The Beatitude Attitude: The Power of Living Freely Through the Essence of Contentment

By Joanne C. Riley

The Beatitude Attitude was started thirty-six years ago when I began my
spiritual journey. I started by questioning who I was and where I was going
and found my answers in Jesuss teachings from the Sermon on the Mount
found in Matthew 5:3-12 (The Beatitudes). This book is my personal
spiritual journey and growth by living the Beatitudes every day, and
I found the power of living freely through the essence of contentment.
By deepening my spirituality, I was able to live a happier, healthier, and
peaceful life.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Nov 20, 2008
• ISBN: 9781465319333

Joanne C. Riley

Education: Lynn University, Boca Raton, Florida; diocese of Newark, New Jersey Pastoral Ministry: San Pedro Retreat Center, Florida (spiritual direction); Brevard County, Florida (trained in hospice). Volunteered: Hospice focused on the last twenty-four hours of life. Director of religious education in a parish in Melbourne Beach, Florida; General Federation of Women’s Club of Holly Springs, North Carolina, past president; Lion’s Club of Holly Springs, North Carolina, past president; founded a support group for the visually impaired in South Wake County, North Carolina; helped and started a thrift shop and counseling center for women of domestic violence in South Wake County, North Carolina. Ministry: counseling and spiritual directing for married coples, senior citizens, and those who are grieving.

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Copyright © 2008 by Joanne C. Riley.

Author Photograph by Jeffrey Heiges.

Cover Design by Adam Roth

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

This book was printed in the United States of America.

Joanne Riley is a public speaker and is offering workshops on the Beatitude Attitude or if you have any question for her, you can contact her at [e-mail].

To order additional copies of this book, contact:

Xlibris Corporation

1-888-795-4274

www.Xlibris.com

[e-mail]

37682

Contents

Foreword

In APPRECIATION

Introduction

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

To my grandchildren

Joseph and Grayson Nader

who bring me great joy and

are truly a blessing to me.

May this book help you to

live your life knowing all is

in divine order.

Foreword

Joanne Heron - Riley speaks to us from a place of deep spirit, wisdom, and compassion cultivated from her own experiences overcoming life traumas and challenges and her lifelong professional service as director of religious education, spiritual director, hospice volunteer and work with the visually impaired Her rich journey of living and working with the full spectrum of human experience, combined with her own deep spiritual work, have guided her to the attitudes of the Beatitudes as a clear and profound path to living a blessed and happy life.

The Beatitudes—the eight declarations of blessedness made by Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount—outline a path to supreme blessedness or felicity. In a sparkling, simple, and forthright manner, Joanne illuminates the core teachings of the Beatitudes and teaches us, step by step, how to live this path of supreme blessedness and felicity.

As Christ did, Joanne uses stories from daily life along with her own personal and professional life as teaching parables to bring the Word to life. Each story is uplifting, inspiring, poignant, and humorous. Each parable speaks to the heart of each Beatitude, inviting us to look deeply into our own hearts and lives, and to seek ways to live these timeless teachings all the more fully.

As Christ did, Joanne defines words in the Beatitudes that might otherwise be confusing in modern times and helps us understand their meaning and relevance in today’s world. At the same time, she challenges us with timeless questions that all humanity wrestles with and offers a simple path to a sacred way of being as an answer.

In so doing, she brings a clear understanding of His message to the people—of those times and now. Moreover, she offers hope and a way. The Beatitude Attitude is, in essence, a manual for cultivating attitudes to live a truly blessed, happy, and healthy life. Our hope is that you will find this book to be such for you.

May you and all beings be happy, healthy, peaceful, and safe.

Maya McNeilly, PhD; PsyD

In APPRECIATION

To all the people who believed in me and helped me to complete this book.

Especially:

Maya. Your love and encouragement over the years gave me strength to complete this book. You are my angel, and I am blessed that you are in my life.

Kim. You are a true friend, and I am grateful that you have stood by me over the years and have been a great help to me in many ways.

Ruth. You are a very special person in all that you do for others each and every day, including me.

Jack and Lois. Thank you for providing your home for me to complete this book.

Also, to all my friends, I want you to know that your love has sustained me through the years, and you all are very special gifts to me.

Introduction

Who is Jesus? Why do we have to go through him to God? What was his purpose on earth? What is the most important message Jesus tried to convey? I had asked these questions myself in 1972.

My husband of ten years just walked out one day, leaving me penniless with two small children. I was angry with God, myself, and my husband. What happened to my dreams? Where was I to go from here? This was the beginning of my spiritual journey.

Once I forgave God, myself, and my husband, I was able to go forth on my search to find out who Jesus was, and is, in my life. Yes, He is a prophet. It amazes me that for over two thousand years, everyone knew He was a great prophet. Whatever happened the day that He died on the cross must have been so powerful that the world accepted Him as the prophet.

In 1975, after making my Crusillo weekend, I found my answers. Of course, this followed years of taking many courses for pastoral ministry, grief ministry, studying the New Testament, becoming a spiritual director, and journalizing daily. I found that the Beatitudes became a way of life for me.

Who is Jesus? He is the Son of God, as we are the sons and daughters of God. Jesus is the bridegroom; He goes before me, comes after me, and stands beside me. He is my teacher, guiding and directing me with each step I take, never failing me along the way.

Why do we have to go through Him to God? God is the creator: I am because I am. John 14: 6-7: I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through me. If you really know me, you would know my Father also. From this point on you know Him; you have seen Him. By accepting Jesus as our mentor, we will find the new and loving way to live and see God.

What was Jesus’s purpose on earth? What I learned was Jesus came to teach His people to live the laws of God and His universe through love of one another. Jesus’s death freed us so we could accept and receive the gifts of the Spirit. All we need to do is be open to receive.

I would like to share with you a dream I had in 1995 regarding Jesus’s death. Jesus came to me and said, I am the Lord of the dance, come, dance with me! Joanne, come inside so to see with my eyes, hear with my ears, and feel what I am feeling as I walk to my death. As I saw with His eyes, I could see the pain on the people’s faces and the sadness in their hearts. Jesus told me, The pain and sadness was not for me but for themselves. I could hear their cries of anger, bitterness, and resentment. Jesus said, My people must release these things or they shall perish. Jesus asked me, "Joanne, what are