It is interesting that only two of the nine Beatitudes, that mark the beginning of the Sermon on the Mount, have their reward in the present. They are: "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven" and "Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." (Mtt 5: 3 and 10) The kingdom of heaven, therefore, is a present reality for those who are poor in spirit and are persecuted for righteousness' sake. When we pray the Lord's Prayer during the Mass we say: "Our Father in heaven, hallowed by thy name, thy kingdom come...". Thus, we desire to be subjects of the Father's heavenly rule and not ruled by any other authority, temporal or spiritual. So, what is this kingdom? St Paul tells the Romans: "For the kingdom of God is not food and drink but the righteous and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit." (Rm 14: 17) When we serve the church, through ministries and prayer, we are striving to be poor in spirit, and when we testify to our faith in public, we open ourselves to being persecuted for righteousness' sake. In this way we can experience righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit, here and now.
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