“RIGHTeousness – The RIGHT way”

      By: Dylan Tantuico 

      “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be satisfied.” 
Righteousness is a word that insists that one strives for the justice, peace, faith, and truth. There is such a thing as righteousness towards what is morally right and righteousness towards our faith. These aspects of righteousness are what are necessary in our world today. It is through the embodiment of this value where evils such as depression, abuse, and dishonesty may be overwritten. Righteousness works hand in hand with Christian to allow a person to openly seek for what is true to oneself and one’s neighbor.
      When one is righteous he/she exhibits the “right way” towards the success of oneself and humanity. It is this same righteousness that should be employed when one is in the course of his vocation. An example would be that of a judge. A judge’s vocation is to uphold the justice in society, but it is through righteousness that this judge ignores the potential evils evident in this job such as bribery and the like. This value ensures the truthful and right way of judgment
      The beatitudes were made so that they could fully apply to our lives. These beatitudes must be applied in everything we do or say. The shortcomings and application of these beatitudes in the world around is happens at a daily, but there is one story in my life that I will not forget. It is the first bloodless revolution held by Corazon Aquino. It was a cheering sight to notice all the people wanting change through a peaceful manner. They were all united under our faith. It is then that we were truly ONE as children of God. They vouched for peace, and God protected them. This event taught me the reality of the beatitudes.
      For me, the hardest beatitude to follow is, “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.” We are surrounded with all the worldly temptation nowadays. Money, fame, power, and pleasure are just some of the temporal pleasures people wish to attain, today. Most of our actions are done so that we can attain such vice; however, since we are shrouded by these evils we fail to notice the only intention that we should possess in everything we do – Love. Love for God, one self, and one’s neighbor. It is through this that we are pure in heart.
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      These beatitudes will bring Unity to the world. These ways of acting would help us realize the mission of the Church which is the communion of all its constituents under the name of God. These beatitudes would allow us to live a harmonious life with one another;  where people live in mutual understanding and care towards Christians, and Non- Believers alike.