now our way of life. “I and my father are one” is no longer a hope of the past. It is a CS reality of the present, a personal awakening that cannot be denied or taken away.
All the things that may have occupied our energies before, such as the push for social prestige, the desire for great possessions or the struggle for academic degrees are now like a bad dream. We are no longer fearful of public opinion. It no longer makes any difference if our friends or relatives disapprove of what we do. Heaven and earth have become one for us and all else seems insignificant.
Matthew 5:4 Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.
Generally, no one mourns until his sources of pleasure dry up and his ordinary lifestyle no longer works for him. As long as we are happy and life is treating us well, there is no reason to mourn – or to search for a better, more fulfilling way of life.
Those centered in the emotional part of themselves; for example, tend to seek contentment by praying and by worshipping some form or deity. Those dwelling in the intellectual part of their kingdom gather a protective shield of power and security around themselves to keep control over their lives.
Once one tunes into the inner door of intuition, the search within one’s self begins. Once upon the path, a great cleansing starts. Our life patterns and environment begin to change, and this state of affairs sometimes gives us cause to mourn.
This sorrow can be put into perspective. Everyone will be given the opportunity to learn about the life flow. Once we become conscious of it, it is the greatest of all comforts. To step into the life flow and go inward is to become one with our God Self – and then become one with the Creator of all things.
When life feels like it is falling apart, do not feel forsaken. It is actually a blessing in disguise. For it is when things seem most desperate that we turn to God. It is better to search for our Creator because we want to – because we need to – than because someone told us that we should.
It is when the heart truly aches that the mind calls with all its might to the Great Giver of Life: “Let me serve thee in the midst of all this turmoil – I am so completely alone. What must I do? Life has sunk so low that I can only look up. Please take away this veil of darkness. Please give me a chance to earn my place with you.”
It is through this mourning that the path of liberation will be opened to you. Somehow you will be shown how to clean up your life patterns.
This process of purification is not easy. But the Great Comforter – the Christ Within – will always be at hand to help you. Do not give up – you cannot fail in your search for truth if you refuse to stop trying.
Matthew 5:5 Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.
Today, to most people today, a “meek” person is devoid of self-confidence, shy, or little courage. We think of “meek as a mouse.” However, words had different connotations in Biblical times.
The “meekness” that Jesus was referring to wasn’t that of weakness. It is an attitude of open-mindedness, the ability to let go and surrender to the Divine Christ Within. A meek person is one who is ready to listen and learn new ways to grow and understand new states of consciousness. In the East, it is said that meekness completes God himself.
The truly meek person, keeps his/her ego under control and avoid self-glorification.
Isaiah 64:8 (Whole Chapter)
But now, O LORD, thou art our father; we are the clay, and thou our potter; and we all are the work of thy hand.
John 14:10 (Whole Chapter)
Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works.
Basically, we need to understand that God gives the opportunities but it is the personality that must do the labor to take advantage of them.
When the bible says, “The meek shall inherit the Earth,” it is not just talking about the planet. The physical body is your personal bit of earth. As mentioned in Genesis, we each have the opportunity to have dominion over the earth – this is when we awaken to our Divine Selves in full consciousness.
Matthew 5:6 Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.
Righteousness is simply the right use of God’s laws. These Laws of Creation can be discovered and put into practice by anyone who is willing to use his mind.
Persons who “hunger and thirst” for the Truth - Spiritual Knowledge will change their habit patterns to live in accordance to the Divine Laws of Creation. We each have lessons to learn in our life’s experience – some pleasant and some unpleasant.
Each of us has the opportunity to realize that Today can be our day of Salvation. All things – including our lives – can be made new again. The process will be easier when we remember the following things:
Forgive ourselves for making mistakes
Accept our rate of progress – no matter how slow it may seem
Accept our Acts
Release our Sentimental Regrets (Attachments to the past)
Accept what is possible in our lives
Accept our lives as they are.
There is a past, a present, and a future, but we can only act where we are right now. Most wishing wells run dry. We must work our wishing and fill the well with creative energy. Righteousness is the right use of God’s laws, but good and evil are only mans’ subjective beliefs.
We need to take a look at ourselves. Are we caught up in some kind of political, racial or religious bigotry? Do we hold anyone in contempt? Is there jealousy in our hearts?
We need to let those attachments go. Let go and Let God. Surrender to the God within ourselves. We need to give our Divine Selves a chance to make our habits harmonious with Divine Law.
No one can think one way and act another way. We must get control of our thoughts. We need to be able to listen within – meditate. We need to give ourselves to the Divine Christ within. We need to create the habit patterns to think from Christ Consciousness instead of the lower animal part of ourselves. As we think, so we shall act.
We must learn to be about our Father’s work. Listen and learn, and live in truth.
Matthew 5:7 Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.
We are false when we smile and act friendly when holding unkind thoughts. By doing this, we are putting others down to build ourselves up. Unfortunately, most of the world today is caught up in these ego-strutting games.
