that we are afflicted and mocked, and that not only do we almost have death
CHAPTER 2: Blessed Are the Poor in Spirit and Those Who Mourn
that we are afflicted and mocked, and that not only do we almost have death constantly before us, but that we are held in disgrace and slandered, that we are insulted, that people spit in our faces. We must feel this, and we must carry it valiantly like a burden that will be placed on our backs, as if a man had to walk, he will carry his package on his back. Thus, our Lord Jesus Christ clarifies to us that we cannot walk after him, and cannot also be among his number, unless each person takes up this burden. And what is it? It is not to enjoy our comforts: but on the contrary, it is that we are condemned as people, that death threatens us, that we are besieged from all sides, that our life is one continual languishing. Brief, as for this world, let us be held and deemed miserable. It is therefore the very alphabet, which is taught to us in the school of our Lord Jesus Christ. Now what would it be like if we remained in this imagination which is so imprinted in our brain, so much so that it is as though it were born in us, namely this opinion, that if we are thus afflicted in the world, that we cannot be happy. There is no one who would not flee and distance himself from our Lord Jesus Christ, and none of us would willingly be his disciple: even if his doctrine were approved, and we were convinced that he is the Son of God, and he who calls us to himself. If this were, we would still say, See, does he not know our weakness and our fragility? And why then does he not support us? In short, everyone would draw back when we remained in this opinion, which is (as I said) so rooted in us that we cannot count ourselves blessed if we were not at rest and at ease. This is why our Lord Jesus Christ preached this to his disciples, showing them that our blessedness does not consist in the world applauding us, in honors, riches, delights and pleasure. But on the contrary, even if we are oppressed to the end, if we are in continual tears, if we are persecuted, if we are apparently ruined, this does not make our condition worse, and does not lessen our happiness. How? Because we must consider the outcome. So where our Lord Jesus Christ takes us back to correct this false opinion with which we are possessed, and which so twists our minds that we cannot submit to its law, it is to know that we must look beyond the present, and look at what is the outcome of our afflictions, of our tears, and of the persecutions that are made to us, and of the sufferings that we have to endure. When we therefore see how God turns all these things to our good and salvation, then we will be able to conclude that we are still blessed even though it is our nature recoils from it.
But he begins with the poor in spirit. Some have have interpreted this too subtly, as if he were saying that the spiritually poor are those who despair of themselves, who know that they have no virtue, no wisdom, no righteousness.'