“Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.” (Matthew 5:7) At face value, this beatitude seems so simple and obvious: to those who are merciful, mercy shall be given. It is a “reap what you sow” statement, a karma-style mantra, and a “what goes around comes around” mindset. Yet, for being such an easy […]
Category: Lent
On Our Hunger
“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.” (Matthew 5:6) The fourth beatitude listed in the gospel of Matthew mixes together hunger and righteousness. To better understand this beatitude as written here, it can be helpful to look at a few other gospel texts, lest we fall into the […]
On Our Meekness
“Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.” (Matthew 5:5) As the listing of the beatitudes progresses, we see a shift from a focus on typically unchosen realities (poverty, mourning), to core values that are more self-imposed and that shape our overall character—meekness, righteousness, mercifulness, virtuousness, and peace making. Meekness, the third mentioned […]
On Our Mourning
“Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.” (Matthew 5:4) Along with the poor, Jesus is always at the side of those who mourn. Our Lord and Savior knew great loss and sorrow and is always ready to comfort all those going through periods (sometimes lifetimes) of mourning. The role of comforter and […]
On Our Wealth
“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 5:3) This Lenten season, I am reflecting on Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount. This is a sub-series of writings as part of a yearlong effort to ponder the gospel of Matthew and look at this text as it relates to the […]
On Our Core Values
Jesus’ declaratory Sermon on the Mount begins with what we often call the “Beatitudes”, a short litany where Jesus calls out the happily blessed in the Kingdom of God. (Matthew 5:2-11) This opening dissertation of the New Testament (as arranged by the early followers of Jesus) brings us immediately to the heart of our Lord […]
On Jesus’ Inaugural Address
If the gospel narrative attributed to Matthew is the most “political” in nature (which is the premise of my current series of reflections) we might compare Jesus’ monumental Sermon on the Mountain with that of an inaugural speech which a politician might give. (Matthew 5-7) The gospel writer(s) here view it of utmost importance to […]
On the Paschal Moon
Have you ever noticed that there is always a full moon around the lead up to Easter? That is by design and this specific full moon is called the Paschal Moon. The date of Easter is determined by a somewhat cumbersome calculation: the first Sunday after the first full moon after the vernal (spring) equinox, […]
On Seasonal Side Effects
The various seasons of the Church Year provide opportunities to explore different aspects of our faith. Each season brings with it certain rituals and practices and it can be easy to simply go through the motions without ever growing spiritually. When we choose to fully embrace each season we discover holistic spiritual health that nurtures […]
On Limitations
As we go through the season of Lent, participating in various spiritual practices to challenge our faith, we come to realize our limits. There is a good chance that by the third week of Lent, our original plans for this season of repentance and discipline have been altered, or even abandoned altogether. The Church Calendar […]
Relevant Reformation 