Tuesday, February 18, 2020

The Way of Peace


Isaiah 2:1-4   (CEB)

This is what Isaiah, Amoz’s son, saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem.

In the days to come
    the mountain of the Lord’s house
    will be the highest of the mountains.
    It will be lifted above the hills;
        peoples will stream to it.
Many nations will go and say,
“Come, let’s go up to the Lord’s mountain,
    to the house of Jacob’s God
        so that he may teach us his ways
        and we may walk in God’s paths.”
Instruction will come from Zion;
    the Lord’s word from Jerusalem.
God will judge between the nations,
    and settle disputes of mighty nations.
Then they will beat their swords into iron plows
    and their spears into pruning tools.
Nation will not take up sword against nation;
    they will no longer learn how to make war.



Shalom
Salam

Two words we would hear frequently while in the Holy Lands.

Arabic and Hebrew --- both are a greeting --- but also much more than that.
          they are words inviting us into a state of peace

Blessed are the Peacemakers, Jesus said --- they will be called children of God

Peace is a funny word
          Jesus was executed as a part of the Pax Romana --- The peace of Rome
                   A peace that killed its perceived enemies, in order to, create peace
                  
Most tyrants when they crackdown on dissidents in their midst do so in the name of protecting the peace

Joe Kapolyo, in his commentary on Matthew says that the peacemaker is someone who is reconciled to God, knows God is for peace, and seeks reconciliation instead of strife and war.

I have told you that I believe the order of the beatitudes is very intentional.
          They build on each other

RT Kendell is his book, The Sermon on the Mount
Peacemaking follows purity in heart, giving you a wider perspective.  You will be concerned for others --- wanting to make peace.  You will be concerned for God's people --- the Church.  You will be concerned for God's greater glory. . . .The reason, that this beatitude about peacemaking is put exactly on the ladder here is that the pure in heart delight in the peace and fellowship among God's people.  The pure in heart rise above selfish concerns, staying above the "party line."  They want peace, unfeigned unity and the genuine happiness of others.

Much like today, the early Christians struggled with the rise of vigilante-like-zealotry, which was a growing part of the Jewish resistance movements.

Jesus seems to once again turn the world on its head when he calls us not to seek justice through violence --- but rather to turn from retaliation to reconciliation.

Rabbi Hillel, a contemporary of Jesus, said:
Be disciples of Aaron, loving peace and pursuing peace, loving people and drawing them near to the Torah.

Dietrich Bonhoeffer in, The Cost of Discipleship wrote:
The followers of Jesus have been called to peace. When he called them they found their peace, for he is their peace. But now they are told that they must not only have peace but make it. And to that end they renounce all violence and tumult.

He went on
Their peace will never be greater than when they encounter evil people in peace and are willing to suffer from them.

Bonhoeffer, you remember was executed by the Nazis

Sometimes it is easier to define what peacemaking is NOT rather than just try and define it.

Peacemaking quite simply is neither
          being nice
          nor being tolerant

As I said earlier --- Peacemaking is actively entering into the middle of warring parties with the purpose of creating reconciliation and peace

But that is tough --- and a place most of us don't want to go

What Jesus says about the peacemaker is insightful and fascinating

The New Revised Standard Version says:
“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God."

Once again, Eugene Peterson in his translation The Message nails it:
You’re blessed when you can show people how to cooperate instead of compete or fight. That’s when you discover who you really are, and your place in God’s family.

The phrase --- children of God --- was used by Judaism to denote someone who is on God's side --- reminding us that God is a God of peace

John R. W. Stott in his book, The Message of the Sermon on the Mount, writes
Now peacemaking is a divine work. For peace means reconciliation, and God is the author of peace and of reconciliation. … It is hardly surprising, therefore, that the particular blessing which attaches to peacemakers is that "they shall be called sons of God." For they are seeking to do what their Father has done, loving people with his love.

This concept of seeking peace --- of seeking reconciliation rather than retribution --- is found throughout both the New Testament and the Hebrew Bible

Isaiah 9:7 (CEB)
There will be vast authority and endless peace
    for David’s throne and for his kingdom,
    establishing and sustaining it
    with justice and righteousness
    now and forever.

