Because “the Beatitudes are at the heart of Jesus’ preaching” (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1716), they are extremely important and therefore are vehemently opposed by the devil. Because the Beatitudes are “paradoxical promises” (Catechism, 1717), which “confront us with decisive choices concerning earthly goods” (Catechism, 1728), we naturally resist living the Beatitudes. Because the world, the flesh, and the devil hate the Beatitudes, they put extreme pressure on us to keep us from living the Beatitudes.

St. Luke foresaw this battle surrounding the Beatitudes. So he helps us obey the Beatitudes by:

• focusing on four of them. If we obey these four Beatitudes, we will also do the rest, which are named in St. Matthew’s Gospel.
• addressing the Beatitudes directly to us. Matthew’s Beatitudes are addressed to “them”; Luke’s are addressed to “you” (cf Mt 5:3ff with Lk 6:20ff).
• omitting the nuances of Matthew’s Beatitudes, because we are tempted to turn nuances into loopholes.
• indicating that if we don’t do the Beatitudes, we will be cursed (see Lk 6:24-26).

Luke challenges us to live the Beatitudes no matter what. May we accept God’s grace to do so.

Rescript:  "In accord with the Code of Canon Law, I hereby grant the Nihil Obstat for the publication One Bread, One Body covering the time period August 1, 2026, through September 30, 2026. Reverend Steve J. Angi, Chancellor, Vicar General, Archdiocese of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio May, 6, 2026"

The Nihil Obstat ("Permission to Publish") is a declaration that a book or pamphlet is considered to be free of doctrinal or moral error. It is not implied that those who have granted the Nihil Obstat agree with the contents, opinions, or statements expressed.