You are Blessed - Matthew 5: 1-12

One of my choice phrases to end correspondences with is “Be blessed to be a blessing.” But the sentence and its sentiments are both tricky. It raises more questions for me then kind thoughts. What does it mean to be blessed? What does it mean to be a blessing to someone else?

Apparently the English language is just as confused about what to make of the word bless, having no less than fourteen different definitions for it including seemingly polar meanings including to give a benediction to (with the example being that of death) and to confer a sign of prosperity or happiness on. Other definitions include making the sign of the cross over someone in order to call on God for protection, to concentrate, to praise or glorify, and to invoke blessings upon.

Now with all of the uncertainty of this loaded word we turn to today’s gospel passage. Often when we think of the Sermon on the Mount we mix in what we have been taught over the years about a similar passage in the gospel of Luke known as the sermon on the plain. While the sermon in Luke is full of woes as well as blessings, Matthew focuses solely on blessings. And while the sermon in Luke is preached to a great crowd, this passage is not. When Jesus saw the crowds he turned away going up the mountain. This was not so more people could see and hear his teachings. No, it was because he wanted a moment of intimacy with those closest to him, his disciples. When the small group had gathered and sat together, he began to teach them.

In the intimacy of that moment, Jesus turned everything they had been taught through their upbringing in Jewish scripture and oral traditions. Blessed are those who are poor in spirit, for theirs in the Kingdom of Heaven. I can only imagine how absurd this sounded to those gathered at Jesus feet. In ancient Judaism there wasn’t a concept of the Kingdom of Heaven. There was God who created the Heavens, meaning the sky and everything beyond it, but the notion of God’s everlasting reign as something that people could be co-creators in just didn’t exist. Further, there would be questions surrounding the timing of this Kingdom of Heaven, for the concept of an afterlife, a Heaven that one goes to after perishing, wasn’t common. The best way to be blessed was to be wealthy and have many offspring, things that are tangible in the present moment, the now. And what is this poor in Spirit that Jesus speaks of? Generally those who are poor need to be taken care of by the community – how does that apply to the spirit?

Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. Well known amongst the Jewish community would be the story of Job that begs to ask why some people suffer and what God’s idea of comforting anyone is or should be? Who really wants to mourn? Especially when you only mourn when you loose something or someone truly dear to your heart. Is the pay off of being comforted really worth the pain of that which caused you to mourn?

Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. In a society that is waiting for a Messiah, waiting for a conquering King that would rescue them from the oppressive rule of the Romans, what is the benefit of being meek? And who would want a meek King? Further you have this idea of inheritance – something that is bequeathed to you upon the death of someone else. Inheritances do not come suddenly, but after a long period of waiting – so how long must one wait to inherit the earth?

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. When you hunger and thirst for something – there is a process. What you crave is something that you want deep within, but something that has yet to be fulfilled. Like an inheritance, how long will you have to wait to be filled?

Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive the mercy. Like being meek, one does not really want to be a person who receives mercy. To bestow mercy shows power – the ability to hold something over someone, but to receive mercy – to receive that which is not deserved, involves admitting that you did something wrong. Is this truly a blessing?

Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. Seeing God is not necessarily a good thing. Those who have seen God’s face will perish immediately.

Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. Peace making has been called one of the most difficult task. This is not peace keeping; this is creating something that does not exist out of the chaos of dissent. The name Yahweh up until this point in history has not even been associated with peace; the name was recognized by surrounding peoples as a God of war. Throughout scriptures we have seen Israel fighting everyone for things ranging from conquest, to revenge, and family squabbles. Yet, peacemakers will be called the children of God.

Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. And there is the pesky reoccurring idea of the kingdom of heaven. Who really wants to be persecuted? What makes this statement even more humorous is that Jesus is speaking to the disciples who have been born out of the minority of the Jewish culture, persecuted by Roman rule and picked on by tribes that far out number then. The entire community is persecuted. And yet, Jesus is foretelling that there is more persecution to come. More sufferings to be taken on for God.

So are these blessings really what we think of for blessings? Are these things that we would wish upon those dear to us? Our family? Our children? Our friends?

Yet these blessings, which would signal the least and the last of society, are things to be rejoiced over. That takes the entire idea of blessings even further – not only are you to accept this contrary way of life, but you are to recognize it as a blessing and rejoice in it. How strange! How seemingly impossible.

If you were a disciple hearing this message for the first time, how would you react? We’ve taken something so radical and have beaten it to the point of familiarity and sanitation. Jesus is telling the disciples to be radical people, living a way that will be recognized as not strange. It’s living in such a way that prompts questions from those around us. It is living intentionally in such a way that prepares the disciples for the more shocking blessing yet to come – the resurrection of Jesus Christ!

One of my professors tells the story that every time he goes out in public – even to buy something as simple as socks for his feet – salespeople recognize him as a preacher. He is not a well-known man even inside the circle of the church, yet alone outside of its community. He does not wear a cross around his neck and he dresses like any other working person. But people recognize something inside of him that he cannot escape from – he is a preacher. Oh that we would live in such a way that those around us would know that we are Christians. Live is such a way that pushes aside the standards of blessing that the world holds – of popularity, wealth, and health, and pick up the radical cross and immerse ourselves in this peculiar way of living. A way that is just as peculiar today as it was when Jesus spoke it over the disciples sitting at his feet. Some may say that we are foolish. Others may say that it is impossible – but we know that it is not. For our Lord and Savior walked the very path of blessing that he laid out to be our example – to show us that it can be done. One step at a time – one blessing at a time. For you are blessed.