Weekly Liturgy : January 26-February 1
- Cory
- Jan 26
- 4 min read
Matthew 5:1-12
NRSV
When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up the mountain; and after he sat down, his disciples came to him. Then he began to speak, and taught them, saying:
“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
“Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
“Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.
“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.
“Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy.
“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.
“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.
“Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
“Blessed are you when people revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
REFLECTION
from Cory
It’s week four in the season of Epiphany. This week, Jesus begins his most famous teaching, the Sermon on The Mount.
Matthew is calling people’s minds back to the Old Testament figure of Moses, the first lawgiver. Jesus is like a new Moses, giving the people a new set of laws.
This new teaching introduces Jesus’ followers, and us, to the upside down values of the kingdom of God.
The word that is translated as ‘blessed’ in this passage is a notoriously difficult word to unpack. Some translate it as “happy.” Others use the word “flourishing.”
It is hard to see how the poor, the mourning, the merciful are blessed or happy. The rich, the powerful, the influential, those who have their stuff together, aren’t those the #blessed?
According to Jesus, the grace of God, along with mercy and justice, is flowing down to those on the bottom, away from the centers of power to the margins.
This is God’s topsy-turvy kingdom.
There is a recent song by artist Jon Guerra that contrasts the teachings and wisdom of Jesus and more conventional wisdom, which he calls “The American Gospel.”
Below are the lyrics.
Blessed are the powerful
Blessed are the rich
Blessed are the merciless
And the hypocrites
They will inherit the empires passing
It's the American Gospel
Blessed are the superstars
Blessed are the famous
Blessed are the ones
Who make their faces ageless
They will inherit the magazine covers
Of the American Gospel
Come to me those who have something to give
Come to me those who are likely to win
Come to me those who are ruthless and proud of it
Come pledge
Come swear
Come vote for the American Gospel
Don't wait
Come trade
Your soul for the American Gospel
Blessed are the speech police
Fundamentalists
Blessed are the rioters
Raising clenching fists
They will be filled with empathy for all
Except their enemies
Come to me if you would take up the sword
A citizen honest, a patriot pure
Come to me all who are willing to kill in the war
For country
For culture
And God and the American Gospel
For yours
Is more
And more of the American Gospel
Blessed are the powerless
Blessed are the poor
Blessed are the merciful
Blessed are the pure
For they will inherit the kingdom of Heaven
And that's the heart of the Gospel
Letter from Birmingham Jail
Martin Luther King, Jr.
PRACTICE:
Outward Mindset Application
All of us are governed by different sets of rules, values, customs, and beliefs. For some, “blessed are the meek” directly contradicts the value of “blessed are the ambitious and assertive.” This week, be curious around about the values of the people that you come into contact with, especially those you experience conflict with.
Non-Violent Communication Question of the Week
In your words and nonverbal communication this week, how can you be a peacemaker? One simple step is to listen better. Put your phone away when you are interacting with others. Give others your undivided attention. Try to reflect back what you have heard others say. Ask follow-up questions.
Questions for Reflection
Which of the values or ideas in the beatitudes are the most unrealistic in today’s world? What would happen if a person or a community truly embraced that list? What would that look like in the wider world?
“Liturgy” refers to the habits and practices humans use to form community around shared values and meaning. At Church at the Park, we desire to be a community of practice, becoming people who see the world through the eyes of the marginalized, making meaning through the lens of pain and suffering, and committing ourselves to non-violence in a wounded world. This weekly email is intended to provide pathways of practice for becoming the type of people who embody these values.
Many of our reflections on each week's text come from other sources. If you're interested in reading more of what inspires us, here our our two favorite reflections.
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