The Beatitudes depict the countenance of Jesus Christ and portray his Charity. They Express the Vocation of the Faithful associated with the Glory of his Passion and Resurrection; they shed light on the actions and attitudes Characteristic of the Christian life; they are the paradoxical Promises that sustain Hope in the midst of tribulations; they proclaim the Blessings and rewards already secured, however dimly, for Christ's Disciples; they have begun in the lives of the Virgin Mary and all the Saints.