Embody Beatitude Living

The author Kurt Vonnegut is not known for being a pillar of faith. In fact, he was an outspoken atheist. We can learn a lot from our critics. He wrote in his book A Man Without a Country, “For some reason, the most vocal Christians among us never mention the Beatitudes. But, often with tears in their eyes, they demand that the Ten Commandments be posted in public buildings. And of course, that’s Moses, not Jesus. I haven’t heard one of them demand that the Sermon on the Mount, the Beatitudes, be posted anywhere. ‘Blessed are the merciful’ in a courtroom? ‘Blessed are the peacemakers’ in the Pentagon? Give me a break!”

He’s right. And reflecting on the beatitudes, I see that we don’t know what to do with these teachings. Not as people of faith. Not individually. I’m struggling with these teachings.

Jesus sees the crowds and goes up on a mountain and sits down. Then he teaches them saying, “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”

What does it mean to be poor in spirit? Blessed are the depressed? The doubters. Blessed are those who can’t even. When I get down on myself, I don’t feel like I’m anywhere close to the kingdom of heaven. I feel like I’m in a hole. And I keep digging. Thoughts and guilt and regret are my tools to burrow deeper into depression. I’m a pro at pity parties. If some little thing goes wrong or I miss something, I feel so responsible and awful. Yet Jesus gives his blessing when I’m there. When I can’t feel it. When I’m in too deep, that’s when the kingdom of heaven is closest.

It’s so backwards to think about. Especially blessing those who mourn. This week, I’ve had a front row seat to how that just isn’t true. Kobe Bryant, a basketball legend, died tragically in a helicopter crash and immediately people took to the outrage machine to say how we shouldn’t mourn his death because of his past misdeeds.[1] We should only mourn those who died with him. Or veterans. Or someone else. Listen. I just buried my grandfather at the beginning of this year. He left a lot of hurt and misdeeds and yet I was still sad. I still mourned. I mourn him. And Kobe. And his daughter. And those who died with them. And those whose lives end tragically like in Nicci Avalon’s hometown, where a father of four died in a car crash. I don’t know him, but I can still mourn. There are no rules to grief. We cannot tell others who they can mourn and who they can’t.

For it is in our common loss that we are brought together more. We can talk about things we couldn’t before. We can name our hurt in the face of death. And together, we can see the blessing a life left us. We can remember them and figure out how to bring the best of those who have died with us into the future. So maybe Jesus is right about this one too… Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.

Okay, maybe Jesus has some wisdom here in his backwards way of thinking. At first glance, these beatitudes are weird. Yet as we sit with these phrases, their meaning spreads out before us. We have to think with these teachings, and in thinking, we awaken to God’s presence.

Like the meek. We’re told to be strong. It is scout Sunday, so some of us even promise to be physically strong, mentally awake, and morally straight. To be proud. To stand firm. Yet Jesus says “Blessed are the meek.” Have you met the meek? Their voices like whispers. Their quiet way. Their shunning of the spotlight and refusal to take a compliment. The meek can be annoying. Maybe Jesus meant “Blessed are the Geek, for they will inherit the earth with all their superhero movies.”

Yet in a time of celebrity politicians and Instagram celebrities and YouTubers all seeking their 15 minutes, in all that noise… Blessed are the meek. Those who work in their communities, not for thanks but because it’s the right thing to do. Those who quietly strive for the common good. Who walk to raise funds for cancer or Alzheimer’s research. Those who feel called or fall into a mission or purpose, and who give it their all. That is what actually makes the world go ‘round. It’s not money. It’s the quiet work of people who set a goal, and go for it, humbly. Who, in spite of feeling like an imposter, do the quiet work that shapes communities and enrich life. Blessed are the communion preppers and office volunteers. Those who sign up and bring food for Garfield.

This work takes time. It’s unseen work. Like a planted seed, the roots must grow underground before the first bud shows. This is why Jesus says “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.” Martin Luther King Jr stated that the moral arch of the universe is long and bends toward justice. It bends that way, because people are pulling on it. The Rev. Doctor would have been 91 years old this year. The fullness of his dream has yet to be fully realized. But we’re closer than we’ve been. I still hunger and thirst for a time where all are treated equal. Where folks are judged by the content of their character. Where race gives us a good history, but is not the determinate factor to what can be achieved. That all are seen as children of God and treated as such.

That day will come. We will be filled. And that day is coming. So be not dismayed. Keep pulling. Keep doing the underground work for that dream to become a reality.

The more I sit with these Beatitudes, the more excited I get. The more I see my need to switch my attitude to the beatitude! Instead of seeking after the padding of my own ego, or throwing myself pity parties when I don’t get my way, maybe… Just maybe these teachings might lead me to be merciful.

Maybe I will be led to be merciful to others as God is merciful to me. If we’re honest, mercy is in short supply these days. We spend our time with conditional living. This means we only accept those who accept us. Who like the same things we do. Who are of the same age and share the same inclinations that we do. We form these little gangs and cliques.

