Jesus is on the mountain. The disciples are there separate from the people they formerly, and so comfortably, belonged to. Once they were called out by Jesus and responded, they had a new identity apart from the crowd.
They were ordinary crowd dwellers until the call.
The disciples staring at the people in the face; the people staring at the disciples in the face. Awkward in some ways, yet definitely different than their pre-Jesus experience.
The disciples were still a part of the people, but Jesus sees them differently, even though they may not see themselves as distinctly different yet. "But disciples and people are one, for they are all members of the Church which is called of God."
"They have only Hi, and with Him they have nothing, literally nothing in the world, but everything with and through God."
His rejection is theirs. They now belong together.
These "called out" ones are blessed because the call and promise;
they are poor because they have no security, no possessions to call their own, not even a foot of earth to call their home, no earthly society to claim their absolute allegiance. No spiritual power, experience or knowledge to afford them consolation or security;
For His sake they have lost all.
(* Note: The Anti-Christ also calls the poor blessed, but for quite a different reason, not for the sake of the cross, which embraces all poverty and transforms it into a source of blessing...he raises a smoke screen of political and social ideology. He may call it Christian, but that only makes him still a more dangerous enemy)
they are mourning because they are refusing to be in tune with the world or to accommodate oneself to its standards; mourning for the world, for its guilt, its fate and its fortune;
(The gulf is widened more between the disciples and the people with each beatitude)
they are meek because renounce every right of their own to live for the sake of Jesus Christ. They show by every word and gesture that they do not belong to this earth;
they hunger and thirst after righteousness as they renounce their own righteousness because Jesus did, too;
they are merciful because they renounced their own dignity as they take upon themselves the distress and humiliation and sin of others willingly;
they are pure in heart because they have surrendered their hearts completely to Jesus so that He may reign in them (pure hearts see God);
they are peacemakers because they have been called to peace as children of God. They must not only have peace, but must also make peace. Peace was made upon the cross.
they are persecuted because of the sake of Christ.
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