April 9, 2014 (Dietrich Bonhoeffer)

The Reading: Matthew 5:1-12

5 When Jesus^* saw the crowds, he went up the mountain; and after he sat down, his disciples came to him. ² Then he began to speak, and taught them, saying:

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 receive 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 for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

11 ‘Blessed are you when people revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. ¹² Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

Questions for Reflection

Many people like to quote this passage, but do we really believe it?  The meek shall inherit the earth?  What does that mean?  When and how?  And what will happen to those of us who aren’t meek?  The same questions could be asked for any of these statements.  Which ones speak to you?  Which ones challenge you?  How could they form a vision for changing the way we relate to the world?

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