Beatitudes - Front Lord's Prayer - Center of the Sermon on the Mount

The author hopes this small 'Primer' will stimulate deep contemplation of two of Christianity's most famous and powerful sayings within the context of where Jesus spoke them, chapters five, six, and seven from the Gospel of Matthew, the Sermon on the Mount. Having imbibed the spiritual truths from this starting point of Jesus's teaching ministry, the reader will then follow where Jesus leads to nine mountain-top experiences subtly and not so subtly embedded by Matthew within his gospel to contemplate nine biblical characters, Adam, Abel, Noah, Abraham, Joseph, Moses, (think of Moses and Elijah with Jesus during His mountaintop transfiguration), David, John the Baptist and Jesus. Lastly, the reader will contemplate the Catholic Church's sacraments as the source of strength Christ gives those traveling the arduous beatific journey away from self-indulgence towards self-giving.