Let us be merciful in our judgment of others. When we hold this attitude, we shall obtain mercy for ourselves. What we give out to others comes back to each of us. Thus, when we free others from condemnation, we become free ourselves.
All of this operates through the impersonal workings of divine law, As we sow, so shall we reap. If we are truly merciful, then mercy must be given back to us.
Galatians 6:8 (Whole Chapter)
For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.
Matthew 5:8 Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.
We live in God’s world; heaven stretches out all around us. We stand looking out at the stars, marveling at God’s great creation. How restricted we are in time and space. How small and limited we really are! We live in the face of unimaginable opportunities, and yet we stumble blindly around, yoked to our preprogrammed habits.
For as he thinkest in his heart, so is he. (Proverbs 23:7) Watch over your hear with all diligence, for out of it comes all the events and occurrences of your life.
What is this thing called “Heart?” The heart of anything is that which makes it work. The heart of the personality is the habit-self, but the heart of That Which I Am – the highest part of yourself – is pure.
It is our egocentric habits which keep us from perceiving God’s great kingdom. We live in the midst of the most beautiful garden ever created – but until we can gain control of the ego, we can neither see the beauty of the flowers nor smell their exquisite fragrance. We must clean out the opinions of our carnal minds so that our hearts can be blessed with God’s grace and our minds filled with divine knowledge.
We must do our best and never stop trying to make ourselves better. It is a life long journey (actually a journey of many lives). We must stop feeling sorry for ourselves and blaming others. We must stop depending on others to do our work for ourselves. It is only by learning to use the powers of our minds that we will be able to learn the lessons of this lifetime.
We must learn to be ruled by our Divine Selves and not by our environments. We must make it our goal to become one with God, for only by surrendering to our God Self, we can become pure in heart.
Matthew 5:9 Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.
The only real and lasting peace comes from within, and the only way to find it is through meditation or learning to listen within. The calmness and serenity found in meditation transforms our lives and further develops the Living Soul.
Fueled by the new insights brought to you from within, we now make every effort to live God’s plan for us. We strive for a direct, personal experience of God’s presence within us.
Once we have achieved this state, we are quick to forgive others – more importantly – we are willing to forgive ourselves. From this higher perspective, we can see that it is not our place to interfere with another person’s life.
Each of us has our own problems to overcome. Each of us must do our own work, which is presented to us as life situations by the Living Soul.
The Goal is to live in God’s flow while successfully functioning in the world of physical desires. This brings the “within” and the “without” together. When these two aspects are brought together, we develop a truly peaceful nature.
My greatest gift is peace. May I leave it where ever I go, and may it abide withal God’s creatures. Any person who enters the “peace that passes understanding” – that exalted state of consciousness of which naught can be said – and brings back any part of it truly becomes a child of God.
Matthew 5:10 Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Those who are persecuted because they live righteously and in harmony with God’s laws will, at some future time, reap great rewards for their sacrifice.
Of course, this dies not mean that we should go out and jump at the first opportunity to become a martyr. But if we are persecuted in the course of doing God’s work, any physical or mental pain we may suffer will be more than made up for later on.
The most harmful persecution, is usually self inflicted. Living a life dominated by greed, anger, fear or other negative emotions makes a hell of our existence. But if we keep our thoughts loving, kind and gentle, our future and - present – will be glorious kingdom of heaven.
Matthew 5:11 Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.
Blessed are those who study themselves closely, perceive their shortcomings and work to overcome them, for when the lower self is clean, the Higher Self takes over. Our habit-self changes and is purified as we overcome our false concepts. The delusion of false religions and other forms of egotism no longer hold us in their grasp. Sentimental traditions fall by the wayside. Our self-sacrifice enables us to become a true peacemaker.
Many are not ready to let go of their familiar belief systems, and may act against those who present a threat to their security and power. But one who knows that he is living in accordance with Divine Law – and knows that he knows – need not fear. Any harm done to him mentally, physically or emotionally will be paid back in interest with spiritual gains.
Matthew 5:12 Rejoice, and be exceedingly glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted the prophets which were before you.
Our meekness brings peace, joy, and harmony into our lives. The kingdom of heaven truly manifests within us. Our new flow from above helps is to more easily accept the continual changes that our Divine Selves bring to us.
Our new way of living is truly something to rejoice in. Even persecution should be welcomed if it comes, for it offers us a grand opportunity to develop the power to overcome. Any prophet worth his predictions has been attacked and persecuted; the true ones stay faithful to what they knew.
So, as you work toward greater oneness with God, gladly accept whatever challenges life throws your way. Any mourning they may bring will only help to develop your “poorness” of spirit and purity of heart. And by living in righteousness and remaining meek and merciful, you will truly experience the transcendent joy of the peacemaker – the unshakeable knowledge that the kingdom of heaven is, and always will be, yours.
© 2008 Bunny Czarnopys. All Rights Reserved. Republished by Sunset Spiritualist Church with consent of the author.