What is the kingdom of God? What must we do to bring about the kingdom of God? I think the beatitudes tell us how to bring about the kingdom of God (Matt 5:1-12). Jesus and Mary lived the beatitudes perfectly. We see many people throughout Sacred Scripture living the beatitudes and they teach us how to live the beatitudes today.
Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for
theirs is the kingdom of heaven. (Matt 5:3)
Being poor in spirit means being detached from anything that would distract us from God. Being poor in spirit means being attached to God. In the Gospels, a man wanted to follow Jesus but was too attached to his possessions and went away sad (Luke 18:18-23). On another occasion, Jesus said, “No one can serve two masters. He will either hate one and love the other, or be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.” (Matt 6:24) We are all called to live being poor in spirit; consecrated religious are called to live this beatitude more intensely when they take the vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience. The vow of poverty means religious such as Franciscans, Capuchins, Augustinians, Dominicans, Jesuits, Carmelites, Poor Clares, Sisters of Mercy and all the others own nothing personally—to use today’s terminology their net worth is $0—but everything they need is provided. Examples are Pope Leo who is an Augustinian and Pope Francis who was a Jesuit.
Blessed are they who mourn,
for they
will be comforted. (Matt 5:4)
This is mourning over sin, repentance, remorse for sins. An example is Peter weeping bitterly after he denied Jesus three times (Matthew 26:75; Luke 22:62). He was restored when Jesus asked him three times by the Sea of Galilee if he loved Jesus and he did (John 21:15-19). An example in a parable Jesus taught is the tax collector in the temple who beat his breast and said, “God be merciful to me a sinner.” Jesus said he went home justified (Luke 18:13-14).
Blessed are the meek,
for they will
inherit the land. (Matt 5:5)
This meekness is not weakness but confidence and trust in God. Abraham allowed his nephew Lot to choose the land he wanted and he himself would take the rest. Lot chose fertile land leaving Abraham with worse land, but Lot had to leave it later before the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. (Gen 13 & 19)
Blessed are they who hunger and thirst
for righteousness,
for they will be satisfied. (Matt 5:6)
This is a deep longing for union with God, a deep desire to live in such a way that one’s entire life is pleasing to God. Our Lady is the most obvious example and apart from her we can think of John the beloved disciple, and Mary Magdalene after her conversion. John was the only one of the apostles who stayed with Jesus and went all the way to the cross. Mary Magdalene with Our Lady and other women also went to the cross (John 19:25-27). I see John and Mary Magdalene as models for the Christian life.
Blessed are the merciful,
for they
will be shown mercy. (Matt 5:7)
Various people mocked Jesus while he was on the cross—leaders, soldiers, and even one of the two criminals crucified beside Jesus. But the other criminal showed compassion to Jesus acknowledging that Jesus had done nothing wrong while the two of them were justly condemned. He asked Jesus to remember him when he came into his kingdom and Jesus promised he would be with him that day in Paradise (Luke 23:39-43). He showed mercy to Jesus and received mercy from Jesus.
Blessed are the clean of heart,
for
they will see God. (Matt 5:8)
Clean of heart means living what one professes. Jesus said “Let your ‘Yes’ mean ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No’ mean ‘No.’” (Matt 5:37) It means one’s commitment to Jesus is undivided. In the Gospels we read a number of complaints by Jesus about the Pharisees because they did not live what they professed (Matt 23). Hypocrisy is the opposite to being clean of heart.
Blessed are the peacemakers,
for they
will be called children of God. (Matt 5:9)
Joseph, the patriarch in the Old Testament, was a peacemaker when he was second-in-command in Egypt and his brothers came down from Judah during the famine to purchase food. He did not seek revenge on them for selling him into slavery but forgave them and told them it was part of God’s plan so that he could provide for them in their need. (Gen 45:4-7 & 50:18-21)
Blessed are they who are persecuted for
the sake of righteousness,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
(Matt 5:10)
John the Baptist is an example apart from Jesus of someone being persecuted in the cause of righteousness. He paid for his preaching about fidelity in marriage by being imprisoned and subsequently being beheaded.
Blessed are you when they insult you and
persecute you
and utter every kind of evil against you falsely
because of me.
Rejoice and be glad,
for your reward will be
great in heaven. (Matt 5:11-12)
There are many examples of this in the New Testament. After Pentecost, the apostles were brought before the Sanhedrin and threatened because they preached about Jesus. (Acts 4) When they were released, they preached again about Jesus, were arrested, flogged, and released, but continued preaching about Jesus (Acts 5). Like the apostles, St. Paul was in prison seven times for peaching about Jesus.
What must we do to bring about the kingdom of God? I think the beatitudes tell us. Jesus and Mary lived the beatitudes perfectly. We see many people throughout Sacred Scripture living the beatitudes and they teach us how to live the beatitudes today.
© Fr. Tommy Lane 2026
This homily was delivered in a parish in Ireland.
More Homilies for the Fourth Sunday Year A
The beatitudes show us the heart of God 2011
Jesus’ prescription for happiness: the beatitudes
Jesus lived the beatitudes perfectly 2008
Related Homilies: The Beatitudes in Luke (6th Sunday Year C)
stories about about reversals dialogue on the Beatitudes