Blessings And Suffering

Beati inquit cum vos persequuntur, et exprobrant et dicunt omne malum adversum vos propter justitiam, mentientes: Gaudete et exsultare, quoniam merces vestra copiosa est in coelis: Sic enim persecuti sunt prophetas qui fuerunt ante vos Perfecta virtus est, fratres, post totius justitiae ministrationes, propter vertitatem opprobria ab hominibus sustinere, affligi cruciatibus, morte denique affici, nec terreri, proposito nobis exemplo Prophetarum, qui diversis modis propter justitiam lacerati, passionum Christi conformes et praemii esse meruerunt. Hic gradus celsior est, in quo Christum Paulus aspiciens dicebat: 'Unum autem, quae quidem retro sunt obliviscens, ad ea quae in primo sunt me extendens, sector ad bravium supernae vocationis Dei in Christo Jesu'  Et adhuc apertius ad Timotheum: Certamen, inquit, bonum certavi, cursum consummavi ' Quasi qui omnes gradus ascenderat, addidit: Fidem servavi: In reliquo reposita est mihi corona justitiae.' Vere enim universo cursu completo hoc supererat, ut per tribulationes et passiones gaudens Paulus, ad gradum sublimiorem martyrii perveniret. Digne ergo Dominus servis suis suadet: 'Gaudete,' inquiens, ' et exsultate, quia merces vestra copiosa est in caelis'; et crescere per incrementa persecutionum evidenter ostendit. Ostensi sunt, fratres, octo gradus Evangelici, exstucti ex lapidibus, ut dixeram, pertiosis. Ostensa est illa scala Jacobi, cujus cacumen de terra pertingebat ad coelum, ac per eam ingressus, sine fine in conspectu Domini laetus astabit, laudaturus Dominum cum sanctis angelis in aeternum. Sanctus Chromatius Aquileiensis, Sermo De Octo Beatitudinibus

'Blessed are you' He said 'when they persecute you and revile you and speak every evil against you on account of righteousness, telling lies: Rejoice and be happy, because your reward is great in heaven. For so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.' 1 Perfect is the virtue, brothers, after the service of the whole of righteousness, that on account of truth suffers the opprobrium of men, is afflicted with tortures, and finally on which death is imposed, nor is there fear, with the example of the Prophets given to us, who were grieved with many things on account of righteousness, conforming to the sufferings of Christ and meriting reward. This is the more heavenly step, in which Paul sees Christ, saying, 'One thing, forgetting what is left behind and to those things before me straining, pursuing the goal, the heavenly calling of God in Christ Jesus.' 2 And then openly he says to Timothy. 'I have fought the good fight, I have run the race.' 3 As one who has climbed up all the steps, he adds, 'I have kept the faith and there awaits for me a crown of righteousness.'  4 Truly with the whole course completed this one has overcome, through tribulations and suffering Paul rejoices, having come to the higher step of martyrdom. Worthily then the Lord exhorts his servants, saying ' Rejoice, and be happy your wealth is great in heaven.' and he openly shows that it grows as persecution increases. Revealed, brothers, are the eight steps of the Gospel, built from precious stones, so to say. The ladder of Jacob is revealed,  which stretches from earth to heaven, 4 and by it there is entry, that without end one may stand joyful in the presence of the Lord, praising the Lord with the holy angels in eternity.   Saint Chromatius of Aquileia, On the Eight Beatitudes   1 Mt 5.11 -12  2 Phillip 3.13 - 14  3 2 Tim 4.7  4 2 Tim 4.8  5 Gen 26.12