Blessed?

What does it mean to be blessed?

Some translations use the word: happy, others fortunate, most stick with blessed.

Blessed is a word we don’t use very often, especially outside the church.

I even looked up the Greek, and the word translated means: blessed, fortunate or happy.

If we think about the things that make us happy, or times we feel fortunate, what might they be?

Chocolate

Reading a book

Swimming

Being with family or friends

Not having to cook
….
…..

I asked the people on Friday night when were they happy, and someone said he is happy when he gets presents, another when she is singing or dancing, another on his bike.

We all have times in our lives when we are happy.

But while I am happy eating chocolate, I don’t know that I would call that blessed.

A time I remember feeling blessed was a time I was very unhappy. Because of what had been going on in my life, I wondered if God was real, or maybe just distant and disinterested in me. The alternative, that God inflicted this suffering on me was too much to contemplate, even though some people told me that. The blessing came from a Minister, who spoke to me of a God who was holding me and crying with me, rather than judging me or ignoring me.

I was blessed to see a picture of God that was of grace and love and hope. An image of a God who was with me in my struggle and sorrow.
 I still wasn’t happy, but I was blessed.

Do you feel blessed by God?

Maybe you feel you are not worthy?

Or that you are not good enough?

Not rich enough?

Not important enough?

Now, as 2000 years ago, to be blessed meant being successful; that is a good job, housing, food and children.

Yet the people named as blessed
are not the rich, the leaders, the warriors,
but the poor, the humble, the peacemakers.

I wonder if the reason these groups are listed, is because these were people who were of no account in society. People who would not be considered blessed.

Here, as in other parts of the Scriptures, Jesus turns our ideas upside down.

Reflection

He spoke of blessing.

And I stood among the crowd,

in filth and ignorance,

and bristled at his boldness.

He spoke of blessing.

And a rumour spread across

this hill of hopelessness

that he might mean me.

He spoke of blessing.

And I realised he talked

not through impudence or importance

but through experience.

He spoke of blessing.

And in an uninvited, unexpected

moment of madness

I was made holy

in my poverty and weakness,

hallowed in my hunger

and in my humanity,

sanctified in my peace-seeking

and in my persecution.

He spoke of blessing.

And I left there

wearing my rags like the richest finery,

and carrying my burdens

like precious jewels.

Spill the beans

You are blessed.
You are a precious child of God;
God is crazy about you;
and there's nothing anybody can do about that!"  anon – working preacher comment

In Matthew, the blessed are

the poor

the ones who trust God

the grieving

the humble

the merciful

those who obey God

the pure-hearted

the peacemakers and

those who are oppressed or persecuted.

Matthew leads us through the waters of baptism with Jesus, the temptations in the wilderness, the calling of the disciples, and here, a sermon. A sermon that sets the scene for much that follows. A sermon that tells of the presence of God,
the presence of God with the unexpected,
the sorrowing,
the lonely,
the ones who please God
who don’t show off
who seek to bring peace.

This passage is the beginning of the sermon on the mount. But here, at the beginning of this sermon, Jesus makes sure that the disciples know, not only in their heads, but in their whole beings, that they are known and treasured by God. The identity of the disciples as children of God is secure, and always the challenge to follow in the way of Jesus.

God loves you
and wants you to know the blessing
of grace and forgiveness
of hope and peace.

The blessing that sustains in times of turmoil
the blessing that keeps us strong when we are ridiculed for standing alongside the poor
the blessing that nurtures and strengthens us when we despair of the violence and oppression in the world.

The blessing of being known and lived

Secure in our relationship with God

To follow in the footsteps of the one who shows us the face of God.

Reflection time