Rev 7:2-4, 9-14; 1
John 3:1-3; Matthew 5:1-12a
There
are at least two ways to walk through life, two ways to live. One way is the
most traveled road of “the money and
power”; the other is the less traveled way of Jesus.
The road of “the money and power” made up of a definite set
of values. On this road there is a constant strife for money, because money is
power, and power to buy or bargain is what everyone wants. The Hallmark of this
road is consumerism.
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Along this road
mourning is to be hidden because sadness is considered a weakness.
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Neither is there
a place for meekness, because proud positions and recognition are actively
sought after.
-
One who walks the
road of the world hungers for the best foods and thirsts for the finest wines.
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Mercy, if it can
be called such, is decided by a judge in a court of law.
-
Those in
government are thought to be peacemakers. They are responsible for all
peacemaking endeavors. Persecution takes place in Iraq,
Iran, Algeria, but never in the United States.
-
If anyone insults
or slender us, immediately either we return the insult or sue a person in
court.
Jesus’ way is the less traveled road. It is less traveled not because it is so
different in what might happen to us, but because it seems too dangerous, too
unknown, and too costly. Taking Jesus’ less traveled road demands from us
change, conversion, seeing the world and life in a different way, and
consequently living our lives differently. According to Jesus’ way:
-
Those who mourn
are blessed.
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The meek – not
the proud and rich – are heros.
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Those who hunger
and thirst do not necessarily desire food, money or power but they desire
righteousness.
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Showing mercy is
a way of living which is present in every human encounter thus for example,
forgiveness does not need to be searched in court.
-
Peacemaking is
everyone’s responsibility and making peace begins within each person. Revenge
is not a part of peacemaking process.
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Persecution does
not necessarily come in the form of torture, but by the way others challenge
Jesus’ way.
-
Insults slip away
like water rolls of a duck’s back.
-
Slander is
ignored because a reputation is not as important as walking down Jesus’ less
traveled road.
Jesus’
road is the most important for those traveling his road for they know it leads
to God’s kingdom where:
-
the poor are
royalty
-
the sick are
blessed
-
the have-nots
become the haves.
Today
we celebrate all those who chose Jesus’ way. We call them simply saints. They all
have been as real and as human as we are. They haven’t been the super-heroes of
Christian faith who have passed through the world untouched:
·
Some have
experienced weakness through powerful struggles with sin
·
Some have
experienced the blessings of God in their poverty and sorrow, their hunger and
thirst, suffering and sin.
They
have been people as we are. People who have done things that are foolish or
destructive, and yet have discovered the grace and wisdom of God at work in
their lives.
Today
we remember all of them without mentioning their names because there are too
many of them and because we do not know all of their names.
1 comment:
And I believe the saints are all who have left this life and are with God.
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