St Matthew, Chapter 5, verse 10, The Beatitude: Blessed are they who suffer Perscution.

Today's Beatitude is:  10Blessed are they who suffer persecution for justice' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.  


Blessed are they who suffer persecution.  This is a strange thing to say, especially in today's time.  We do not suffer persecution today because we have laws and rules that protect us from such.  On the job, at home, in the public, at church, wherever we are, in this society we live in, we have rules and regulations that protect us from persecution.  This does not mean that people do not suffer from wrongs committed by others, whether the wrongs are true wrongs or wrongs that are imagined based on our sense of justice.  People are wronged everywhere but those wrongs do not rise to the level of justification to activate the systems in place.  I feel wronged in my car when someone cuts in front of me or I feel wronged when someone takes a parking space that I intended to take.  I may feel wronged in the grocery store when someone jumps in front of my line so that they can get service before me.  I may feel wronged in the mall when someone runs past me and almost knocks me down without apologizing for the wrong.  These situations in most cases do not rise to the level of activating the rules in place, unless the parties involved physically take action in their own hands and seek to justify the wrong.  The legal process steps in when physical action is taken, to stop the hostilities and to correct the situation by the rules in place or through legal means.

Wrongs that we feel do not, however, equate to persecution, unless those wrongs are continuous over time and repeated.  Persecution grows out of a lack of justice.  The Jew's were persecuted, the American Indians were persecuted, the Afro-Americans were persecuted, the founders and fore-fathers of America suffered religious persecution when they came to America.  All suffered persecution without the restitution brought by justice.  Yet we find that even in our society today and in many societies throughout the world persecution exists.  Christians suffer their religious beliefs in many countries where Islam is practiced.  Christians suffer persecution and injustice in many countries where the government holds a tight reign on the population and does not allow religious and political freedoms.  Persecution is a demon with a whip that torments man wherever he lives, and justice is it's keeper. 

Christ says in this Beatitude that blessed are they who suffer.  He does not say blessed are those who are persecuted and seek and demand justice.  For there is a difference.  In our society today we are taught to fight back when we are persecuted.  Men who suffer wrongs will take up arms to right the wrong of injustice.  We are fed, through our media, constant examples of the hero who fights injustice and wins.  We cheer and love to see battles of right and wrong where the hero wins.  The right of might triumphs over injustice in our media, in our schools, in our governments, in our homes, and more than anything our beliefs.  These are the lessons that we receive and pass down to our children. But Christ says blessed are they who suffer.    Theirs is the kingdom of heaven, if they suffer for the sake of justice.  If they feel the sting of the whip of persecution and suffer the wrong for the sake of justice, they have the kingdom of heaven. 

So we ask ourselves, today, suffer now and own the kingdom of heaven or take up arms and right the wrong that we feel.  Do we allow ourselves to feel the anger associated with persecution?  Do we open ourselves up to the cloak of injustice that would have us consumed with the belief that we must ourselves become the balance scale of justice so that the wrong that is committed is corrected?  Do we permit the seed of injustice to grow within us till we believe that we are now the judge and jury?  For this is the goal of the cloak of injustice, to deceive us into believing that we are right in our injustice.  But Christ says that blessed are they who suffer.  Blessed are they who do not put on the cloak of injustice but suffer the pain and harm for the sake of justice.  They are already rewarded by doing so.  They who suffer are justified by their actions, by their thoughts, by their hearts.  Theirs is the kingdom.  Theirs is the glory that has been given by God.  Theirs is the robe of righteousness that they will receive having been washed in the blood of the lamb.  

Today we do not weigh the value of our beliefs.  We simply act based upon what we believe.  Even for those who have religious beliefs, it is difficult to act upon those beliefs if they do not trust them.  Trust requires action.  Trust demands that beliefs are real and can be relied upon as a platform for action.  Yet it is awkward, today, to act upon our beliefs.  In our protected environments, i.e., the church, the home, with spiritual friends and partners, we can put beliefs to action.  But this is our clothing that we wear in those situations and environments.  When we are away, we wear different clothing befitting the world that we live, play, and socialize.  Weigh the value of what you believe.  Weigh the value of suffering vs injustice. Weigh the value of the kingdom of heaven against taking action today, right now, to fight persecution.  Weigh the value of Christ's words of truth against your beliefs.  Which way does your balance scale sway???      

St Matthew, Chapter 5, verse 9, The Beatitude: Blessed are the Peacemakers.

We continue our study of the Beatitudes:

9Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called children of God.

