St. Mary’s College of Baliuag, Inc.
City of Baliwag, Bulacan
SY 2024-2025
Re-Search in CL9
Agustin, Aimee Therese Cordero
Name: __________________________________ Date: February 27, 2025
_______________
9 – Our lady of charity
Grade & Section: __________________________
Activity #1
BEATITUDE
In my opinion and perspective, the Beatitudes describe how God provides us with a
path or a roadmap to achieving happiness. Happiness, as we all know, isn't truly there unless
we consider it a blessing that aligns with our beliefs, but it's more than just how we feel; it's
accompanied by a deeper form of joy that comes from a healthy connection with our Creator.
God bestows the beatitudes, which are blessings that allow us to achieve success and fulfillment
in accordance with divine favor or spiritual guidance.
PEACE
"The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus"
In my opinion, Peace with God is more than just leading a stress-free life or avoiding
problems; it is about feeling incredibly calm and comfortable no matter what is happening
around us and a presence of justice and fairness. Philippians 4:7 reminds us that we can
experience God's peace, which is beyond our understanding, when we put our faith in Him.
Even though life might be uncertain and fears can overwhelm us, God's peace acts as a shield,
protecting our hearts and minds from fear and worry. We endure such challenges because it
makes us stronger to face reality and surpass success. It indicates that even if life has presented
us with obstacles we believed we couldn't conquer, it is a sign that we are headed in the right
direction.
JUSTICE
The Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC 1807) states that justice "disposes one to
respect the rights of each and to establish in human relationships the harmony that promotes
equity with regard to persons and to the common good." This means that justice is not only
about following the law but also about establishing the right relationships in society, making
sure that everyone is treated with respect and dignity because everyone deserves to feel loved,
recognized equally, and valued. Justice and love are closely related, as Jesus taught in "Love
your neighbor as yourself," which exhorts us to treat people the way we would like to be
treated.
Activity #2
-What do you think the beatitudes are?
Based on our previous discussions, the Beatitudes are a series of blessings given by
Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount, which is considered in the Old Testament as one of the
most sacred places. These beatitudes were recorded in Matthew 5:1-12, which comes with a
promise of blessing, showing that God rewards those who are meek, seek righteousness, are
pure in heart, are merciful, and are peacemakers. It highlights that God sees us by the virtues
we possess, not based on our power or status in life. These beatitudes serve as our guide that
leads to true happiness in God’s Kingdom. Guiding and reminding us that the suffering and
persecution are part of the process as we are into His direction to obtain His glory and blessing.
-How do Justice and Peace relate to daily life?
True justice and peace are two sides of the same coin; justice isn't justice if society isn't
united, and peace cannot exist without solidarity, dignity, and respect for everyone. As a
reminder that creating an equal society is the foundation of harmony, Pope Francis famously
said, "If you want peace, work for justice." Peace is made possible by equity, which is provided
by justice. Thus, peace is necessary in our daily relationships with others, the community, and
the wider world. In reality, justice is attained by upholding the values of fairness, kindness, and
honesty and protecting the rights of others. Peace is not the absence of violence; rather, it is
the outcome of taking steps to foster compassion in laws and regulations. All things
considered, we must all strive for justice and demonstrate God's love to the world if we want
peace to lead us in our daily lives, most especially nowadays that we can’t consider the place
we are facing as safe for everyone.
Activity #3
Research Phase (Citations)
Castaldo, C. (2023, July 22) 10 Things You Should Know about the Beatitudes.
https://www.crossway.org/articles/10-things-you-should-know-about-the-
beatitudes/
Clifton, B. (2021, February 17) Why We Need The Beatitudes Now More Than
Ever. Train Yourself Ministry.
https://www.trainyourselfministry.com/why-we-need-the-beatitudes-now-more-
than-ever/
Bylina,S. (2022, July 25) Justice is the Pillar of Peace in the Teaching of the
Catholic Church.
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/364279980_JUSTICE_IS_A_PILLAR_O
F_PEACE_IN_THE_TEACHING_OF_THE_CATHOLIC_CHURCH
Swetland, M. S. (2020, March 17). A primer on peace. Catholic Answers.
https://www.catholic.com/magazine/print-edition/a-primer-on-peace
Gospel in life. (n.d.). https://gospelinlife.com/article/justice-in-the-bible/
Analyzation:
According to Castaldo, C. The Beatitudes summarize the calling and
the deepest needs we have in Christ. They dismantle the false assumptions we
might have accepted on faith and reflect the life God desires for his people.
Jesus underscores the humble trajectory of his kingdom whereby mercy and
humility play a crucial role. He stated that the Beatitudes serve as a challenge to
our idols, inviting us instead to the embracing of poverty, meekness, and purity
of heart. Through these virtues, God's promise of comfort and strength is
revealed. The beatitudes also challenge overly consumer-friendly Christianity
that focuses on the here-and-now without ever dealing with death, eternity, or
judgment. He also concludes that the Beatitudes assert that there is an
explanation for the highs and lows of life, for an inheritance that is both now and
to come. In a nutshell, he says that Beatitudes set the directional focus for
Christians towards a brighter future and richer fellowship with God.
https://www.crossway.org/articles/10-things-you-should-know-about-the-
beatitudes/
Clifton, B. suggests in The Beatitudes, a sermon on virtue, altered the
entire humanity for the better and advanced moral revolution in Christianity. He
taught how humility, forgiveness, compassion, mercy, purity and peace can
create a wonderful transformation in human life and its goal can be shifted from
mere existence to love, service and goodness. He claims that the church has
neglected the teachings of the Beatitude which, in his opinion, are vital in order
to emulate Christ. A failure to fulfill the Beatitudes comes with relaxation of
some of the least commandments earning one a lower kingdom status. He
argued that to change the culture, then the values of the culture must be
changed. For that to happen, then the Church must start acting like the Church.
https://www.trainyourselfministry.com/why-we-need-the-beatitudes-now-more-
than-ever/
The article by Bylina, S. notes that justice is essential for peace, a virtue
stated by both the Second Vatican Council and the prophet Isaiah. It brings to
light the encyclical Pacem in Terris by Pope John XXIII, which emphasizes the
dignity of human life and the need to create social harmony based on both
rights and obligations. He also calls on the masses to pray to Christ the
Redeemer, asking for the gift of peace. He calls people to be proponents of
truth, justice, and love, helping to establish a new paradigm of social relations
based on such values.