The zeal of the Lord of heavenly forces will do this.

Isaiah 32:17 (CEB)
The fruit of righteousness will be peace,
    and the outcome of righteousness,
    calm and security forever.

And of course, our text for today

But maybe most clearly is just a little later in this 5th chapter of Matthew, I love the way The Message puts this: (Matthew 5:38-48 The Message)
“Here’s another old saying that deserves a second look: ‘Eye for eye, tooth for tooth.’ Is that going to get us anywhere? Here’s what I propose: ‘Don’t hit back at all.’ If someone strikes you, stand there and take it. If someone drags you into court and sues for the shirt off your back, giftwrap your best coat and make a present of it. And if someone takes unfair advantage of you, use the occasion to practice the servant life. No more tit-for-tat stuff. Live generously.

THIS IS HARD STUFF!

“You’re familiar with the old written law, ‘Love your friend,’ and its unwritten companion, ‘Hate your enemy.’ I’m challenging that. I’m telling you to love your enemies. Let them bring out the best in you, not the worst. When someone gives you a hard time, respond with the energies of prayer, for then you are working out of your true selves, your God-created selves. This is what God does. He gives his best—the sun to warm and the rain to nourish—to everyone, regardless: the good and bad, the nice and nasty. If all you do is love the lovable, do you expect a bonus? Anybody can do that. If you simply say hello to those who greet you, do you expect a medal? Any run-of-the-mill sinner does that.

DOES JESUS REALLY MEAN THIS?

“In a word, what I’m saying is, Grow up. You’re kingdom subjects. Now live like it. Live out your God-created identity. Live generously and graciously toward others, the way God lives toward you.”

But most of us get stuck with this beatitude and wrestle with two basic questions

First, we ask: does this beatitude teach pacifism or at least non-violent resistance?

We see this philosophy most clearly in the Anabaptist traditions such as the Mennonites or the Amish --- but also in the Quakers

Many of us see this as a pie-in-the-sky approach that is utopian and unrealistic.

Scot McKnight writes:
this is precisely the point: pacifism was the way of the earliest Christians --- and participation in war was clearly frowned on by nearly all early Christians --- because it was the way of Jesus, and the way of Jesus is the kingdom, realistic or not.  The question for the pacifist is not, "Does it work in the world?" but "what does it mean to follow Jesus in the concrete situation?"

A second way that people often read these words is that this is about interpersonal relationships and not national relationships.

What this seems to mean is that Christians shouldn't use violence in their personal lives but they can participate in what Augustine called a just war.  Calvin, Luther and John Wesley all affirmed this position.

Scot McKnight goes on:
Regardless of our posture toward the state, the military, or other countries, the goal of the follower of Jesus is peace.  But we are to admit that the means is not as clear.  That is, while we should all desire peace, how we get there may differ.  Some Christians think the best way to get there is through military strength sufficient enough to intimidate other countries into dropping their military plans, with others (I join them) think the way of Jesus requires us to drop our military intimidation and negotiate in love for justice and peace.

The goal of the follower of Jesus is peace --- is that really our goal?
          Or do we create our own unique Pax Romana --- our peace at any cost?

I love how Kendall concludes this section of his book:
When you decide to be a peacemaker, you forfeit earthly glory in exchange for the glory that comes from God alone.  You make a choice: Which is more important, to be prestigious in the eyes of people here . . . or be regarded as a son or daughter of God by your Father in heaven.

I will end with these words from Henri Nouwen which are from his daily devotion:
Whenever, contrary to the world’s vindictiveness, we love our enemy, we exhibit something of the perfect love of God, whose will is to bring all human beings together as children of one Father. Whenever we forgive instead of getting angry at one another, bless instead of cursing one another, tend one another’s wounds instead of rubbing salt into them, hearten instead of discouraging one another, give hope instead of driving one another to despair, hug instead of harassing one another, welcome instead of cold-shouldering one another, thank instead of criticizing one another, praise instead of maligning one another . . . in short, whenever we opt for and not against one another, we make God’s unconditional love visible; we are diminishing violence and giving birth to a new community.

