[God]
has told you, O mortal, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but
to do justice, love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God? [Micah 6:8]
Lord, who...may dwell upon your holy hill? Whoever leads a blameless
life...does what is right...speaks the truth from his heart...[with] no guile
upon his tongue...does no evil to a friend ...does not heap contempt upon his
neighbor...in his sight the wicked is rejected...honors those who fear the
Lord...he has sworn to do no wrong...does not take back his word...does not
give his money in hope of gain...does [not] take a bribe against the
innocent... [Psalm 15]
But God chose
what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the
world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world,
things that are not, to reduce to nothing things that are, so that no one might
boast in the presence of God. [1 Corinthians 1:27-29]
When Jesus saw the crowds,
he went up the mountain; and after he sat down, his disciples came to him. Then
he began to speak, and taught them, saying: "Blessed are..." [Matthew 5:1-12]
The Sermon
on the Mount, is recorded in Matthew as the first public act of Jesus
and we will follow this first sermon for the next several weeks. This week we
hear the Beatitudes in concert with the words of Micah, the
Psalmist, and Paul speaking to the church in Corinth, all giving an outline and
direction in the ways in which to follow God as God wills and, from the Gospel,
to become followers of Jesus more fully.
These Beatitudes, or state of blessedness, are qualities
of life that describe what we are to actively work toward as we humbly submit
ourselves to the will of Jesus. These eight Beatitudes are not
describing eight different groups of people, but rather the states of being
that we each may manifest within our lives, the attributes of true
discipleship. They name our blessings and the corresponding reward for
faithfulness. Jesus lets us know we are blessed in the first part of his sermon
so that we are uplifted. As his teachings continue, we know we will be enfolded
and sustained by these blessings whenever life turns difficult as long as we
are doing all we can to live into the spirit of these states of being. Yet a part of this lesson may be overlooked. However difficult in the moments in our own times of discomfort, distress, and even despair, it is through all of life's experiences, that we can seek to discover opportunities to become a blessing to and for others.
As I ponder all the readings for this week, I want to experience the
message of God, the Psalmist, Paul, and Jesus and actively improve the areas in
my life that need some remedial work in doing justice, letting go of my judgment
of others, recognizing my weaknesses, and being more constructive in
peace-making, among all the other ideals listed.
The
instructions we are given in these readings are quite simple at first glance.
Do this, do that, and all will be well except that these directions seem to be
more about being than doing, attitude more than activity yet all are necessary. Salvation would be so easy to attain if only it wasn’t so simply
difficult to tear ourselves away from the easy path of self-comfort. A lingering question remains for me to remember, “when in
my life have I found myself among the following”:
LET US, GOD’S PEOPLE, PRAY
Leader: ~ O God on
High, Source of All Life, refine and purify our hearts that we may
recognize our blessings, choose to be and do with our lives as Jesus taught us,
and walk with You as the embodiment of blessings for all Your people who live
in hunger, sickness, fear, injustice, grief, and hopelessness.
Lord of Hope and Joy
RESPONSE:
Strengthen our trust in You
~ O God our Source, attend to
those who present themselves in the temples of government in our World, in our
Country, and in our Community. Fill their souls with Your wisdom,
truth, and mercy, and divert them from paths of war, greed, and
inhumanity. We pray especially for: add your own petitions
Lord of Hope and Joy
Strengthen
our trust in You
~ O God our Source, we ask for
Your healing for all who are seriously ill, anxious, or exhausted, and for
those who tend to their needs. We now join our voices to pray aloud for
those in need… add your own petitions
Lord of Hope and Joy
Strengthen
our trust in You
~ O God our Source, the gloom of
grief is lifted when our hearts know that You joyfully embrace all who live
again in Your glorious and eternal Paradise. We pray especially for… add
your own petitions
Lord of Hope and Joy
Strengthen
our trust in You
~ O God our Source, we pause in
this moment to offer You our other heartfelt thanksgivings, intercessions,
petitions, and memorials, aloud or silently… add your own petitions
Lord of Hope and Joy
Strengthen
our trust in You
~ O God our Source, hold fast
in Your embrace all who lead us in Your Church, as they guide and walk with us
in Word, Sacrament, and Faith, away from false gods and always to You. We pray
especially for: add your own petitions
Lord of Hope and Joy
Strengthen
our trust in You
The Celebrant adds: Holy Lord of
the highest Mountains and the lowest Valleys, draw us close to experience Your
Presence in each moment, in our success and in our failings, as we strive to
seek Your favor and follow Your will in all that we are and all that we do. We
ask through the blessings of Christ Jesus, our Redeemer; and the guidance of
the Holy Spirit, our Counselor; who together with You are our One God, now and
through eternity. Amen.
No comments:
Post a Comment