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Orthodox Confession

St Peter Mogila, tr. Lodvel, 1762

Part 2, 7. Questions 61–63

Question 61

What is the ninth Beatitude?

Answer.

Blessed are ye when Men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of Evil against you, falsely, for my Sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad, for great is your Reward in Heaven.

Question 62

What is contained in this Beatitude?

Answer.

The Apostles, Martyrs, and all those who suffer Persecution for the orthodox and catholic Faith; who are reviled and afflicted, despoiled of their Goods and Possessions, driven into Banishment and Disgrace, and, finally, deprived even of their Lives, and their Blood cruelly shed, are the Possessors of this Beatitude.

Question 63

How are we to think concerning the Works to which Christ hath promised the Reward of this Beatitude?

Answer.

First, That these good Works are so connected and joined together, that whosoever really and truly hath one of these Virtues, he possesses them all; and so, likewise, that he who is entirely destitute of any one is void of all the rest.

Secondly, You are to understand, concerning these good Works that we have recited, that he who doth them will not only enjoy eternal Blessedness in Heaven, but also in this Life, by the divine Favour, will receive a plentiful Reward of temporal good Things: According to the Words of Christ (Matth. xix. 29), Every one that hath forsaken Houses, or Brethren, or Sisters, or Father, or Mother, or Wife, or Children, or Lands, for my Name’s Sake, shall receive an hundred-fold, and shall inherit everlasting Life. And elsewhere (Mark x. 29), There is no Man that hath left House, or Brethren, or Sisters, or Father, or Mother, or Wife, or Children, or Lands, for my Sake and the Gospel’s, but he shall receive an hundred-fold now in this Time, Houses, and Brethren, and Sisters, and Mothers, and Children, and Lands, with Persecutions; and in the World to come eternal Life.