Beatitudes 2 – Mourn

“Blessed are they who mourn, for they will be comforted.”

Why is mourning a blessing? Do you feel blessed in your deep sadness, grief and desolation? Do you feel blessed at the state of our culture and violence in the streets? Was Jesus blessed while he mourned Lazarus’ death?

Poems of lamentation make up one-third of the Book of Psalms, a book Jesus knew very well. And as the poets cry out to God in their mourning, they do so as part of worship and because they have an expectation that their crying out to him will bring some blessing. Jesus tells us that that blessing is “they will be comforted.” “Will be” means from someone else. But from whom? Our friends? Our families? Our pets? No! Jesus promises that those who have faith from a right relationship with him will receive comfort from God, who “will wipe away every tear.” No friend, family member or pet can do that.

As important as feelings are, Christians should know not to base the quality of our lives solely on how we feel, because feelings can quickly change and, most importantly, they are not our essence. Rather, we must know and believe that we have an inherent dignity and worth, because we are children of God. Jesus taught us this, and gave us the ultimate example of faithfulness to God.

Dan and Tom