Thursday 18 June 2009

Beatitudes II

Matthew 5:4
Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.

"Blessed..."
Already, as a result of the previous beatitude, we have come to expect that this 'blessedness' is peculiar. It is the ironic declaration of God; an insight into the reality of things not seen; the great reversal of fortune that inclusion in the Kingdom entails. It is not necessarily an experience of blessedness now.

"...are those who mourn,..."
Mourning is what a person does in the face of great loss, usually the loss of a loved one to death. I think the mourning described here speaks directly into that sort of situation, but also contains hints of a broader, more cosmic, existential mourning. It is sorrow, deep sorrow, over my responsibility as a sinner for sin and death and suffering. It is seeing the organic connection between my falleness as an individual and the falleness of all of creation. It is seeing in death - of a loved one, or of anyone - a great judgement falling on us all.

"...for they shall be comforted."
This is the blessedness. A great declaration that comfort (of God himself, of the kingdom) will be extended to those beaten and bruised by the fall. The future can be bright for those who see only through tears. It is God himself who will wipe their tears away.
Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.

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