Blessed Are You

Sunday, Nov. 1st, 2009

Matthew 5: 1-12

The Beatitudes

5When 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.

When I read this Gospel, I felt immensely comforted for all the women I know. For each one of these beatitudes I could think of at least one woman I have been connected to in the past few years for whom the beatitude seemed especially written.

Blessed are the poor in spirit: I think of my sisters who don’t feel worthy to be loved by the Father and his Son, women who have somehow received an understanding over the years that they are not valuable and precious. Theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven. I pray that they will come to know deep in their hearts that they are Royal Daughters of the King of the Universe, created in love and anointed with dignity - and woe to anyone who makes them feel low or inadequate.

Blessed are those who mourn: I mourn with all my sisters who have lost a loved one, especially those who have suffered the agonies of the death of a child, whether before birth or after. They will be comforted. All those who mourn must go through the natural passages of grieving and pain, but those who seek God through it all come to exude a spirit of grace and patience which is unique to the Kingdom Daughter who has suffered and has discovered the arms of her Father who weeps with her.

Blessed are the meek: the dictionary definition of ‘meek’ is “one who is quiet, soft and gentle; easily imposed upon.” Perhaps a more modern translation of this beatitude for women might be: Blessed is she who says Yes…yes to the needs of everyone around her. I can’t think of any woman I know who does not place herself last when it comes to the needs of her family and her community. No, we are not called to be doormats and we are not called to say, “Yes” to every single request that comes our way. We can be and must be discerning so that we don’t burn out. The “Yes” must come from the heart that walks close to the heart of God who is The Yes and Amen. Just because there is softness doesn’t mean there is no strength. When the Father says, “Yes!” everything changes. We are invited to stay close to and participate in his “Yes!” We will inherit the earth through his “Yes!”

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness: I cannot think of one woman I know who does not yearn for a right spirit or is not deeply disturbed when situations and people are not right. They long for peace when there is chaos, justice when unfairness prevails, health where there is illness and provision where there is lack. They are most disturbed when others suffer, especially members of their families. They have been filled – filled with the yearnings of Christ himself. They live close to his heart.

Blessed are the merciful: Being forgiving is difficult. No one, man or woman, has a corner on easy forgiveness but the women I know want to forgive. There is something within them that will look for reasons and excuses for the bad behavior of others. Sometimes there is no good reason and no justifiable excuse for another’s bad behavior but very few women will immediately cut off an offender without a second (or third or fourth or fifth…) chance of redemption. The merciful heart of God is open to these women. They will receive the mercy they have given.

Blessed are the pure in heart: Who on this earth has a totally pure heart? But I have a delightful image in my mind of all those babies that we grieve for, playing happily around the feet and in the arms of the Father and his Son Jesus. They see God clearly. They call him, “Papa” and would tell us, if they could, that we should do the same.

Blessed are the peacemakers: When we hear this one we normally think of someone who stops the fighting and warring but there are other ways to create peace. Women become master Peacekeepers by keeping everyone and everything on schedule, by creating pleasant spaces that are sanctuaries to their family and friends, by feeding bodies and hearts, by listening to the aching hearts of others and by offering appreciation and love to those around them. These women are the children of God and the resemblance is strong.

Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness sake: there are many angles to take on this one but what comes to my mind right now are women who are presently struggling with teenage children. As they strive to lead their children into righteousness, they can receive cold shoulders, sullenness, sharp and hurtful words and rejection. It’s a painful situation not many people think of when they think of persecution but it’s one many parents struggle with these days. Mothers – and fathers – should know that if they stand firm in love and not condemnation, the way our Father stands firm with us, the Kingdom will be theirs. When we endeavor to understand in truth how the Father loves us and then try to act like the Father when we deal with our own children, we come to know him better and better. The better we know the Father, the more we will possess the Kingdom.

Blessed are you when people revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account: I don’t think I’ve ever met any pro-life woman who has not experienced, subtly or blatantly, a sideways judgment, a questioning look, a sneer, an arrogant cold shoulder or an outright condemnation for having more than 2.5 children or for being a stay at home mom, for bearing a child or children later in life or for saying, “No. I don’t believe in abortion.” Women are prophets of Life. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

Rejoice and be glad. The kingdom is yours, you will see God, you will be filled, you will be comforted, the earth is yours, you will receive mercy, you will be called God’s children and your reward will be immense.

We are so loved!