Who are the peacemakers?  In most cases, I would venture to say that women are peacemakers.  They strive to bring peace among men, to reduce controversey.  They are natural peacegivers in the home in that they nuture the children and the adults.  They give love and tenderness to those in need.  They create an environment of peace where we grow up and prosper as individuals.  I say this as an example, not to exclude men as peace makers.  Most men, however, are warriors.  They would rather fight than make peace.  Most men would rather be aggressive than to submit.  Most men would express anger and rage and frustration than deliver calm, and peace and tranquility.  Having said these things there are the exceptions in  both cases, both men and women. 

We can easily come up with examples of warring women, and peaceful men who go against the norm.  I think of the Jerry Springer show, which I do not watch anymore, where women war with each other based upon their likes and dislikes.  And on the same show, meek and mild mannered men have been taken advantage of by their mates.  And the list goes on and on with the Maury show and Judge Judy, and Judge Hatchet, etc.  All, being examples of the anger and hurt that run rampant in our society today.  Even without the regular mundane shows there are the shows for the stars, TMZ, and Hollywood Buz, etc., where the actions of star people are followed with great enthusiam. 

But who are the peacemakers in life?  Are the priests and ministers, and pastors, and deacons, and the religious, peacemakers??  I would venture to say that one must, have peace in order to give it.  One must understand what peace means in order to convey that idea to others.  One must understand the benefits of peace to help others to see and feel that peace is better than war.  Our God is a God of peace, whereas our enemy is an enemy of war.  The devil would rather have us believe that when offended or our rights abused, we should stand up for those rights and think about how we were abused and how we will right those wrongs.  Our need for justice and vengence can consume us with hatred and anger and frustration.  Whereas our understanding of the benefits of peace can bring an awareness of calm in our lives.    

For if we truely knew peace, nothing could or would shake us from the joy of having it in our lives.  Imagine having peace about the bills that we have to pay.  Imagine having peace in our relationships, or with our children, or with our bosses, or at work or with our friends, or everywhere.  The thought of just having a lasting peace within ourselves and not worrying about any of the day to day cares of life, must be a joy within itself, valued greater than gold.  For we live in troubled times where peace does not exist.  We are fed daily information bytes about all of the turmoil in the world.  Where is the peace?  Is it on some isolated island with peaceful waters and calm shores?  Is it in some mountain resort, where one can get away from the hustle and bustle of city life?  Or is it within us, where we can call upon it at any moment in time to recognize that it is there within us? 

Where are the peacemakers, to make us some peace???  Can I be a peacemaker??  Can I make some peace??  Come peace!   Make peace within me, so that I may be able to be a peacemaker among men.  Come peace!   Let your seed take hold within me and grow.  Come peace!  Spread forth your branches and send forth the fruit of your limbs that there may be peace on earth, and good will towards.  For with you, I may be called a child of God and spread his peace to all men.

St Matthew, Chapter 5, verse: 8, The Beatitude: Blessed are the clean of Heart.

Today we continue with the Beatitudes:  8Blessed are the clean of heart, for they shall see God.

I am late with today's reading due to problems with my computer.  I woke up to find that I had run out of space on my computer.  So, I had to spend most of the day dealing with that issue, before I could get to the joy of my day, writing about the word.


These words given to us by Christ, require defining what or who are the clean of heart.  Are they the newborn children who have known no dirt in their heart?  Are they the young, early babies who have short lives, who bring joy into the lives of those who have known them and sorrow at their leaving??  Are they the children who have reached the age of reason but whoes lives are taken from them by some random act of violence??  Or does this saying, the clean of heart, apply to all who have no dirt in their heart??


We must contrast the phrase clean and dirty, pure and unpure, white and black, light and darkness.  Blessed are the clean of heart!!  Whoever they are, they are indeed blessed, for they shall see God.  This must be a rare experience, to see God.  This must be a very special honor, to have the opportunity to come before God in his awesome presence, to be able to stand before the throne of God and feel the love of our father.  God gave us birth.  He gave us life.  He gave us our nature, we are in his likeness and his image.  I try to think of some earthly experience to compare with and I come up short.  


Most of us refrain from thinking of the transition that must take place when we die.  We see it as an unpleasant experience.  Death may come unexpectedly without warning, in which case we do not have a choice.  It may come expectedly from having lived a long and full life.  Whatever the means or the way that it comes it will come.  And the outcome of it, is where we go after it takes place.  Will we have the opportunity to get to heaven??  Will we have the opportunity to see our Lord and savior, Jesus Christ??  Will we have the opportunity to see God the father.  Christ tells us that those who are clean of heart shall see God.  They will have the unique priviledge of going before God to see him in his awesome majesty and glory.  Lord, help me to have a clean heart!!