Complete Works of Saint Jerome, Vol. VII (1865) - Page 22

(Ver. 4) "Blessed are the meek, for they shall possess the land."

Not the land of Judea, nor the land of this world; not the cursed land, bringing forth thorns and thistles (Gen. iii, 18), which every cruel man and warrior possesses the most; but the land which the Psalmist desires, saying: I believe to see the good things of the Lord in the land of the living (Ps. xxvi, 13). Such a possessor, and after victory a conqueror, is also described in the forty-fourth psalm: And set out, proceed prosperously, and reign, because of truth and meekness and justice (Ps. xliv, 5). For no one possesses this land through meekness, but through pride.

(Ver. 5) "Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted."

This mourning is not placed for those dead by the common law of nature, but for the sins and vices of the dead. Thus Samuel also wept for Saul, because God had repented that He had made him king over Israel (I Kings xv, 11). Thus also the apostle Paul says he weeps and mourns for those who have not done penance after fornication and uncleanness (II Cor. xii, 21).

24 (Ver. 6) "Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after justice: for they shall have their fill." It is not enough for us to desire justice unless we suffer a hunger for justice: so that, following this example, we understand that we are never just enough, but are always hungering for the works of justice.

(Ver. 7) "Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy."

Mercy is understood not only in almsgiving, but in every sin of a brother, if we bear one another's burdens (Gal. vi, 2).

(Ver. 8) "Blessed are the clean of heart: for they shall see God."

Those whom no consciousness of any sin accuses. The clean is seen by the clean of heart: the temple of God cannot be polluted.

(Ver. 9) "Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God."

Those who make peace first in their own heart, and then among disagreeing brothers. For what does it profit that others are pacified by you, when in your own mind there are wars of vices?

(Ver. 10) "Blessed are they that suffer persecution for justice' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven."

He pointedly added, for justice' sake. For many suffer persecution because of their own sins, and they are not just. Consider also that the eighth beatitude of true circumcision is concluded by martyrdom.

(Ver. 11) "Blessed are ye when they shall revile you, and persecute you, and speak all that is evil against you, untruly, for my sake."

That curse is to be despised which creates a blessing, which is uttered by the falsely reviling mouth. Hence He specially defined what is a blessed curse: All, saying, that is evil against you, untruly, for my sake. Therefore, where Christ is the cause, there even a curse is to be desired.

(Ver. 12) "Be glad and rejoice, for your reward is very great in heaven. For so they persecuted the prophets that were before you."

I do not know who among us can fulfill this, that our reputation be lacerated by insults, and we rejoice in the Lord. He who chases after vain glory cannot fulfill this. We ought therefore to be glad and rejoice, so that a reward may be prepared for us in heaven. We read it written elegantly in a certain volume: "Seek not glory, and you will not grieve when you are inglorious" (Ecclus. ix, 16).

(Ver. 13) "You are the salt of the earth."

The apostles are called salt, because through them the whole human race is seasoned. 25 "But if the salt lose its savour, wherewith shall it be salted?" If a teacher errs, by what other teacher will he be corrected? "It is good for nothing any more but to be cast out, and to be trodden on by men." The example is taken from agriculture. For salt, just as it is necessary for the seasoning of foods and for drying meats, has no other use. Indeed, we read in the Scriptures that certain cities, by the wrath of the victors, were sown with salt so that no sprout would grow in them (Judith ix). Therefore, let teachers and bishops beware and see: The mighty shall be mightily tormented (Wis. vi, 7): and that there is no remedy; but the ruins of the greater lead to the abyss.

(Ver. 14-16) "You are the light of the world. A city seated on a mountain cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle and put it under a bushel, but upon a candlestick, that it may shine to all that are in the house. So let your light shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven."

He teaches the boldness of preaching, lest the apostles hide themselves out of fear and be like a candle under a bushel, but that they reveal themselves with full liberty, so that what they have heard in chambers, they may preach on the housetops (Matt. x, 27).

(Ver. 17) "Do not think that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets. I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill."

Either because He fulfilled what was prophesied about Himself through others, or because those things which before, on account of the weakness of the listeners, had been crude and imperfect, He fulfilled by His own preaching—removing wrath, and excluding the law of retaliation, and the secret concupiscence original: "concupiscentiam" in the mind (Matt. v, 22, 39).

(Ver. 18) "Till heaven and earth pass."

New heavens and a new earth are promised to us, which the Lord God is about to make. If, therefore, new things are to be created, consequently the old are to pass away. But what follows: "One jot, or one tittle shall not pass of the law, till all be fulfilled." By the figure of the letter, it is shown that even those things which are thought to be the least in