Blessed are Those who Mourn ...

When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up the mountain; and after he sat down, his disciples came to him.  Then he began to speak, and taught them, saying:

‘Blessed are the poor in spirit, 
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

‘Blessed are those who mourn, 
for they will be comforted.

‘Blessed are the meek,
for they will inherit the earth.
‘Blessed are those who hunger and thirst
for righteousness, for they will be filled.
‘Blessed are the merciful,
for they will receive mercy.
‘Blessed are the pure in heart,
for they will see God.
‘Blessed are the peacemakers,
for they will be called children of God.
‘Blessed are those who are persecuted for
 righteousness’ sake,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
‘Blessed are you when people revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account.  Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

Setting the Scene:  In the Summer Blessings Overview, we learned that through the Sermon on the Mount, of which these blessings are a part, Jesus calls us to see things from a Kingdom or a “Reign of God” perspective.  The blessings evoke a sense of the deep joy of God’s presence, even in circumstances that are less than ideal. 

Spiritual poverty is underlying blessing in this passage.  Basically, when we are living under the reign of God, we know we are completely dependent upon and trust God completely. This is the source of our blessing!  As we move through each of the other verses, remember this truth ... we are utterly dependent upon God ... as a foundational principle of the spiritual life in the Kingdom.

In addition, we learned that each verse follows a form of parallelism, a literary device in which the two parts of a passage say, not just complementary things, but basically describe the same state of being.  As we look at this week’s verse, when God reigns in our life, at the moment we enter into a state of mourning, we are in the presence of the God who comforts … even if we don’t feel like it!

The Greek word translated “mourn” is pentheo {pen-theh'-o} which means to lament a loss.  In Jewish tradition, wearing sackcloth and ashes was an outward sign of suffering, repentance, and humility and accompanied the act of lament. 

The word “comfort” is much richer than one might imagine.  This word is translated from the Greek word parakaleo {par-ak-al-eh'-o} which means, summoned or called to come alongside.  This Greek word is only a slight variant from the same word that the Gospel writer John uses to refer to the Holy Spirit, parakletos {par-ak'-lay-tos} through whom we embody the presence of God in the world.  

Making Connections:  Have you ever experienced deep grief?   Consider your memories and the responses of the people who surrounded you.  What was the most helpful response to your grieving?  What was the least helpful response? 

Going Deeper:  The bible does not shy away from suffering, loss and grief.   People are invited by the Scriptures to be brutally honest with God about their feelings.  The Jewish people had a long tradition of mourning with sackcloth and ashes which brought suffering into the life of community in a tangible way.  After his brothers sold Joseph into slavery and told their father he had been killed, “Jacob tore his garments, and put sackcloth on his loins, and mourned for his son for many days.” (Genesis 37:34)

    How comfortable are you when others grieve with visible lamenting and tirades of anger and anguish?
    How comfortable are you in expressing your grief outwardly when you are by yourself?  when you are in the presence of others?

When a loved one dies, it hurts.  Divorce brings suffering to families and children.  Losing a job can mean losing a carefully built life.  For some people, losing a beloved pet means losing the one living being that loved them unconditionally.  Abuse tears into the fabric of humanity and hunger bring senseless torment … we could go on and on.

In the 4th chapter of Esther, “Letters were sent by couriers to all the king’s provinces, giving orders to destroy, to kill, and to annihilate all Jews, young and old, women and children, in one day … when Mordecai learned all that had been done, Mordecai tore his clothes and put on sackcloth and ashes, and went through the city, wailing with a loud and bitter cry … In every province, wherever the king’s command and his decree came, there was great mourning among the Jews, with fasting and weeping and lamenting, and most of them lay in sackcloth and ashes. 

    What issue causes you to lament?
    What emotions emerge in your lament?
    How do you express your darker emotions?
    Have you ever used the Psalms to lament?  If so, how helpful is it to express yourself outwardly?  If not, you’ll have a chance to do so this week.

Pondering:  In her book, On Death and Dying, Elizabeth Kubler Ross, noted five stages of grief that people go through in the process of dying: 

    Denial: “This can’t be happening”
    Bargaining: “How can I get out of this”
    Anger:  (at the dawn of realization) emotions turned outward
    Depression:  (realization sinking in) emotions turn inward
    Acceptance:  “It is time to move on” 

Over the years, researchers have found that these five stages can apply to many different kinds of losses and life situations, especially the forgiveness journey.  Because anger emerges at the dawn of realization, this tells us that lament is a critical stage in the journey through grief.  Although it may make us uncomfortable, the healing of our souls depends on our ability to let go and allow God to comfort us!

    As you look back on the main losses of your life, can you identify ways in which the presence of God comforted, or came alongside you?

Praying:  Modern people often “put on a brave face” and hide their emotions but we sense their lack of authenticity.  In Scripture, lament is an acceptable way to pray.  The Psalms are full of lament … Remember the issue that you identified as the one that calls you to lament?  I invite you to pray Psalm 13, in solidarity with one who suffers:

How long, O Lord? Will you forget me forever?
   How long will you hide your face from me?
How long must I bear pain in my soul,
   and have sorrow in my heart all day long?
How long shall my enemy be exalted over me?
Consider and answer me, O Lord my God!
Give light to my eyes,
or I will sleep the sleep of death,
and my enemy will say, ‘I have prevailed’;
   my foes will rejoice because I am shaken.
But I trusted in your steadfast love;
   my heart shall rejoice in your salvation.
I will sing to the Lord,
   because God has dealt bountifully with me.
Amen.