Wednesday, February 12, 2020

Blessed are those who care

Matthew 5:1, 7-8   
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.





When people hear that I have taken a trip once again to the Holy Land, the first question that I am asked is always:  Did you feel safe --- and my answer is an emphatic YES.  The most dangerous part of the trip, statistically, was getting to the airport!

The next thing they always ask me is:  WHY?  Why do you keep going back?

This was my 13th trip to Israel, my 10th leading a group from the local church.

Why do I keep going back?
The answer is simple --- yet also complex and very nuanced

I go because it continues to impact my understanding of the Bible
·       I learn something new every time I go
This trip we visited Magdala --- a recently discovered site on the sea of Galilee and home of Mary (of Magdala) that I had never been too before
Priest had served at Mt Comfort Indiana (even thought he was from Ireland
We celebrated the healing of those we loved --- as we remembered the story of the woman who touched Jesus robe
         It was a powerful experience
·       I get to experience Israel through the eyes of first-time visitors
It is hard to explain the thrill I get when a light bulb goes off for someone
         Tom being blown away by the topography

Experiencing again the first sighting of the old city of Jerusalem and singing along to the song Holy City (gives me goose bumps even recalling it!)
·       Getting to know a group of very special people in a whole new way

If I am honest, my favorite trips have been the ones where I am not responsible for a group
         When I spent a month in Israel by myself while I was on a sabbatical
                  Instead of spending an hour on Masada --- I spent an entire day!

         When I was invited to join The Jerusalem Center as an adjunct faculty member
I was able to visit the archeological sites with the archeologists and get in-depth insights into what they were doing and finding

When I went with a group sponsored by the Masons with pastors from all over the country

And while I have enjoyed every one of those tours --- there is nothing like seeing the Holy places with friends.

This trip was special because I have been so immersed in the ministry of Jesus lately

As I have been telling you --- my goal this year is to help change the filter that you see the world through

Instead of seeing it though the filter or lenses that most of us wear every day
         Our privileged 21st Century North American worldview
         The lens that our political affiliation puts over our eyes
My goal is to help you begin to see Jesus --- through the lens of the Biblical story and the biblical worldview
And that filter is a very different one from the ones that we often use to see the world through

As we have been talking about this past month --- there is no place to see this upside down filter of Jesus than in the message of the Sermon on the Mount

         Blessed are the poor
         Blessed are those who mourn
         Blessed are the meek
         Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness
         Blessed are the merciful
         Blessed are the pure in heart
         Blessed are the peacemakers
         Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake
         Blessed are you when people revile you and persecute you

None of those would make the 2020 top ten list of things to aspire to in the USA

Eugene Peterson in his translation "The Message" always has a knack of cutting through some of the clutter of scripture.  He translated our key verses today:
“You’re blessed when you care. At the moment of being ‘care-full,’ you find yourselves cared for.

“You’re blessed when you get your inside world—your mind and heart—put right. Then you can see God in the outside world.

But still on face-value --- these are not things most of us strive for.

Verse six takes us to a cross-road: Jesus us asks us, are you really hungering and thirsting after righteousness? 
         Are we seeking God above all else?
                  Is God first priority or somewhere else on the list?

If God is truly #1, and you are really hungering and thirsting for God's righteousness then the beatitudes are a test to prove your integrity.

You tell God that God is #1 in your life, and almost immediately you find yourself tested

And how does that test happen?

It is often with a person who has hurt you, or let you down, or maybe has said unpleasant things about you and seems to want to dirty your reputation.

How do you respond?

