THE BEATITUDES II

THE BEATITUDES II

Starting at the beginning, Matthew 5:1, we read that when Jesus saw the crowds he went up on the mountain. Was he trying to get away from the crowds? In other places where we read about Jesus going up on mountains, it often was for a quiet time to pray (Mat. 14:23, Luke 6:12). However, here it says he called his disciples to him. Then, it says he began to teach them. Since we just read that it was his disciples he called to him, it is reasonable to conclude it was his disciples he was talking to. Some have apparently used that logic, that way of thinking, to say that what follows was therefore not for all believers. They say it is too hard for most people to practice what Jesus talks about in these chapters. Is this just an excuse? I really don't believe there is anywhere in the New Testament, the part of the Bible concerned with Jesus' story, where it says that the teachings of Jesus are only for his closest followers, like the disciples. I believe they are for all of us. In fact, knowing how the crowds went after Jesus to hear his teachings, I suspect they were there, listening from right behind the disciples.

In the older translations, each of these statements begins with the word 'blessed'. It is not a word we hear very often in everyday English nowadays. Why might that be? First, should we look at what it means? One translation replaces it with the word 'happy'. Interestingly, the Encarta Dictionary that comes with my Word program does not even give 'happy' as a synonym, a word of similar or equal meaning. About 'blessed', it says: "Made holy, declared holy, or bringing happiness or good luck." To me, the first part makes sense. We usually find the word blessed used in situations where we are thinking of something holy or sacred. We talk about Jesus' mother as the Blessed Virgin Mary. We talk about prayer time as ''blessed quietness'.

Luck, on the other hand, is defined as "the arbitrary distribution of events or outcomes, something that seems to happen by chance rather than as a logical consequence." As young people would say, 'random'. Some would say 'it's your destiny'; 'it's your fate'. In other words, it is something beyond our control, something that just happens, a coincidence.

Now, I ask you then, does holiness and being blessed then have anything to do with luck? I think not. A blessing is something someone gives you. A state of being blessed is something you may be given. Ultimately, finally, in the end, I think blessedness is something only God can really confer on us, give us. If I have a lot to be thankful for, I prefer not to refer to myself as lucky. I would rather say I am blessed, as it is only by God's grace that I believe I am what I am and have what I have. If God is our Creator and sustainer, how can it be otherwise? That is why, when I am wishing someone well, no matter what the circumstance, e.g. on a greeting card or in person, I try not to say ‘Good luck’. I would rather use the word blessing. I might even refer to someone as fortunate, but not lucky.

So, when we say, "God bless," whatever we are referring to, it is not something to be said lightly, superficially; it is serious. If I say, "God Bless you" to you, it is really a prayer to God to do just that. So, to end this meditation, I do want to wish you God's Blessings. As Believers, this is something we can do for one another.