The Sermon on the Mount
JESUS MAFA. The Sermon on the Mount, from Art in the Christian Tradition, a project of the Vanderbilt Divinity Library, Nashville, TN. https://diglib.library.vanderbilt.edu/act-imagelink.pl?RC=48284 [retrieved January 29, 2023]. Original source: http://www.librairie-emmanuel.fr (contact page: https://www.librairie-emmanuel.fr/contact).
Blessed are the Poor
Wesley, Frank, 1923-2002. Blessed are the Poor, from Art in the Christian Tradition, a project of the Vanderbilt Divinity Library, Nashville, TN. https://diglib.library.vanderbilt.edu/act-imagelink.pl?RC=59231 [retrieved January 29, 2023]. Original source: Estate of Frank Wesley, http://www.frankwesleyart.com/main_page.htm.
Exploring the Text: Counter cultural blessings
All of the blessings Jesus pronounces in the Beatitudes run contrary what our culture says.
Jesus says that one kind of lifestyle is blessed by God while our culture tells us that the opposite lifestyle is what we need to succeed. We get to choose, do we want to be blessed by God or by our culture?
David W. Dalton
All of the blessings Jesus pronounces in the Beatitudes run contrary what our culture says.
- Jesus says that God blesses those who are poor in spirit or who fully rely on him along. Our culture tells us that we need to rely on ourselves.
- Jesus says that God blesses those who mourn or grieve. Our culture tells us that we should try to be happy all the time.
- Jesus says that God blesses the meek. Our culture tells us that we need to stand up for ourselves.
- Jesus says that God blesses those who want God and drink. Our culture tells us that we should life our own way, make our own path, and be our own masters.
- Jesus says that God blesses those who are merciful. Our culture tells us that if someone is not nice to us, we should treat them the same way.
- Jesus says that God blesses those who are pure in heart. Our culture tells us that we have to do impure things to satisfy ourselves or to get ahead.
- Jesus says that God blesses those who make peace. Out culture tells us that we have to strive, fight, and win in order to succeed.
- Jesus says that God blesses people who are treated badly for doing right. Our culture says that we should only do what is right if it benefits us.
Jesus says that one kind of lifestyle is blessed by God while our culture tells us that the opposite lifestyle is what we need to succeed. We get to choose, do we want to be blessed by God or by our culture?
David W. Dalton
Living out the Text: Time with the poor
Jesus spent so much of his time with the poor and the marginalized. Jesus was friends with the people who the middle-class of his time did not want to associate with. Jesus spent time with the ones who did everything wrong, the ones who despised themselves, the ones who wanted to be part of the popular crowd, the ones who were lonely, afraid, hurting, and wounded. The ones who were hungry. The ones who he called here the poor in spirit. It is no mistake that in the Beatitudes, the first of the blessed are the very ones he was called to seek out. By nature of seeking out these people, he experienced the persecution he knew we would experience if we, too, sought out the poor. Just like they did with Jesus, if we position ourselves intentionally to seek out the poor, spend time with the poor, listen to the poor, feed the poor, comfort the poor, heal the poor, the poor will listen to us. We must live our lives intentionally with the poor and perhaps more importantly, invite them to live their lives with us.
Maria Ward
Jesus spent so much of his time with the poor and the marginalized. Jesus was friends with the people who the middle-class of his time did not want to associate with. Jesus spent time with the ones who did everything wrong, the ones who despised themselves, the ones who wanted to be part of the popular crowd, the ones who were lonely, afraid, hurting, and wounded. The ones who were hungry. The ones who he called here the poor in spirit. It is no mistake that in the Beatitudes, the first of the blessed are the very ones he was called to seek out. By nature of seeking out these people, he experienced the persecution he knew we would experience if we, too, sought out the poor. Just like they did with Jesus, if we position ourselves intentionally to seek out the poor, spend time with the poor, listen to the poor, feed the poor, comfort the poor, heal the poor, the poor will listen to us. We must live our lives intentionally with the poor and perhaps more importantly, invite them to live their lives with us.
Maria Ward
Shared Experiences: A meal together
Who is the person you know who does not seem to have any friends? Who is the person who is rarely invited to coffee or lunch? Who is the one too exhausted after working a menial job to do much of anything except eat a bowl of cereal for dinner? If you have the resources, invite this person for a meal. Ask them about themselves. Listen. Make it a point not to challenge their point of view or become defensive. Be bold and ask if you can pray for them. If they answer yes, then rejoice! They are inviting you into their lives. Perhaps next time you can invite them into yours.
Maria Ward
Who is the person you know who does not seem to have any friends? Who is the person who is rarely invited to coffee or lunch? Who is the one too exhausted after working a menial job to do much of anything except eat a bowl of cereal for dinner? If you have the resources, invite this person for a meal. Ask them about themselves. Listen. Make it a point not to challenge their point of view or become defensive. Be bold and ask if you can pray for them. If they answer yes, then rejoice! They are inviting you into their lives. Perhaps next time you can invite them into yours.
Maria Ward
Prayer Response
God our deliverer,
you walk with the meek and the poor,
the compassionate and those who mourn,
and you call us to walk humbly with you.
When we are foolish, be our wisdom;
when we are weak, be our strength;
that, as we learn to do justice
and to love mercy,
your rule may come as blessing. Amen.
God our deliverer,
you walk with the meek and the poor,
the compassionate and those who mourn,
and you call us to walk humbly with you.
When we are foolish, be our wisdom;
when we are weak, be our strength;
that, as we learn to do justice
and to love mercy,
your rule may come as blessing. Amen.
Revised Common Lectionary (https://lectionary.library.vanderbilt.edu/prayers.php?id=16)