Do you do what seems to be the way of the world and seek revenge or do you follow what Jesus is saying here go a different way --- the way of mercy?
         Most of us choose to "get even" and fail to show mercy

The Greek word for mercy is eleos --- which is the opposite of ogree (which means wrath)

In the New Testament, eleos is a gracious action
It is not giving justice (what someone deserves) but rather showing mercy (what they don't deserve)

This is not a new idea --- It is the same lesson that is found in the golden rule
         At the end of this Sermon on the Mount Jesus reminds us:
Therefore, you should treat people in the same way that you want people to treat you; this is the Law and the Prophets.   Matthew 7:12  (CEB)

Instead of mercy --- we might use another word: empathy

Jesus constantly shows us that empathy is the better way --- and he does it by sharing stories about empathetic people
·       Like the Good Samaritan who interrupts his trip to show mercy
·       The story of the woman caught in sin --- when Jesus invites us who are sinless (truly righteous) to throw the first stone --- and we all must walk away
·       Or as we learned in the Letter of James when he challenged the abusive treatment of the poor in the synagogue
·       And maybe the most challenging one --- when, just a little later in this Sermon, Jesus says:
“You have heard that it was said, You must love your neighbor and hate your enemy. But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who harass you so that you will be acting as children of your Father who is in heaven. He makes the sun rise on both the evil and the good and sends rain on both the righteous and the unrighteous. If you love only those who love you, what reward do you have? Don’t even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet only your brothers and sisters, what more are you doing? Don’t even the Gentiles do the same? Therefore, just as your heavenly Father is complete in showing love to everyone, so also you must be complete.   Matthew 5:43-48     (CEB)

         Who shows mercy to their enemies? --- Jesus!

And to whom are we supposed to show this mercy?
         Those in need
         Those suffering injustice
         those who are poor
         those who are oppressed
         those who have failed

This is tough stuff --- and I don't see any wiggle room (even though we wiggle all the way through these)

And if we haven't had enough --- Jesus gives us the sixth beatitude:
         Blessed are the pure in heart

I believe that the order the beatitudes are presented in is very intentional.
         They flow from one to another seeking to help us pursue God's will for our lives

What this beatitude seems to be asking is: what are our motivations?
         Do we love God for personal gain (ie. getting into heaven)
         Do we love God because it enables us to love others?

         Do we do good deeds to be praised and honored
         or
         Do we do good deeds because God loved us first and modeled this way of life?

I am not sure we really want that answer to that . . .

The entire Sermon on the Mount is brilliant, because Jesus constantly expands upon the themes in the Beatitudes
In chapter 6:1-18, Jesus tells us that the pure in heart are those whose religious actions are not done for the praise of others but in order to be in a relationship with God
and then a little later, Jesus reminds us that
Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.    Matthew 6:21 (CEB)

Where is your treasure?
Where is your heart?

There is a cost to not following the teachings of Jesus --- Eldridge Cleaver summed it up nicely when he reminds us:
         "The price of hating other human beings is loving oneself less."

Kindness makes all the difference in the world.
         Blessed are those who care!


Why do you keep going back to Israel?

Because each trip I encounter God in a new way.

Our very first day, Carolyn, in her devotion, asked us to share what we needed to leave behind --- to metaphorically unpack from our suitcases --- and she invited us to do this so that we would have room for something new.

I couldn't articulate what baggage I needed to unload, at that moment.

But as the time wore on, it became clear

It is what I have been searching for my whole life
         How do I make room for God?
                  Really make room for God
                           What do I have to let go of?

And the answer was ME

I needed to let go of my glasses --- my filters --- my expectations for what I wanted God to do and be and instead pick up Jesus

And this because clear in Egypt

Our group of 14 in Egypt was joined by groups from Ohio, Missouri, Atlanta and Iowa

We became a group of 31 --- and while we started as five individual groups that were thrown together --- we quickly became family

And nothing demonstrated this more clearly that the example of Randy from Ohio

Egypt is hard
         It requires a lot of challenging walking

And we had a couple --- Tom and Denise who were both challenged

Within a day --- Randy adopted Tom and Denise and was helping them get on and off the bus and helping them along the way

Randy didn't have to do that
         He had never met them before

But Randy just had an air about him
He seemed to understand the message of the Beatitudes --- that it is in caring that one is blessed

And he modeled that message with joy and conviction

That is why I go to Israel
         Sure I love the sites
                  I love being where Jesus was
                           Where Moses was
But more than anything else --- I love being with people who are beginning to change their glasses by talking off the lenses of the world and putting on the glasses of Jesus

I hope that you have noticed the paradox of the beatitudes

They way of Jesus is NOT the way of the world

The way of Jesus means putting Jesus first
         Putting others second
         And recognizing that we are third (at best)

“Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy.
Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God."

