Tuesday 01 November 2022

Psalm 34:1-10, 22

Background

On Sunday we heard the words of Jesus in a style known as blessings and woes, each with their respective actions required. Today it may feel as though we have hit repeat as we read Matthew’s Gospel. Though similar in nature, the verses we read today are perhaps easily recognised as the Sermon on the Mount, one of the most familiar of Jesus’ teachings.

 As in the verses from Luke, these verses ebb and flow, in a rhythm of highs and lows. The casual observer may not detect any highs, but if we speak and read the language of Scripture we can hopefully find the values represented. The setting of this sermon was on a mountain, hence the name. You may notice in your Bible or Bible app as well as being called 'the Sermon on the Mount' it's also called 'the Beatitudes'. Beatitude derives from the Latin beati sunt and means blessing. Though these states of being (poor in spirit, meek, etc) might not seem blessings  to us, Jesus used them to portray the completeness of God’s care for us and for the human race.

 If you are not familiar with this particular reading, hopefully you were intrigued by the words of Jesus, challenging as they are. It may occur to you that no one would likely make these connections for themselves. However, as you read, you may discover how well these couplets complement each other. Just as in Sunday’s readings, these words represent blessings, woes and the causation of each.

We can be poor in spirit and still possess the kingdom of heaven. If we mourn we can still find comfort. The meek among us can inherit the earth. When our hunger and thirst for what is right overcome our need for physical food, we will be fulfilled. Our mercy towards each other results in even more mercy. When our hearts are made pure, God comes into focus. When what makes for peace becomes our pursuit, we will become God’s children by name.

 If the only crime people accuse us of is caring too much for what is right, our penitence can show us the kingdom of heaven. We are most blessed by the reputation we obtain due to our proximity to Christ. We will find in this a reason to celebrate because heaven holds a place for us, as it did for the prophets of the Old Testament.

To Ponder:

• Would you have considered living with hunger for righteousness, being merciful or grieving as reasons to be blessed by God?
•  How can these verses make you reassess your life to see how closely you may be following Jesus’ teachings?
•  Is it possible to see in God’s followers goodness and righteousness in the world? Have you witnessed these in the lives of others?

Prayer

Loving God, where we have been careless with our words and our actions, please forgive and redirect us so that we do not lead others astray.