Gwen Coté, pastoral associate with Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Punta Gorda noted that the church needs the Beatitudes more now than ever.

"Never in our lives have we needed the Beatitudes of Jesus more than now," Coté said in the church's Nov. 1 bulletin. "There is a malevolent anxiety and depression, lying like a pall over our country and our world. Jesus spoke to His people who felt hopeless and helpless words that find a home in our hearts today."

Coté quoted Jesus, saying that the poor in spirit are blessed; those who are in mourning; those who are meek; those who want righteousness; those who are merciful, clean of heart, peacemakers and persecuted.

“Blessed are the poor in spirit— blessed are we who are bone weary from isolation, uncertainty, hopelessness and the feeling that this time of insecurity will never end, for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven," she said in the bulletin.

She said that those who are mourning the loss of loved ones are blessed, as well as those who must carry the burden of knowing that their loved ones died alone, for those individuals will be comforted.

"Blessed are the meek— blessed are our brothers and sisters who fear for their children," Coté said. "Those who have lost their livelihood and know only lack. Those for whom abundance is a distant dream, for they will inherit the land."

She said that those who are thirsting for righteousness and strive for justice are also blessed.

"Blessed are we when we can look beyond brown, black, blue, gay, straight, unborn, imprisoned, and say with conviction all lives are God's and God's alone, for they will be satisfied," Coté said. "Blessed are the merciful— blessed are we when we forgive, allowing God to be the only judge, for they will be shown mercy."

Coté noted that the clean of heart are blessed because they put their trust in God.

*Blessed are the peacemakers— blessed are those who stand on the front line to make things better: first responders, firefighters, medical personnel, teachers and counselors, for they will be called children of God," she said. "Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness— blessed are those who stand in the face of injustice and remind us who we are and whose we are, for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven.”