May God begin to create in us clean hearts --- so that we can experience the blessing of really caring for the other in this world.

Blessed are the poor and those who mourn

Matthew 5:1-12     
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.


This morning we are going to begin our deep dive into these twelve verses of the Sermon on the Mount that we call The Beatitudes.

And before we begin, I want to reiterate something that I said last week --- because I want to make sure that we are clear about this.

Jesus’ sermon --- which begins with these Beatitudes --- are meant for the HERE AND NOW

This is not some pie in the sky that God wishes that we might simply strive for --- but God really knows that it is beyond our grasp.

This is how God wants us to live --- NOW

It is here --- in the Sermon on the Mount where Jesus tells us what being a follower of Jesus is all about.

if these words are not for us today --- then they are irrelevant and Jesus wasted his time in uttering them.

As I said last week --- I believe the Sermon on the Mount is the greatest moral document of all time.

As you read the Sermon on the Mount this week I imagine it made you rather uncomfortable.

I would go so far as it say that if it did not make you uncomfortable --- and I mean really uncomfortable --- then my guess is either you have attained perfection or you really didn't read it.

And I know NO-ONE that has attained perfection

In the Sermon on the Mount, the contrast between Jesus' vision for our life and our actual way of life as disciples is all too often revealed.

Friday night I attending the funeral of Frank Ricketts' mother Helen.  It was two weeks to the day that we had gathered to remember his father Rev. Ronald Ricketts.
         And what kept running through my head was:
                  "Blessed are those who mourn"
                           SERIOUSLY?

Yesterday, instead of attending the funeral of Bishop Mike Coyner, Nancy and I drove up to Munster so that I could officiate at the funeral of my best friend's mother-in-law who died earlier this week.
         “Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted."
        
Before we get there --- we need to look at that first Beatitude --- and it is equally tough:
         “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven."

Being poor in anything in our society is looked down upon
         Who wants to be poor?

According to Emmet Fox, in his book: The Sermon On The Mount:
To be poor in spirit does not in the least mean the thing we call "poor spirited" nowadays.  To be poor in spirit means to have emptied yourself of all desire to exercise personal self-will, and, what is just as important, to have renounced all preconceived opinions in the wholehearted search for God.  It means to be willing to set aside your present habits of thought, your present views and prejudices, your present way of life if necessary; to jettison, in fact, anything and everything that can stand in the way of your finding God.

In other words, this person who is poor in spirit comprehends that they must be faithful in the midst of oppression
         And they recognize the plight of other oppressed people

As we celebrate the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King this weekend --- remember that it was the Sermon on the Mount that influenced his theology more than anything else

When one is poor in spirit, they love God enough to trust God
This love --- this trust in God helps them form alliances of hope, compassion and justice

The opposite of poor in spirit is the rich oppressor
         We saw that clearly when we worked through the Book of James
                  Which was equally challenging

Do you see the contrast between the kingdom values of persons who put their trust in God and in the vision that most people have of the world?

The world values people who are self reliant and full of apparent greatness
         great intellect
         great pride
         great possessions
         great prestige

Emmet Fox goes on:
The poor in spirit suffer from none of these embarrassments [great possessions of intellect, pride, possessions and social prestige], either because they never had them, or because they have risen above them on the tide of spiritual understanding.  They have got rid of the love of money and property, of fear of public opinion, and of the disapproval of relatives or friends.  They are no longer overawed by human authority, however august.  They are no longer cocksure in their own opinions.  They have come to see that their most cherished beliefs may have been and probably were mistaken, and that all their ideas and views of life may be false and in need of recasting.  They are ready to start again at the very beginning and learn life anew.

