“Blessed are . . .”

                        Matthew 5:3-12

 The beatitudes are a series of nine blessings Jesus recites in His Sermon on the Mount in Matthew’s Gospel. He names a group of people normally thought to be the “lesser” and “lower” of society and says they are the ones who are truly blessed.

Blessed are . . .

• the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven.
• those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
• the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.
• those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be satisfied.
• the merciful, for they shall be shown mercy.
• the pure in heart, for they shall see God.
• the peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of God.
• those who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.
• are you when people insult you, persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil
• against you because of me, for great is your reward in heaven.

I saw recently where a group of high school kids were asked what they thought the beatitudes would include today. Their answers are insightful and touch your heart.

-Blessed are drug addicts and felons, people who try everything but still buckle under the pressure of their past lives and can never get back on their feet, for even they belong in the Kingdom of God.

-Blessed are the orphans and foster children of the world because they are exactly who God wants in his Kingdom.

-Blessed are the homeless because the Kingdom of God belongs to them too.

-Blessed are the child molesters, for even they are within reach of God’s forgiveness.

-Blessed are the abusers who take out their anger on the weak, for even they can repent and receive the Kingdom of God.

(The last two are particularly poignant because they were written by young people who had been abused at home.)

Maybe we need to ask – and listen – to our kids more.

Now it’s your turn. Can you list all the ways you are blessed?

Father we are all sinners who have fallen short of your Glory. Help us to realize that we cannot judge the sins of others as compared to ourselves; only as compared to You. In Jesus’ name, AMEN.