Blessed are the Merciful
Today Pastor Mary talked about this beatitude and read the story of the Good Samaritan in
Luke 10. The parable of the Good Samaritan shows us who our neighbor is. This story is so well known today, but it was radical in Jesus' time. She also read Genesis 1:26-31 emphasizing verse 27 where we are created in God's own image. We can be merciful because God has shown mercy to us.
Mary shared a quote from Dorothy Day who said, "I really only love God as much as the person I love the least." This is a powerful quote to think of when we think about loving our neighbors and showing mercy to them. In the end we learn, as Henry Nouwen did, that when we show mercy, we ourselves receive such amazing mercy - the Holy Spirit goes with us!
Labels: Sermon on the Mount
Blessed are Those who Hunger and Thirst for Righteousness
Pastor Mary has been continuing with the series on the Sermon on the Mount, however, I haven't posted for a few weeks with vacation, etc. She covered these: Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. Last week, we learned that meekness is a trait that Jesus wants us to have. With meekness, our lives will be about Him and not our own agendas.
Today, Pastor Mary talked about the next beatitude: Blessed are those who hunger and thirst after righteousness for they will be filled. We read the story of the woman at the well whom Jesus told that the water He gives is living water. Whoever drinks it will not be thirsty.
As we sat on the hillside listening to Pastor Mary, it began to sprinkle. Mary and others made a good call and headed indoors for it soon turned into a downpour. It seemed ironic to be speaking of the water we thirst for as the downpour came from heaven, but as Jeremiah rightly pointed out, the water from Jesus satisfies our spiritual thirst.
