Matthew 5:1-12
Sermon on the Mount
1 Now when Jesus saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him, 2 and he began to teach them.
The Beatitudes
He said:
3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
4 Blessed are those who mourn,
for they will be comforted.
5 Blessed are the meek,
for they will inherit the earth.
6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
for they will be filled.
7 Blessed are the merciful,
for they will be shown mercy.
8 Blessed are the pure in heart,
for they will see God.
9 Blessed are the peacemakers,
for they will be called children of God.
10 Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
11 “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. 12 Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
When we love, we are blessed...
We can become calloused if we hide from love and give it to no one...C. S. Lewis said this about love and us being vulnerable...“To love at all is to be vulnerable...Love anything and your heart will be wrung and possibly broken...If you want to make sure of keeping it intact you must give it to no one, not even an animal...Wrap it carefully round with hobbies and little luxuries; avoid all entanglements...Lock it up safe in the casket or coffin of your selfishness...But in that casket, safe, dark, motionless, airless, it will change...It will not be broken; it will become unbreakable, impenetrable, irredeemable...To love is to be vulnerable.”...
Love gives us a vulnerability...That is one of the things that makes love-love...The vulnerable are also those who are poor in spirit, those who mourn, and those who are meek...
Love makes us weep for the vulnerable...That is why we mourn for those who are poor in spirit and those who are meek...And Jesus tells us that those who mourn, those who are poor in spirit, and those who are meek are blessed...