Bible Text:

“Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.”                                                                                                (Matthew 5:4)

If the first beatitude of Jesus seems a little mysterious (“Blessed are the poor in spirit”), the second seems downright contradictory. “Blessed are those who mourn.” Jesus says, “O, the exalted happiness of those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.” 

Never mind the second part of the beatitude, the first part is bad enough. What a strange paradox. Those who mourn are really the happy ones. The word “mourn” that Jesus uses here means to ache deeply, to hurt right down to the bone. 

This means more than a little sadness now and then. It’s much more than a bad day. Somewhere I read this description of a bad day: “You know it’s going to be a bad day when you wake up and your braces are locked together. You know it’s going to be a bad day when the birds singing outside your window are buzzards. You know it’s going to be a bad day when your boss tells you not to bother to take your coat off. You know it’s going to be a bad day when your income tax refund check bounces.” 

And this is more than simply the sadness that comes through a difficult time with your children. I remember what someone said about a two-day trip they took with their children. After the first day they believed in the doctrine of original sin. After the second day they believed in the doctrine of total depravity! 

This beatitude is more than any of these. It seems to imply a deeply felt grief or pain or hurt.

There are several possible meanings to this beatitude, any one of which might have been primary for Jesus. 

UNDERSTANDING THE PAIN IN LIFE 

One meaning might be this: blessed is the one who understands the pain in life. Blessed is that person who understands that life is not easy. 

Some people seem impervious to pain. Two elderly ladies met at a Laundromat after not seeing one another for some time. After inquiring about each other’s health, one asked how the other’s husband was doing. “Oh,” she replied, “Ted died last week. He went out to the garden to pick some beans for supper, had a heart attack and dropped dead right there in the middle of the vegetable patch.” 

“Oh dear, I’m very sorry,” replied her friend. “What did you do?” 

Replied the second woman, “I opened a can of peas instead.” 

Jesus says, “Don’t go through life without feeling the pain that comes.” 

Life is not easy. Scott Peck begins one of his books by saying, “Life is difficult.” Jesus said, “Blessed are those who are not desensitized to pain or to struggle.” That is the life of a disciple of Jesus. 

ONE WHO FEELS THE PAIN OF THE WORLD 

Or Jesus may have meant blessed is the one who feels the pain of the world. Blessed is the one who deeply regrets that such pain exists. Blessed is the one who feels the pain of sickness—like the SARS epidemic. It’s nobody’s fault. It’s just out there. It hurts. People hurt. 

Blessed are the ones who feel the pain of divorce. Marriages that began in so much joy and promise are torn apart by divorce. 

Blessed are those who feel the pain of war, even when it may be a just war. We hurt that human beings cannot find a more gentle way to live in one world. The enmity between tribes and ethnic entities and nations persists. 

A small boy had a paper to write for school on how wars start. He went to his father for some help. His father said, “Well, now, let’s suppose that the United States got into a quarrel with Canada.” The boy’s mother came into the room just in time to hear the father’s statement. “Why that’s silly,” she said. “The United States and Canada are good neighbors. Why would we quarrel with them?” 

“That’s not the point,” said the father. “I was merely citing an example.” 

“Well, if you had an ounce of brains you wouldn’t pick such a stupid example,” said the mother. 

“Who’s stupid?” demanded the father. “I was merely trying to help my son.” 

“Your son?” the mother shouted. “As if I didn’t have anything to do with it! I suppose you just found him somewhere.” 

At this point the boy said, “Please, folks, never mind. I think I figured out the answer for myself.” 

Blessed are those, said Jesus, who feel the pain of war. That, too, is the life of a disciple. 

Only once in my life have I been asked to give any kind of a commencement address. It was for a graduating class of 15 seniors. I remember seeing a sermon title for a church in downtown Pittsburgh a couple of years ago that said, “The commencement address I was not asked to give.” I guess I know something of that feeling. However, if I were to deliver a commencement address, it would be along the lines of this text: “Give yourself to the hurt and pain of the world. Invest yourself in the world’s deepest needs. If you do, you will live more deeply and fully throughout.” 

