Daily Devotion for Lent 2019 - Day 7

Scripture Reading: Matthew 5:1-12 (NRSV)

This is the beginning of what is commonly referred to as the Sermon on the Mount and it encompasses chapters 5-7 of Matthew.  I once had a sermon series on each of the eight blessings (I am a lumper rather than a splitter and consider verse eleven's as an extension of verse ten) where I took other text from later in the sermon and used it to explain each beatitude.

While the final five beatitudes are logical in a more conventional way, the first three are more challenging to our worldview.

Some faithful dogs seem to have each

of the three traits discussed today.

The term "poor in spirit" can have all sorts of connotations.  At first glance, we might think of it as having a lesser share of the Holy Spirit which really doesn't make sense.  But I look at it as a reliance on God first and foremost.  When we have some means to support ourselves and to get through with savings if trouble comes our way, we may not look to God as often as someone who doesn't know from where their next meal will come.

The blessing of mourning is difficult as well.  Who wants to grieve?  After losing both parents within the span of several months last year, I can tell you that the loss of loved ones makes it difficult for people to be at their best.  There are times when I didn't really deal with my emotions (usually because I was too busy) and there are times when I honestly explored them.  The latter is more painful but ultimately leads to acceptance and thus, blessing.  To cover them up is to live in denial.  This false sense of reality is not healthy for anyone.

Another way to think about this blessing is to remember the Tennyson quote, "It is better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all."  While we often apply this to romantic love, we can see how it is true for any relationship.  We are shaped by the people we love.  We grieve because of the depth of our loss.  To never mourn is to never have significant relationships.  In this case, we become self-centered in the extreme which is the opposite of blessing.

Meekness is another difficult attribute for us to really understand a correlation with blessing.  Gentleness or humility is another way to think about this.  In Monty Python's Life of Brian, there is a scene where Jesus is preaching on the Beatitudes and the people on the fringe of the crowd are having a difficult time hearing him.  They begin to bicker and fight with one another which eventually leads to violence.  In this scene of great irony, we see how the opposite of gentleness does not lead to blessing at all.  This beautifully illustrates the point that Jesus makes in verse five.  If we can be meek or gentle of spirit, this does lead to blessing.  How often do you appreciate a person who is conceited, vain and goes on about their own accomplishments?

As you consider these eight blessings, which of them would you identify with the most?

And to contrast this, which one causes you the most struggle?


Prayer for the day:

God, we do seek your blessing.
If we are honest, we would like to have it without changing anything about ourselves.
Help us to remember that this is what we call grace and that we believe that you do love us as we are.
But to have greater blessing, help us to live into the love that you show us.
In this way, we open ourselves to your work in the world that we might be a blessing.
Amen.


Photo by Patrick Berry via Flickr.com.  Used under the Creative Commons license.