Matthew 5:1-12 & Luke 6:20-23
We know today’s scripture as The Beatitudes. In Matthew they are the beginning of The Sermon on the Mount, which we’re going to spend some time with this summer. In Luke’s version of the Gospel they are in what’s called The Sermon on the Plain. So two different settings for this teaching but the same sharing of wisdom. I wanted us to read them together so that we can notice what’s the same and what’s different.
This comparison gives us a chance to remember that the Gospels aren’t a transcription of Jesus’ teachings written down as they happened. They are written near the end of the first century, compiling what was remembered about Jesus’ teaching and perhaps some written sources we no longer have copies of. They are the result of telling the story of Jesus over and over until it became part of the collective memory of the church. They tell us how people who heard Jesus remembered what he said. So they also tell us what those people and the generations who came after them thought was most important.
Every author brings a unique style and emphasis to writing and this is also true of the Gospel authors. We see the difference between Luke who talks about poverty, hunger and mourning as realities in people’s lives and Matthew who gives these realities a spiritual twist – blessed are the poor in spirit, blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness. We don’t need to decide that one is more accurate than the other. Both can be faithful remembrances of the essence of what Jesus said. In fact, he probably said things like this over and over in his ministry, not just on one occasion. But talking about “that time on the mountain” or “when we gathered on the plain” gives a literary setting to teachings that were central to Jesus, who had both a practical/social justice message and a spiritual message combined.
Both of these renditions talk about the fact that those who followed Jesus faced ridicule and persecution. In their day they were radicals advocating for some clear changes in the way society worked. They were religious reformers, wanting all people to have a loving relationship with God whether or not they could afford the time or equipment to keep strict Jewish laws. They were social reformers, challenging those with wealth and power to share with those who had nothing. Any group that challenges the status quo in these ways is going to face resistance. Jesus’ surely encouraged them that the fight was worth it. Today we’re reading these words on Juneteenth, the new-to-us celebration of the end of slavery and the continuing struggle for equality in our country. Surely those who challenge the status quo today in favor of rights and opportunities for everyone take courage from these words. We’re going to sing a song which includes these words in a few minutes. That song has been important to me since I first heard it in the 1970’s. These words spoke to me then of the struggle of women to find acceptance in ministry, and they remain important to me as we work together to bring justice to our contemporary world.
Both of the meanings of Jesus’ teaching – the spiritual and the political – are important. We’re tempted to take them as “either/or” and focus on the spiritual. Over centuries that’s justified acceptance of the fact that some folks have it hard in life. We quote Jesus “the poor are with you always” and settle for the fact that folks will get a reward in heaven. But these are “both/and” words; both the spiritual and the material meanings matter. We are meant to work together to make life better for everyone. We do that by feeding folks and sharing generously when people need help. We also do that by advocating for policy change that levels the playing field and makes it possible for people to care for themselves.
Sometimes those are hard struggles and the spiritual truth of these words can help us sustain the effort over the long haul. It’s true that saying there are blessings in life in spite of hardships isn’t enough, but it IS something important. Looking for blessings every day does sustain us. We have experienced that in grief. Sadness can sometimes overcome us when we’ve lost a person we love. AND the kindness of friends, the memory of good times we shared, the healing of time all bring blessings to that mourning time. Matthew’s framing of these words especially talks about a world view or lifestyle that approaches life in a positive way in spite of negative circumstances. He talks about mercy and righteousness and peacemaking. Those are qualities that serve us well and help us face even difficult challenges with godly hope.
It’s become popular for folks to keep a gratitude journal each day to remember the good things that happen, even if the day didn’t go very well. Acknowledging the bright spots even in a dark day shifts our focus a little and helps us see the presence of God’s love. When I was at Mayo for transplant and Pat was with me, keeping me going, we made it a practice to write down every night the good things that had happened. Usually that was a list of kind things people had done for us. Sometimes it was a celebration of some medical progress. Sunshine and flowers and good food made the list. At the end of every day, sometimes late at night, we could remember that the day had been filled with goodness and it kept us going.
Pierre Pradervand has written a book called The Gentle Art of Blessing. In it he teaches people how to bless those around them even in difficult circumstances. He tells of being punched by a stranger who broke his nose. In the emergency room he mentally sent blessing to his assailant and by the time it was his turn to be x-rayed his nose had healed. I don’t know what to think about that, but I do know that consciously moving through the day sending blessings to others heals my spirit. When we read that book some years ago, we made a habit of sending blessings and positive energy whenever we drove past the hospital or a school. We learned to bless other drivers who irritated us. We practiced blessing people in stores, especially those whose children were acting up or who were rude to us or others. I like to think it made a difference to all those folks. I know it made a difference to me. Moving through life expecting blessings and actively blessing others changes how life unfolds for us. Maybe it brings us closer to heaven. I know it brings heaven into our daily lives. That in itself is a blessing.