Beatitudes

Matthew 5: 1-11

When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up the mountain. He sat down and his disciples gathered around him. Then he spoke and began to teach them:

Fortunate are those who have the spirit of the poor, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Fortunate are those who mourn, they shall be comforted.

Fortunate are the gentle, they shall posses the land.

Fortunate are those who hunger and thirst for justice, for they shall be satisfied.

Fortunate are the merciful, for they shall find mercy.

Fortunate are those with a pure heart, for they shall see God.

Fortunate are those who work for peace, they shall be called children of God.

Fortunate are those who are persecuted for the cause of justice, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Fortunate are you, when people insult you and persecute you and speak all kinds of evil against you because you are my followers. Be glad and joyful, for a great reward is kept for you in God. This is how this people persecuted the prophets who lived before you.

1. “Blessed are the poor in Spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven.”

o God is on the side of the poor, the materially poor. They are the destitute, oppressed and powerless. They have no one to turn to, no one to defend them and to fight for their rights. They have no one except God in whom they put their trust.

o The “poor in spirit” refers to those who are not attached to their material possessions but use them for the service of others.

2. “Blessed are those who mourn for they shall be comforted.”

o Those who are afflicted with human sufferings which comes to us in many different forms, and who try their best to fight against the evil situations that cause their sufferings. And while doing so, they put their trust in God’s goodness. Then something good comes out of their suffering.

3. “Blessed are the meek for they shall inherit the earth.”

o The meek are people who have surrendered themselves completely to God. They have given up their worldly ambitions and have committed themselves to building God’s Kingdom of freedom, justice, peace and brotherhood in their societies. They are those who have committed themselves to social change through peace and non-violence.

4. “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.”

o In the Bible, “thirst” is often a symbol of an ardent desire for God. “Righteousness” refers to God’s saving will. This Beatitude means that those who work for justice or for God’s cause will not work in vain. God will satisfy their yearnings.

5. “Blessed are the merciful for they shall obtain mercy.”

o The merciful are the ones who understand the feelings and point of view of the others and can put themselves in the shoes of the others. Such persons are not only understating but also forgiving.

6. “Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God.”

o The “pure in heart” are those who are upright, who are sincere in their motives. To be “pure in heart” does not simply mean to be chaste. To “see God” is to experience God’s presence which brings peace, joy, strength, and God’s protection. It is intimacy with God.

7. “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.”

o Peace, in Hebrew “shalom”, is the sum total of all that makes people contented. It is the serenity and contentment of a person who is in harmony with God, with others, with oneself, with nature.

o The peacemakers are not those who keep silent and do nothing because they are afraid to face issues and problems.

o The peacemakers are those who confront issues and problems and do their best to overcome obstacles to true peace. To be a “Son of God” is to be close to God.

8. “Blessed are those who are persecuted, for righteousness sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”

o They are those who are persecuted and who suffer because they stand for what is right and just. They share in the sufferings of Christ. They shall also share his glory. Christians who dedicate their lives to Christ will have the joy of knowing that they are not suffering for the sake of something but for someone. Their reward will be God himself.

My Favorite TV Show Ever

The Simpsons is an American animated television series created by Matt Groening for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series is a satirical parody of a working-class American lifestyle epitomized by its eponymous family, which consists of Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa, and Maggie. The show is set in the fictional city of Springfield, and lampoons American culture, society, television and many aspects of the human condition.

The family was conceived by Groening shortly before a pitch for a series of animated shorts with the producer James L. Brooks. Groening created a dysfunctional family and named the characters after members of his own family, substituting Bart for his own name. The shorts became a part of The Tracey Ullman Show on April 19, 1987. After a three-season run, the sketch was developed into a half-hour prime time show and was an early hit for Fox, becoming the first Fox series to land in the Top 30 ratings in a season (1989–1990).

Since its debut on December 17, 1989 the show has broadcast 467 episodes and the twenty-second season started airing on September 26, 2010. The Simpsons Movie, a feature-length film, was released in theaters worldwide on July 26 and July 27, 2007, and grossed US$527 million worldwide.

The Simpsons has won dozens of awards since it debuted as a series, including 27 Primetime Emmy Awards, 27 Annie Awards and a Peabody Award. Time magazine's December 31, 1999 issue named it the 20th century's best television series, and on January 14, 2000 the Simpson family was awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. The Simpsons is the longest-running American sitcom, the longest-running American animated program, and in 2009 it surpassed Gunsmoke as the longest running American primetime entertainment series. Homer's exclamatory catchphrase "D'oh!" has been adopted into the English lexicon, while The Simpsons has influenced many adult-oriented animated sitcoms.

Masbate

The mixing of Luzon and Visayan culture is the province of Masbate. The province lies south of the Bicol Peninsula. It is an archipelago composed of three major islands of Masbate, Burias and Ticao set in the inland sea of the Philippines Archeological diggings around the gold mines of Aroroy give evidence of flourishing settlements on the island of Masbate from the 14^th up to 16^th century. The existence of these settlements encouraged the Spaniards to explore the island, and then called Masbad, under the direction of Mateo de Saz and Martin de Goiti, to gather supplies for the Spanish settlements in Cebu and Panay. The Spaniards found flourishing settlements on the island and in the neighboring islands of Ticao and Burias. It was from Masbate that the Spaniards eventually landed on Luzon.

Masbate became part of the province of Ibalon, which later became the province of Albay. During the 17^th and 18^th centuries, the islands of Masbate, Ticao and Burias were heavily raided by Moro slavers. During the late 18^th century, these islands formed way stations for slave raiders who gathered captured slaves in various points before transporting them to Mindanao and Sulu. The Moros were forced to abandon these stations at the turn of the 19^th century.

More than half of the people of Masbate speak Masbateño a language that is closely related to Hiligaynon and Capiznon. However, in various municipalities of the island, various other languages are spoken. In the vicinity of the towns of Cataingan, Palanas, and Dimasalang, most residents speak Waray or Sinamarleyte. In Pio Corpuz the people speak Cebuano while in Placer and in the west coast along coast of Mandaon Hiligaynon are spoken. On Ticao and Burias, Bicol is spoken by the residents.

The province of Masbate is known as cattle country. The cattle breed found on the island was taken from herds in India that have flourished in the benign climate of the island. The province is the second largest supplier of cattle that is brought to Manila for slaughter. This industry has inspired the establishment of a 'Rodeo Filipino' on the third week of June. This festival features a week-long tournament of bull riding, cattle wrestling, lassoing, calf casting, post driving, carabao racing and a host of other ‘rodeo’ games. This unique observance is also accompanied by cattle raising contests, a trade fair and parades, much like the rodeos in the American West.

Masbate has carved an important economic niche in the Philippines based on its thriving livestock and metallic mining industries and on the foundation of these industries, further growth is assured. Masbate lies strategically in the cross roads between Bicol and the Visayas. The province sprawls over 4,048 square kilometers of territory that is suitable for a range of activities such as agriculture, pasturing, and fishponds. The province is a top livestock producer rising, not only cattle, but swine, caribou, goats and poultry as well. Fishing grounds that support small and medium scale fishing activities surround the islands. Apart from these resources, the province is also blessed with great deposits of gold, copper, silver, iron, manganese, limestone, marble, clay, quarts and feldspar, which allow Masbate to contribute almost 60 percent of Bicol’s mine receipts.Livestock farming, and agriculture remain as the main sources of livelihood for the province. The local government continues to support the growth of these industries and encourages the establishment of value adding activities. The province will benefit from agri-based industries such as food, dairy and beef processing, feed mills and livestock support services, breeding farms and hatcheries. Mining also remains highly profitable.