Gracious God, open our hearts to your Word. May your Word pass swiftly and
faithfully from the ear to the heart, from the heart to life. Amen.
Very likely, when you heard the phrase “Blessed are the…” from today’s Gospel, you
recognized the familiar text of the Beatitudes. “Beatitude” is one of those words
peculiar to the Bible. We don’t really use it in every day conversation. Yet, we think we
know the meaning of it just as we think we know the meaning of other scriptural words
like “apocalypse” and “church”.
If I asked you to define ‘apocalypse’, you’d most likely tell me it means the cataclysmic
end of the world. Actually, it’s a type of literature, more prevalent in the Biblical times
than now. The word “apocalypse” literally means hidden. Apocalyptic stories, like
Revelation in the New Testament, were meant to bring hope to people. I’m betting
your image of apocalypse isn’t hope-filled, is it?
Likewise, if asked to define the word “church”, you might say it’s the building where we
worship or an institutional body, like Episcopal or Methodist or Baptist Church. “Church”
is a translation of the Greek word ecclesia, meaning a group of people united for some
action or cause. Over time, we came to define “church” as a building or a denominational
body, but when Jesus used the word ecclesia, He meant that group of people he called
together, His disciples who were united with Him in proclaiming God’s love for all people.
So, in the original sense of ecclesia, “church” really was a small community of people–
not a building or institution.
“Beatitude” is like the words “apocalypse” and “church” in that our understanding of it
has changed over time. We think of “beatitudes” as the wisdom sayings Jesus taught in
the Sermon on the Mount. “Beatitude” translated as “blessed” is meant to describe
everyone in God’s Kingdom (on earth and in Heaven) whose sins are forgiven and who
is loved by God. That’s all of us! We’re all forgiven by God. We’re all loved by God.
We’re all blessed!!! “Beatitude” comes from the Latin beatus and the Greek makarios
(ma KAH ree ose) and refers to all those favored by God.
How would you describe a blessed person? Someone who has good health, some
wealth and a few nice possessions, success in life, and a place to live; someone who
enjoys what he/she does in life? Our culture says such people are blessed. But Jesus
calls the poor, the grieving, the meek, the hungry and thirsty “blessed”. Those who show
mercy, have a good heart, who work to promote peace, and those who are persecuted
are the ones Jesus claims are blessed. As Simon and Garfunkel sang in the sixties,
blessed are “the sat upon, spat upon, ratted on”. Well, that seems upside down! That
collection of people doesn’t sound particularly blessed. In fact, I can understand after
hearing the list of those Jesus calls “blessed” the mistake that one very young girl made
in mishearing the word “beatitude” as “Beat it, dudes!”
Often the words “happy” or “fortunate” are substituted for “blessed” in the Beatitudes.
But are we really supposed to be happy of feel fortunate when we are grieving or
mourning? In searching out synonyms for the word “blessed”, I discovered this
translation: “You are on the right path when…” So then, substituting that phrase we
would read, “You are on the right road when people persecute you.” This translation
sounds more honest than implying that persecution is a cause for happiness. Using
this translation, we understand that we are heading in the right direction if by living as
Christ taught us, we, like Jesus, are persecuted for doing the right thing.
I also consulted several Bible translations of the Beatitudes. The Message Bible is not
a literal translation of scripture but more of a modern language rephrasing of it. While
I’m sure some scripture scholars cringe at thought of paraphrasing Jesus’ words, I
liked the updated understanding of the Beatitudes that The Message offered. Listen to
the Beatitudes as written in The Message using “You are on the right path…” in place
of “blessed”.
1. You are on the right path when you are at the end of your rope. With less of you
there is more of God and God’s rule.
2. You are on the right path when you feel you’ve lost what is most dear to
you. Only then can you be embraced by the One most dear to you.
3. You’re on the right path when you’re content with just who you are—no more, no
less. That’s the moment you find yourselves proud owners of everything that
can’t be bought.
4. You’re on the right path when you’ve worked up a good appetite for God. God’s
food and drink are the best meal you’ll ever eat.
5. You’re on the right path when you care. At the moment of being ‘care-full,’ you
find yourselves cared for.
6. You’re on the right path when you get your inside world—your mind and heart—
put right. Then you can see God in the outside world.
7. You’re on the right path when you can show people how to cooperate instead of
compete or fight. That’s when you discover who you really are, and your place in
God’s family.
8. You’re on the right path when your commitment to God provokes persecution.
The persecution drives you even deeper into God’s kingdom. Not only that —
You’re on the right path every time people put you down or throw you out or
speak lies about you to discredit God. What it means is that the truth is too close
for comfort and they are uncomfortable. And know that you are in good
company. God’s prophets and witnesses have always gotten into this kind of
trouble.
I found this combination translation of “blessed” and the Beatitudes in The Message to
be hopeful and encouraging. And that was Jesus’ original intent when He first spoke
them. Over the years, we lost understanding of His original intention. All of us wonder
occasionally if we are on the right path. “Am I on the right path?” is a question that
often comes up for people in my Spiritual Direction sessions with them. Some of these
paths in the Beatitudes are not easy roads. Jesus never promised the journey would
be smooth. But He did promise to be right there with us and to send the Holy Spirit as
our traveling companion.
I asked family and friends whether they thought the Beatitudes were still relevant
today, my oldest daughter responded this way:
The Beatitudes seem like inspiration to resist fear and hatred,
to lift up hope and love even when you feel powerless and targeted.
Seems very timely to me.
When you leave our service this morning, may you find yourself on the right path, may
you be blessed and be a blessing to others! Amen.