The Eight Beatitudes represent the gist of Jesus' platform, a platform very different from those of politicians and social reformers. The Beatitudes are preserved in two forms, one in Matthew's Gospel, the other, a shorter form, in the Gospel of Luke. Relatively few commentaries on the Beatitudes were produced in patristic time, and not many more by the Scholastics. The number of formal commentaries has greatly increased during the last hundred years or so. Not surprisingly the more recent commentaries often are marred by pacifist and feminist preferences, and by a predominance of Protestant presuppositions. In this book, written by a Catholic for Catholics, strict attention is paid to what Jesus meant and to the likely reflection by those who listened to him, but especially to the perennial validity of the Beatitudes as distinct from mere happiness.

By Fr. Stanley L. Jaki

ISBN 978-1-892539-09-0  •  viii + 82 pages  •  softcover