Father Greg Boyle is one who knows a lot about both gangs and our conditional living. Father G, as he is known to the homeboys of LA, works with gang members. He writes that “Gangs are bastions of conditional love. One false move, and you find yourself outside. Slights are remembered, errors in judgment held against you forever. If a homie doesn’t step up to the plate, perform the required duty, he can be relegated to ‘no good’ status.” What Father G’s organization Homeboy Industries seeks to be is a community of unconditional love. Community will always beat a gang any day.

Once one of his homies stopped by Father G’s office on his day off and said, “I just came by to get my fix.”

“Of what?” Father G asked.

“Love,” he says.

Everyone is looking to be told that who he or she is is right and true and wholly acceptable. No need to tinker and tweak. Exactly right.[2]

Maybe you’ve been hurt by a gang. Maybe you’re looking for your people. You thought you had them in that group of friends, that club, or that church, but you suddenly found that their love was conditional. That they held no mercy. Blessed are the merciful for they will be shown mercy.

Blessed are the pure in heart, they will see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. Sometimes the pure in heart are children. They don’t know that they shouldn’t ask certain questions.

After the situation in Iran, Sam and Eve were worried about World War 3. Individually, Kate and I would find them in tears, so worried about events they didn’t understand. So worried about the prospect of war. It led me to think about how adults sometimes don’t question certain things. We’ve lost our purity of heart, and it needs restored. How are we going to recover the loss of human life? How are we going to stop the cycle of violence that seems unending? As Gandhi said, “An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind.” When are we going to turn the other cheek?

And let me talk political for a second. Remember, political not partisan. Partisan is where we support one party over the other, political is how we live together. There’s a lot of talk about free college, food stamps, social security, Medicare and Medicaid and other such things and each time the question is “How are we going to pay for it?” Yet we never ask how we paid for the predator drone that cost millions to build and billions in research in development. Not once has it been ask how we’re going to pay for a billion dollar drone that was dropped on a piece of sand. So I say unto you, “Blessed are the peacemakers.”

Blessed are the children. Who are pure in heart, who worry about these things. Who seek peace and yearn for it and see it as a default in a world of constant war. Jesus calls them blessed. And we need to learn from them.

And finally the last, and most misused beatitude. Blessed are you when you are persecuted. I once disagreed with my friend who then turned around and tried to claim “Christian persecution.” I am rarely without words but I was stunned into silence. I just pictured the headline, “Christian Persecuted by Pastor.”

In some Christian circles, the word persecution is often thrown around, often by those doing the persecuting. . My friend, the Rev. Emily Heath points this out in their amazing article “How to Determine If Your Religious Liberty Is Being Threatened in Just 10 Quick Questions.”[3] I’ll give you three of my favorites.

  1. My religious liberty is at risk because:
  2. A) I am not allowed to go to a religious service of my own choosing.
    B) Others are allowed to go to religious services of their own choosing.

My religious liberty is at risk because:

  1. A) I am being forced to use birth control.
    B) I am unable to force others to not use birth control.

My religious liberty is at risk because:

  1. A) I am not allowed to pray privately.
    B) I am not allowed to force others to pray the prayers of my faith publicly.

Jesus was persecuted. As were his followers. Tradition holds that only Thomas died of natural causes. The rest of the disciples and the early church died horrific deaths because of their faith. Their faith which lifts up the meek. That speaks with the doubters and depressed. That seeks righteousness. That loves mercy. That is pure in heart and doesn’t sell out their values. When they lift up peace, instead of going the lazy way of war. Truly I tell you, if you try to live these things out, you will get push back. You will be called names. Often you’ll be called unchristian by Christians! It’ll be maddening. Yet if it happened to Jesus, be sure it’ll happen to you when you stand for these things.

When you embody beatitude living, you will find that the core of you is good. That Jesus knows what being blessed is about. It’s backwards from how the world would write its blessings, but this way is better. This way will cause even atheists to sit up and notice. I hear a yearning in Kurt Vonnegut’s words that I quoted at the start. If only Christians understood and lived out the beatitudes!

How shall we start? How do we live these out? Do we need to give a thousand rams? Rivers of oil? Our firstborns? No.

God has told you, O mortal, what is good and what is required of you: To do justice. Love kindness. And walk humbly with God. Amen.

Works Cited

1[1] A great article about Kobe: https://www.esquire.com/news-politics/politics/a30668419/kobe-bryant-dead-at-41-obituary/?fbclid=IwAR0IsoALkyMaZek2YBp99K84RsC_6VQXUErYF2OB9il9eZvVI9W1JDp4jUk

2[2] Tattoos on the Heart; The power of boundless compassion. Pages 94-95.

[3][3] Please read all 10 here: https://www.huffpost.com/entry/how-to-determine-if-your-religious-liberty-is-being-threatened-in-10-questions_b_1845413

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