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Stories Seldom Heard Welcome to Stories Seldom Heard. Both Matthew and Luke have a set of beatitudes and not surprisingly they differ from one another. Luke has four beatitudes that are followed by four woes. Matthew lists eight beatitudes. Matthew’s beatitudes are the ones we traditionally think of when we refer to the Beatitudes. So during the next few months we will be reflecting on the eight beatitudes according to Matthew’s Gospel. Some people view the beatitudes as a table of contents for Matthew’s Gospel. In other words, their meaning will only be revealed when we listen to the parables and observe how Jesus interacts with the diverse people he meets. As we do this it is good to keep in mind that the beatitudes are not a list of commandments, but rather a set of promises God makes to us. As we listen to the scriptures and reflect on our own life experience, we will begin to see how the beatitudes are like abbreviated parables that need to be carefully explored. The beatitudes describe our reality- our human situation. In truth, we will mourn the loss of loved ones. We will come to know our limitations. If we are disciples of “the way” as the early Christians were called we will meet resistance from many powerful people in the world when we seek justice for the least in our societies. Yet, it is in these very situations, as we come to realize our dependency on God and our interrelationship with all of creation, that we will experience unique blessings. This might sound a little abstract, so maybe a couple of examples might help. Last Friday at the Farmers’ Market while I was checking out the newly arrived tomatoes, I met a neighbor and casually asked her how she was. Her response was, “I’m blessed.” Most of us probably wouldn’t respond in this way if someone asked us how we were, but those words “I’m blessed” say a lot about how this woman lives her life – both the joyful and the difficult parts of it. It also speaks of her relationship with God and the way she treats her neighbors. Now my neighbor would never consider herself a theologian, but she is a faithful church “go-er” and a woman who is wise beyond her years. At another time when I was in a parish setting, we discussed the meaning of the word “blessed” and what it means to feel blessed. Inevitably those responding whether they were born in the United States, Hong Kong, Central America or the Philippines, had similar insights. What I learned from them is to be blessed is a spiritual quality that affects our choices and the way we live. When we are blessed we are aware that all life is gift; and we are able to more fully appreciate the wonders of all creation. A blessing is freely given; we cannot do it for ourselves. One of the Filipinas said the word “blessed” in Tagalog is close to the word for “palm.” Because of that it reminded her of the scripture passage that says, God formed us and holds us in the palm of God’s hand. So to be blessed is to be shaped and reformed by God. Persons who are truly blessed seem to have a capacity to know deep within themselves that God is their security. Even though they might be going through difficult times, they can make a connection between what is happening in their lives and God’s tender care of them. When life is stressful or disheartening, they can still trust because they know they don’t have to face the day by themselves. When the situation seems overwhelming, they don’t shrink from their responsibilities because they know that God will guide them. Friends and sometimes strangers will be there to support or comfort them. In each of our lives there have been moments when we have felt blessed: a profound sense of God’s presence in our lives. These times often come when we least expect them. We might be in a church praying, silently scanning a hilltop meadow while hiking in the mountains, standing at the seashore on a blustery winter’s night or in a conversation with a long time friend or spouse. Or we might experience God while we are doing the ordinary work of our day. There’s a well known story about Martin Luther King Jr. who was sitting at his kitchen table one day and suddenly experienced a profound sense of God’s presence: the God who without words and in the silence of Martin’s heart reassured Martin that God would never leave him alone. That experience stayed with Martin as a touchstone and enabled Martin to be faithful to the end of his life. We, too, have had moments when we have felt touched by God, but sometimes we don’t give enough credence to these experiences. Perhaps we gloss over them too quickly because we think we are not worthy or that God only communicates with saintly people even though that is not what scripture says. Jesus is Emmanuel (God with us) and reassures us that his Spirit will always be with us. So before we continue the work of our day, it might be helpful to pause and recall a time when you felt particularly touched by God: a time of peace in the midst of chaos, of clarity in the face of doubt or a sense of security even though everything in your life felt out of balance. These moments are gifts from God. They are blessings that can give us great strength and confidence by just calling them to mind in times of crisis or need. Even though these touchstones of faith might not change the turmoil of our situation, they can offer us a sense of balance and the realization that God is with us. After recalling one of these experiences we might respond with a prayer of confidence in God’s power that sustains us. Using the words of Julian of Norwich, we could pray: “All shall be well. All shall be well. All manner of things shall be well.”
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