The Blessedness (of the Be-Attiudes) involves living a deliberately chosen life
which is not involved in the power and violence of the world, and which –
because of this fact – makes the ones living this sort of life
immensely vulnerable to being turned into victims.
The poor in spirit are poor relative to people
who might use the power (of their) riches against them,
those who mourn are in a relationship of vulnerability
because of some loss or some overbearing situation,
the meek are meek in a social (reality) that despises meekness,
the merciful refuse to be involved in vengeful relation to others,
the pure in heart have acquired their purity of heart with difficulty
in a world which does not encourage (purity of heart at all),
the peacemakers are notoriously those who get blamed by both sides
for not sharing their violence and are persecuted for righteousness.
This vulnerability is emphasised in the final (seldom quoted) beatitude:
‘blessed are you when people revile you and say all kinds of lies against you’.
This vulnerability is the centre of the ethic in The Sermon on The Mount.

James Alison
p42-43 Knowing Jesus (edited)

James Alison