Dealing With the Beatitudes

Jesus, after some much needed rest and re-cycle time, a breather so to speak, takes a moment to discuss with his Father what pathway He would or should take now that his ministry was a fact and time was brief and the message huge as he knelt upon a mountain which is not named.

It was time for intense prayer, communicating, maybe questioning his Father God after finally having designated who his apostles would be - the 12, including the betrayer. And Luke tells us that Jesus went down to a level space to share the Sermon on the Plain or Plateau. Actually, it was the same space that Matthew titled the Sermon on the Mount. It is here that Jesus was in the midst of a multitude of people in pain, sickness, fear, desperation, distraught, unsure about anything, pilgrims who had walked there from all over Judea, from Jerusalem, and from even the coastal regions of Tyre and Sidon just to see or touch a holy man, possibly the Messiah. They trusted that maybe this young man had powers to heal and cure diseases and even remove impure spirits. All they needed was to touch him, just to touch him, just to be near him or in his shadow, so as to be able to absorb the air around him which surely was powerful with healing and love.  They knew already that whatever power came out of him could or would heal them.

As Jesus appeared in the morning light, he looked at his disciples and the masses surrounding him like a giant wave and gave them (what we know so well) a series of blessings and woes. He seemed to want his followers or followers-to-be to adhere to certain characteristics. Both Matthew and Luke had recorded these blessings. Matthew’s approach had Jesus aiming his heart at those who are poor in spirit, who need to be righteous, and how one could be that.  Luke embraced the poor, the sinners they might be now, but there was hope that reward would be the kingdom of God. And those who were hungry now, who maybe had lived below the poverty line, who didn’t have the luxuries of life, their time would come, and they would be able to rejoice as their appetites were filled.

Jesus touched all those who weep now, who had probably lost their loved ones, who were unable to be who they wanted to be but were just big failures. Surely, their time would come, and they would be able to laugh with gusto. Luke also quotes Jesus as promising that there would be huge blessings for those when people have hated them or excluded them or reviled them or defame them just because they believed in Jesus and followed his style and faith. These were the early days of His ministry so surely what He was teaching all people whether on the road or in odd places was not what they had learned in the synagogues.

This famous passage scares me in some parts and gives me courage in others. Primarily it gives hope to those who suffer, who have little hope, who are probably ignored and criticized, and people turn their backs on them and spit on them. And Jesus is giving them the best hope because he tells them they will be in the kingdom of his Father, that all the pain, the insults, the horrors of their current life on earth as humans, would be completely transformed into something beautiful and good and with no more suffering or pain or hopelessness. 

In some ways, this worries me. People, with their hearts, often say nice things to me, and I’m sure to you. Of course, one doesn’t pile such compliments up and make a big deal of it. It should be humbling, and maybe hopeful that others will do what we do to benefit the poor, the hungry, those suffering in pain or in a moment of disaster. People, whatever their faith, need encouragement, that someone understands what they are going through, that there is much pain in their lives, and loneliness, and hopelessness. When we experience disasters - which are happening more and more with violence we have never known - it is up to us to help, even if it is just to send some money or food or clothing or give a hug to someone in the toughest moments of their lives. Then if someone thanks you or praises you, we must accept it humbly, and give all of that over to God, who allows us to be present in certain moments of disaster or death or depression or even goodness in someone’s life. We need to be encouragers, helpers, hopeful companeros and always there to cheer on those who have lived in pain and suffering or been outcast and finally have found an open door. 

When the day of judgment happens, may we be cheering loud for those we have encouraged, and maybe those we have missed. We are not the judges, and we are all children of God, no matter what we did or do in our lives, even what we have failed to do. There will always be some hope because God is Our Father. Even though Isaiah declared that to the unfaithful, there will be troubles, maybe some sadness, disappointment, hopefully no violence. Isaiah says they will eat but will go hungry, will drink, but will go thirsty, will rejoice but will be put to shame. And what is so important is we must love our enemies, for those who don’t agree with us, for those who might threaten or wound us, for those who turn their back on us when things go negative. We who know God, who have experienced his grace, have been pulled out of the muck of so much of life, who have lost sometimes, but also won the right times, we are the ones who must lift and encourage those suffering, or who are locked up in prisons, or have done horrible things to children and women or men.

As we are so blessed to experience God’s grace, then we must extend that same grace to others, be they enemy, ugly, rude, frightening, abusive, or criminal. Maybe someone will get it and change their attitude and their greed and sinfulness. The Golden Rule is not reciprocal. We should do what we do because we are imitating what Jesus told us to do. We can’t go wrong if at least we try. And someone will benefit and learn about love, God’s never-failing love.

 ~ Rev

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