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/364279980_JUSTICE_IS_A_PILLAR_O
F_PEACE_IN_THE_TEACHING_OF_THE_CATHOLIC_CHURCH
According to the Monsignor, peace originates from the Bible and is
used in the region of the Old Testament using the word shalom, which means to
be whole. The Septuagint translates shalom as eirene, which is the form of God’s
supreme wrath translating into civil commotion or wars bursting within. Shalom
is known to have common usage referring to moral goodness, and Christians
who spoke Greek were known to refer to Eirene for the virtue coming from God
during the global age or the one for salvation. In order to maintain peace, he
says that the correct tool for every specific task must be applied. Psychologists
who are under social science may assist with family issues and relationships and
provide tips on how to create balance in oneself but require oversights civically
or devoid of any form of religion to not make the best practitioner. God’s peace
is known to be a gift for man to cherish and not dispose of, regardless of any
form of disturbance. It's a peace that is profound and lasting, within an
individual and only available through faith and assurance in the higher power
that comes from God. https://www.catholic.com/magazine/print-edition/a-primer-
on-peace
The article states that Biblical justice is rooted in God's character and is
not a set of rules or guidelines. It is both retributive and reparative, punishing
evildoing and restoring those who are victims of injustice. Herman Bavinck
argues that God's restorative justice is more prominent in Scripture than his
retributive justice. God stands against perverting justice due to the poor, slaying
the innocent, accepting bribes, and oppressing the alien, widow, and orphan. His
justice is a manifestation of his grace and mercy. The Lord's justice is both
retributive and remunerative, and will come to final fulfillment at the end of
history. Biblical justice is characterized by radical generosity, universal equality,
life-changing advocacy, and asymmetrical responsibility.
https://gospelinlife.com/article/justice-in-the-bible/
Activity #4
-What surprised you about the Beatitudes?
As discussed in the articles, the Beatitudes are surprising since they completely
contradicted the listeners' expectations, including mine when I was researching. Jesus
astonished the world by bestowing favors on the humble, the persecuted, the mourning,
and the impoverished in spirit during a period when everything seemed to revolve around
wealth, status, and power. Instead of attaching being “blessed” to having material success or
having lots of wealth, Jesus proposed the idea that it meant to have deep-rooted God-fear,
which is portrayed by living in humility, mercy, caring deeply for purity, and having a
genuine desire for righteousness. All of these ideas suggested a kingdom not under earthly
power but overtaken by spiritual revolution and everlasting reward. In doing so, the
Beatitudes transformed the way people used to think of happiness and success, presenting
a completely different view of what God expects from them.
-How does your new understanding of Justice and Peace compare to your initial idea?
In the beginning, my only understanding of peace was feeling well, safe, and calm as
well as a state of justice that I thought meant fairness and equal treatment. After reading the
articles, I learned that peace is much more than the absence of conflict. It is portrayed as
shalom which goes beyond the definition of peace which is solely a lack of conflict but
denotes an overarching sense of harmony, wholeness, and right relationships with God,
others, and creation. (Catholic Answers and Gospel in Life) Turning to justice, in the biblical
context, as narrated in Gospel in Life, it is more than simply being fair but involves
compassionately prioritizing the needs of the most vulnerable, ensuring their dignity, and
mending and restoring shattered relationships. The article in ResearchGate also argues that
within Catholic teaching, justice is a pillar of peace because it establishes order for genuine
reconciliation and lasting integration. My initial insight, “There is no justice without love and
peace, and there is no peace without love,” relates to the conclusions of the articles that I
have read. The articles emphasize that love, particularly love for one’s neighbor,
accomplishes both justice and peace. In Catholic doctrine, love of neighbor is foundational
to achieving a just and peaceful society. Thus, prosperity is not only having material
possessions, but also the existence and well being of people in the appropriate relationship
with God and one another.
Conclusion:
As I pondered over the teachings of the Beatitudes during the time that I
conducted my research, I noticed how the concepts of peace and justice are not just ancient
beliefs, but surviving principles we can use today. The Beatitudes explain that we are all
meant to attain happiness and success through humble living, merciful service, seeking
God’s righteousness, and abiding with Him, even when the times are tough. We learn that
God looks at our hearts and deeds, rather than our position and wealth. Moreover, I have
come to understand that feeling peaceful does not simply mean one is tranquil or that
problems are non-existent. True peace, as described in the Bible, means living in harmony
with God, with other people, and with creation. It is peace that stems from a deeper spiritual
strength and unwavering faith in God during hard times. On the other hand, justice is more
than just treating everyone equally; it is ensuring every individual is treated with basic
fundamental kindness, especially the needy and vulnerable. Justice and peace go hand in
hand, for there cannot be peace without justice, and justice is born from love and affection for
fellow beings. In our daily lives, we can apply these teachings by showing kindness and
respect to everyone we meet, standing up for what is right, helping those in need, and
being peacemakers in our families, schools, and communities. Loving our neighbor, as Jesus
taught, means acting with fairness, forgiveness, and understanding. If we live out these
values, we can help create a more just and peaceful world, starting with ourselves.
