The gospel reading today in all the denominations that use the Revised Common Lectionary is the first 12 verses of the Gospel According to Matthew, Chapter 5. It is a passage that even the most secular person has usually heard about somewhere along the way—the Beatitudes:
1When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up the mountain; and after he sat down, his disciples came to him.
2Then he began to speak, and taught them, saying:
3 ‘Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
4 ‘Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
5 ‘Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.
6 ‘Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.
7 ‘Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy.
8 ‘Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.
9 ‘Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.
10 ‘Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
11 ‘Blessed are you when people revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. 12Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
The sermon said a little bit about each of them, but I personally resonated really strongly with “blessed are those who hunger and thirst after righteousness”.
How timely is that? With all that is swirling around us in domestic and international affairs? I am *starving* for righteousness, completely parched for any oasis of living water in this seemingly endless political desert.
I freely admit I need that blessing today. I am crying out for that blessing today.
I see so much injustice.
So much unfairness.
So much bigotry.
Such a thorough and utter lack of compassion for the least of these.
Refusing to help the stranger.
Refusing to show pity to the traveler.
Refusing to show mercy to the refugee.
Separating 5 and 6 and 7 year old children from their parents.
Making octogenarians sit for hours in wheelchairs in windowless detention rooms without food or water.
Too many situations where I watch the wicked prosper, disregarding the needs of the helpless with a condescending smirk on their faces.
They put party before country, and politics before God, and people who claim to be following Christ apparently see nothing wrong with it!
It’s as if none of them ever even opened up a Bible. (I know some of them haven’t!)
As if they never read any of the great hospitality passages anywhere in scripture; not in the gospels, not in “Two Corinthians” or any other part of the New Testament.
It is as if they never heard any of the ancient hospitality laws in the First Testament either: “When a stranger lives among you, you shall not mistreat him or do him wrong. The stranger who lives among you shall be as the native-born among you, and you shall love him as yourself, for you were once strangers in the land of Egypt.”
That last quote is from the part of Leviticus conservatives like to skip over.
Or how about this famous passage from the otherwise little-known book of Micah, which was also one of the readings today: “What does the Lord require of you? Seek justice, love mercy, walk humbly with your God.”
Humbly. That’s a laugh, under present circumstances...
Purity of heart is so essential here.
It is not enough make a big fakey show of doing right on the outside, while harboring thoughts of wrongdoing on the inside.
Merely forming loving words with the mouth, and then plastering on a fake eyeless smile while waiting for the interviewer to stop talking, does not disguise when a mean-spirited soul is easily provoked to show contempt to a neighbor or harm to a friend (from Psalm 15, another one of the assigned readings today).
God does not reveal Godself to such double-minded and hypocritical people!
God offers the blessing of abiding presence to those who speak truth in their hearts, not just with their lips.
So I am standing on that promise—that promise that those who hunger and thirst after righteousness will have their thirst quenched and their growling stomachs filled.
The last ten days, the last twelve weeks, have left me feeling so empty. So empty.
Hear my prayer tonight, Lord.
Fill me with righteous anger, fill me full to overflowing with the fiery righteousness of God, that I may always be empowered to do what must be done!
That I may have strength to minister to the sick, the friendless, and the needy.
That I might speak up and speak out for the victims of hunger, fear, injustice and oppression.
That I might boldly stand on the right side of history in all things, and show the world that the Holy One stands right here with me.
And make my best effort to do so without fear of consequences.
Because it is as true as the night follows the day that as soon as anyone starts being merciful, or starts working for justice and peace, naysayers come out of the woodwork and attempt to discredit you.
Verse 11 could be an ancient common sense warning about modern internet trolls!
As soon as some folks see you doing good works, it is as if they are convicted in their hearts. You hold a mirror up to their own lack of compassionate action and they don’t like it. They see the good you are doing that they are NOT doing, and they feel you are rubbing it in their faces when in fact you are just going about your business of trying to build the beloved community.
But in their embarrassment and shame they feel a compulsion to destroy you, and drag you down to their level.
That’s why they revile you and persecute you and utter all manner of evil against you falsely. That’s why they tell lies about you as easily as they breathe.
And the lies will be believed, and the lies will be confused with the truth, and the lies will take the place of the truth. It is hard to stay strong under the kind of relentless assault they can form when you really push their anger buttons.
Fear of facing that kind of ridicule and public shaming is one of the strongest weapons the Dark Side uses to discourage good people from doing good—a very real fear of facing the kind of bitter, vicious, personal attacks good works always invite from certain quarters.
But when that happens, take heart! When you make those enemies, it is the proof that you are doing something right! They only bother to go after you when they have noticed you are making a difference.
And from a scriptural point of view, you are voluntarily taking on yourself the very same treatment given to the greatest prophets in all of salvation history.
The very same treatment given to Jesus himself. They lied about him.
Some folks are still lying about him.
So a very great blessing and an extraordinary measure of presence are joyfully given to anyone who voluntarily walks into the lions’ den knowing what awaits.
I haven’t gotten to that point yet. I don’t know what I will do if it ever gets to that point.
I can only hope that way down inside where it counts, I will always remember I am blessed. I can hope to have that inner contentment so deep and so rooted that it cannot be moved by temporary negative circumstances.
I pray to have have the Peace that the world cannot give. The Peace that the world cannot understand. The Peace that passes *all* understanding.
Now I read these Beatitudes as more than mere pronouncements of blessing. They are signs of holy hope. Signs of encouragement in a time when so many, including me, struggle mightily every single day against the temptation to lose hope.
But even though this time we are living through has been disheartening and dispiriting in many ways, I shall not I shall not be moved. Just like a tree that’s planted by the water.
As long as I know we outnumber them, and feel certain I am on the side of justice, and have that inner spiritual reassurance that I am not alone, that would be enough.
In spite of it all, even in the midst of my aching hunger and thirst for righteousness and justice long delayed and long overdue…
...for today, I still feel blessed.
Previous TRUE BLUE REPORT diaries
Jan 28: Blue Ribbon Winners: Women's March participants and #NoMuslimBan demonstrators and...
Jan 27: I wish Steve Bannon would tell me to keep my mouth shut
Jan 26: Thursday Action—Have you ever written a letter to the editor? Here’s how to start
Jan 25: The Asch Conformity Study, inauguration crowds, and the importance of speaking out
Jan 24: #ResistTrumpTuesday—good news day or another paying dues day?
Jan 23: Spy the Lie 101: How to enjoy watching Rcon spokesbot interviews, even KAC!
Jan 22: Why I prayed for the President* today
Jan 21: The only silver lining in the midst of these clouds
Inaugural (!) diary: Stop expecting Republicons to make sense