A disciple is one who feels the pain of a world that is without peace on earth and without good will toward human beings. 

THOSE WHO KNOW THEIR OWN PERSONAL FAILURES 

A third possibility for the beatitude is this: blessed is the one who knows his or her own personal failures. We are far from perfect. We are far from God’s creative design. We lament our harsh words toward family members, toward those we care about. We lament good deeds left undone, kind words left unspoken. 

We have failed God’s standards. Sometimes we have failed even our own highest standards. Some of you may remember a piece of furniture in churches of another generation called the “mourner’s bench.” This was a place where persons would come and kneel to confess their sins before God and to mourn away their sinfulness. The mourner’s bench was for people who knew their own personal failures. 

I supposed this is the primary reason why we have prayers of confession in worship. Prayers of confession put us in touch with our failures. Perhaps we do not always need to be reminded, but sometimes we do. The prayers that we use here at Christ Church often remind me. 

So Jesus speaks to the blessedness of (1) those who understand human pain, or (2) those who feel the world’s painful realities, or “(3) those who know their own personal failures. In other words, those who feel deeply, and who remain sensitive. 

THEY SHALL BE COMFORTED 

Then Jesus says, “They shall be comforted.” He doesn’t say they may be comforted, or they might be comforted. He says they shall be comforted. This week at Annual Conference we will undoubtedly debate the difference between “may” and “shall” in some conference legislation. “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.” 

The promise is this: you shall know the forgiving, healing nature of God. There’s a question these days that goes something like this: why do bad things happen to good people? I think a better question and a more important question is “What do good people do when bad things happen to them?” Or even the best question of all might be “What do God’s people do when bad things happen to them?” 

God does bring comfort to God’s people. God does bring comfort to growing disciples. God does bring comfort to faith-based persons. 

God never says that bad things don’t happen. God does say, “You will be comforted.” Consider a couple of Biblical examples. 

But now thus says the Lord… Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you. (Isaiah 43:1-2)

God has said, “I will never leave you or forsake you.” So we can say with confidence, “The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can anyone do to me?” (Hebrews 13:5-6) 

Someone recently told me about a quote from the novel, “Gone With the Wind.” A simple philosopher and one of the slaves spoke in the face of Civil War. This is what he said: “There ain’t nothin’ from the outside that can lick any of us.” 

Those are Jesus’ words to his followers. 

Many of you know the story of Art Linkletter. He knew at least two major tragedies in his life. The first was his daughter’s tragic death as a result of drugs. The second was his son’s death in an auto accident. Art Linkletter explained his courageous attitude in this way. 

It is something in life over which you have no control, and God’s plan for us, as we all know, is more than we can fathom. It’s part of the pattern of life—life and death. 

Having once admitted and accepted the deep, deep pain of the wound, then you begin to realize that you have expanded your own capability of living and caring for others. Until you are hurt, you can never truly understand the hurt of others. Until you have failed, you cannot truly achieve success.[i] 

That is very close to what Jesus says in this beatitude. When you feel the pain you expand your capacity to live fully. Someone once said, “In love’s service, only broken hearts will do.” I think I like that. 

We only have the power of faith and hope when we are able to mourn. 

Please note that God offers real comfort. This is not pity. This is not a Band-Aid. This is real comfort, major comfort. When cancer strikes (sometimes called “the big C”), God offers the really big C (comfort). 

There is a hymn in one of our United Methodist hymnals that puts it well. Listen to these words. 

Sometimes a light surprises the Christian while he sings;

It is the Lord who rises with healing in his wings.

When comforts are declining, He grants the soul again

A season of clear shining to cheer it after rain. 

Though vine nor fig tree neither their wonted fruit should

   bear,

Though the entire field should wither, nor flocks nor herds

   be there;

Yet God the same abiding, his praise shall tune my voice,

For while in God confiding, I cannot but rejoice.[ii] 

Blessed are those who mourn. Blessed are those who live life deeply as disciples. You shall know a God-infused happiness. You shall receive comfort beyond anything you can imagine. 

Thanks be to God. Amen.