which is commonly known as the “Beatitudes.” These beatitudes speak of consecrated living. Some list the number of beatitudes as eight, others as nine—depending on whether one counts all the “blessed” words or combines the persecution beatitude into one. We have listed the beatitudes as nine, for we have divided the persecution beatitude into the two parts. It is important to note that the word “blessed,” which is the hallmark of the beatitudes, means happiness. In its use in the Sermon on the Mount,