Blessedness Perfected

Beati qui esuriunt et sitiunt justitiam.... Sed quid facimus de eo, quod non ait, quaerunt, sed esurient justitiam, nisi ut intelligamus id esse justitiam animae, quod cibum et potum carni? Ipsa viaticum in itinere, juxta quod ex parte est: ipsa coena in patria, ubi perfecta est, ipsa lac parvulis, ipsa esca viris. Unde illa Prophetae exsecratio: Sicut ablactatus super matre sua, ita retribues in animam meam. Beati ergo qui esuriunt et sitiunt justitiam, quoniam ipsi saturabuntur. Tunc plena beatitas, qunado plena satietas; tunc plena plene satiabor, qui nunc in parte ex parte fruor. Nunc ad medicinam, tunc ad delectationem: nunc ad disciplinam, quae in praesenti videtur habere aliquid difficultatis moeroris, tunc ad gloriam, quando exercitatis per eam pacatissimum feret fructum of ipsius justitiae; ut hic quasi quidam flos justitiae sive omnis virtutis appareat, ibi plenitudo fructus carpatur. Sic sic ab inchoatione per profectum ad perfectum justitiae dirigendi sunt, qui in virtute beatitudinem quaerunt: cujus inchoatio quidem continet, nemini injuriam facere, profectus illatam patienter ferre, perfectio omnibus benefacere, si potest, si minus, velle. Isaac, Cisterciensis Abbas, Sermo III, In Festo Omnium Sanctorum Source: Migne PL 194.1698d-1699a

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness... 1 But what are we to make of this, that He does not say 'seek' but 'hunger' for righteousness, unless we understand that righteousness to the soul is as food and drink to the flesh? This is the food supplied on the way, according to which it is but partial, and then this is the feast in the fatherland, where it is perfected. This is milk for the babe, and then this is solid food for the man. 2 Whence the outburst of the Prophet, 'Like a weaned boy over his mother, thus you shall return it to my soul.' 3 Blessed, therefore, are those who hunger and thirst, for they shall be satisfied. Then blessedness is complete when there is full satisfaction. Then indeed I shall be fully satisfied with what I now enjoy in part. Now is the medicine, then the joy. Now is discipline, which in the present can seem so difficult and grievous, then the glory, when by exertion in discipline it bears the most peaceful fruit of righteousness. 4 Thus as there may appear here a certain bloom of righteousness, or of any virtue, so there the fullness of the fruit shall be plucked. Thus they who seek blessedness in virtue are directed from the beginning on through improvement to the perfection of righteousness, which beginning certainly consists of doing no harm to anyone, and whose advance is that we should suffer injury patiently, and whose perfection is the wish to do good to everyone, insofar as it is possible, even if little. Isaac of Stella, from Sermon 3 On The Feast Of All Saints 1 Mt 5.6 2 1 Cor 3.1-2 3 Ps 130.2 4 Heb 12.11