All Saints’ Day

All Saints’ Day THE GOSPEL OF BLESSING 11/3 & 6/05

We have just shared in Jesus’ beatitudes---a word that means “blessing”--- as spoken to His disciples and recorded by Saint Matthew (5: 1-12). These powerful, timeless verses provide us with insight into the very heart of God. On this All Saints’ celebration, the Beatitudes offer us specific detail regarding how the “saints”---the children of God---are to live between Baptism and burial. Does this lifestyle sound familiar? Does the “body of Christ” embody these beatitudes? An author once imagined: “How would the beatitudes sound if the devil were to write them?”

Blessed are those who are too tired, busy, or distracted to worship regularly with fellow believers; they are some of my best workers.
Blessed are those who are touchy and thin-skinned; for, in time, they will leave the church and be my most effective missionaries.
Blessed are those who always wait to be asked and always expect to be praised, for they will remain idle and grow angry.
Blessed are those who have no time to pray, for they will listen to me.
Blessed are the gossips, for they will create immeasurable hurt and harm.
Blessed are the highly critical, for they will infect the Body of Christ.
Blessed are the “devil’s advocates,” for they know and do my work.
Blessed are you when you read this and think it is all about other people and not yourself…for I find this very encouraging.

The devil has his own bucket-of-blessings and is only too willing to pour them out upon all people and, particularly within the Church…disguising his “tricks” as “treats.” In which set of “beatitudes” do you see yourself more accurately described?

Jesus is preaching The Gospel of Blessing. The blessings do not come from us or the world, even as we exhaust the fruits of our labors to make earthly life meaningful. The blessings come only from God, as we sing: “Praise God from whom ALL blessings flow.”(LBW #565) God is the One who blesses us and, often, God blesses the most unexpected people in some of the most unexpected ways. Jesus shocks His hearers of each generation, beginning with blessings upon those whom those deemed failures by the world. Most all of us have experienced or achieved some measure of success in our lives. Most all of us have experienced the “emptiness” and “inadequacy” of worldly success. Many of us have felt the emptiness of material and/or spiritual poverty. Jesus promises a blessing for us in just such times.

Jesus teaches us that when we know what we have acquired isn’t enough…when we hunger and thirst for God…when we feel frustrated because we don’t know how to get close to God; when our prayers seem incessantly unanswered; when we don’t know how to pray…there is blessing for us. When we have learned all the right words to convince people that we’re doing fine, Jesus teaches that we don’t have to pretend nor masquerade within the faith-family…in our shared and risked honesty and intimacy there is special blessing for us.

There is blessing for us when our very souls seem parched. There is blessing for us when we desire God more than anything and don’t quite know how to find God. Here we are---together---as Luther wrote: “Beggars telling other beggars where to find food”---attempting to meet God in this place and time! Hear Jesus’ words: “Blessed are the poor in spirit; those who mourn; those who hunger and thirst for righteousness; those who are merciful; those who are pure in heart; those who are peacemakers; those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake.” (Matthew 5:3-10)

Do you know anyone who is poor in spirit; beaten down by life; mourning a loss; meek, humble, and gentle in his or her dealings; hungry or thirsty for what is right; yearning for spiritual growth; merciful and compassionate; pure in heart; a maker of peace in this world of conflict; persecuted for their faith in Jesus Christ? Might you see yourself described here? Jesus promises rich and priceless blessings for all who are described in these verses! A portion of what Jesus describes is simply an acknowledgement of what most all of us will experience in this life. Jesus knows full-well and firsthand. No one seeks to mourn, but grief is a certain cost of loving. No one seeks to be persecuted, but persecution is a consequence of faithfulness. The remainder of what Jesus teaches offers direction regarding how the saints deal with what we are “dealt” in life…striving to be merciful, praying for purity of heart, determined daily to foster a greater peace in our world. God will bless us, but then, again, so will satan. Lord, to whom shall we go? The “saints” know the answer!

AMEN