Kingdom people --- Jesus seems to suggest are those who put their trust in God and not in stuff.
         Later in Matthew Jesus will tell us that the rich will struggle to enter the kingdom

Matthew 19:23-24 (The Message)
“Do you have any idea how difficult it is for the rich to enter God’s kingdom? Let me tell you, it’s easier to gallop a camel through a needle’s eye than for the rich to enter God’s kingdom.”

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.


Can you imagine me (or any pastor) beginning a funeral by saying:
         Do you know how lucky you are!
                  You are so lucky that you are mourning because we can comfort you!

I just can't even imagine

Mourning is terrible

C.S. Lewis, when his wife Joy died described it as an amputation.

In his powerful little book: A Grief Observed Lewis said:
“Talk to me about the truth of religion and I'll listen gladly. Talk to me about the duty of religion and I'll listen submissively. But don't come talking to me about the consolations of religion or I shall suspect that you don't understand.”

Even C.S. Lewis came to understand the power of grief.

I think that we have this passage all wrong.

We need to ask ourselves --- what are these people that Jesus is referring to --- what is it that they are mourning over?
         Is it loved ones?
         Israel's exile and oppression?
         The lack of love, people, holiness, and justice in the land?
         Their own sins?

I think the context for this Beatitude is found in Isaiah 61

Isaiah 61:1-4           (NRSV)
The spirit of the Lord God is upon me,
    because the Lord has anointed me;
he has sent me to bring good news to the oppressed,
    to bind up the brokenhearted,
to proclaim liberty to the captives,
    and release to the prisoners;
to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor,
    and the day of vengeance of our God;
    to comfort all who mourn;
to provide for those who mourn in Zion—
    to give them a garland instead of ashes,
the oil of gladness instead of mourning,
    the mantle of praise instead of a faint spirit.
They will be called oaks of righteousness,
    the planting of the Lord, to display his glory.
They shall build up the ancient ruins,
    they shall raise up the former devastations;
they shall repair the ruined cities,
    the devastations of many generations.

These words were familiar to Jesus and clearly it suggests that the mourners are those who grieve over their exile (personal and Israel's)
         They long for the restoration of Israel and the temple
         For God to look favorably on Israel

Jesus seems to be promising that God will comfort them by satisfying their longing

And while I think that is the context of this passage --- and God wants us to mourn and seek God's kingdom --- I also believe that there is a message here for us who grieve the loss of a loved one

As I sat in the Lyndhurst Baptist Church the past two Friday nights and listened as Frank and his niece eulogized Ronald and Helen, I experienced this passage in a whole new way.

And I experienced it again; as I listened to Kevin eulogize his mother-in-law

When we pause and reflect on the impact that people make on our lives --- when we recognize the power and grace that they have had --- even though we mourn --- we feel great comfort.

I have shared this before --- but I am convinced --- that I would not still be a pastor if I had not experienced the death of my younger brother Stewart.
         Not that he needed to die to bless me

         But that in his death --- I was able to find and experience a blessing

And I hope and pray --- that the blessing that was given to me --- has been shared with you.

As Frank shared about his mother and father --- I realized how blessed he was --- and that in the midst of his great pain --- God was reminding him again of his presence and promise.

“Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted."

While we were driving to Munster yesterday, we listened to the Podcast: Finding Fred

It is all about Fred Rogers' and his amazing neighborhood.

I am a little too old for Mr. Rogers Neighborhood, so I never really watched it --- but as I have been listening, I realize that we were blessed with an amazingly loving person, who saw the opportunity to be a blessing to others.

But in the episode we listened to, it was all about a young woman who was born with a terrible disease that Mr. Rogers befriended.

And if you need a GOOD cry, I highly recommend you listen --- but the part I want to share with you today is something that Mr. Rogers would often do when giving a speech.

He would ask people to "take a moment and think about someone who helped become who you are today --- someone who has helped you along the way.
Take a minute to honor those who have cared about you along the way."

So lets do that . . .

He ended the silence by saying:
"Whoever you are thinking about --- remember how grateful they must be that during this time you remembered how important they are to you."

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

“Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.