Devotions

“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness for they shall be filled.” — Matthew 5:6

What does it mean to hunger and thirst for righteousness? To me, it is the search for Truth. We can find the Truth and the secret to righteous living in God’s Word. Today is a day to reflect upon the fulfillment of God’s promise to provide a Savior.

Jesus is Risen — just as He said!! Hallelujah! The promise the Lord gave to Abraham in Genesis 12:8 — “And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed” — has been fulfilled. Praise God! We all have a hope and a future because God kept His promise. He sent His only Son, Jesus Christ, to be born, live the life of a man without sin and die on the cross bearing the sins of every man, woman and child. Jesus is the only one who could fulfil the promise.

His blood covered our sins so that God can no longer see them when we trust in Jesus Christ as our Savior. Belief in what Jesus did on the cross leads to faith that results in salvation. “For by grace you have been saved through faith; and not of yourselves, it is the gift of God” (Ephesians 2:8).

When I read the Sermon on the Mount, Matthew 5:1-14, I look back over my life and see that I have lived every one of the “blessed” circumstances that Jesus teaches. Some are negative, some are positive, but God was with me every step of the way, teaching me to rely upon Him in every situation. “He Himself has said, ‘I will never desert you, nor will I ever forsake you,’ so that we confidently say, ‘The Lord is My Helper, I will not be afraid’” (Hebrews 13:5-6).

In closing, as we consider the great love demonstrated by Jesus Christ’s sacrificial death on the cross and His victorious resurrection three days later, I would like to share the lyrics to one of my favorite songs, “Because He Lives,” written by Bill and Gloria Gaither.

“God sent His Son, they called Him, Jesus;

He came to love, heal and forgive; He lived and died to buy my pardon,

An empty grave is there to prove my Savior lives!

Because He lives, I can face tomorrow.

Because He lives, all fear is gone;

Because I know He holds the future,

And life is worth the living,

Just because He Lives!”

Let us pray: Dear Heavenly Father, Thank you for sending your Son to die on the cross for us. We don’t deserve your love and mercy, but you have blessed us with it anyway. Help each of us to hunger and thirst for righteousness and find the Truth. In Jesus name I pray, Amen.

"Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted." — Matthew 5:4

The other day, I was filling out one of those “getting to know you” surveys that you find on social media from time to time. After revealing my affection for chocolate pecan pie and the color blue, I was asked to name my favorite holiday. I realized that my answer had changed over the years.

Like most kids in our culture, my favorite holiday was Christmas. Seeing my grandparents and cousins, having big, Southern-style dinners, and of course, getting new toys – all of these were things I loved, and I loved the excitement and happiness I saw around me, and the sense of hope that went with it, that the world could be saved by someone as unlikely as a Child in Bethlehem.

I still love Christmas, but with the passage of time, I’ve come to love Easter even more. You see, as we go through our lives, well, we lose things, and even worse, we lose people. Friends, family, even the things in us that make us who we are – all of them go away from us, or we go away from them, whether suddenly or slowly. And we feel those losses. Some of them are loud; others are quiet, and others may diminish in emotional volume over the years without ever entirely disappearing. But those people, those things, those pieces of ourselves that we attached to all of that? They go, and we miss them. My grandparents, my parents, the closest friend of my childhood and others through the years. . . they’re gone, except in memory.

And if that were how the story ended, it would be dark indeed, and the hope that came with Christmas would be a lie. But today’s Beatitude, and the Easter holiday we celebrate, remind us that the story doesn’t end there. It may pause, just as the world paused for the three days from the Passion to the Resurrection, but it doesn’t end. Christ rose, and in that, He offered us the promise that we shall rise as well, and so will those we love, and we will have each other again, not only as we were, but better and unceasing.

I have had Christmases, the joys of opening the gifts of life, the relationships, and the companionship of reuniting with people we love. I trust I will have others. But now, when I think about the people and other gifts that I’ve lost, I might feel those absences and mourn them, as is natural to do. But Easter? Easter tells me that the loss will be restored, that the joys God enables us to share with Him and with each other will return, will renew, and that all of us who mourn, will be comforted.

Heavenly Father, thank you for your promise of comfort for the mourning, and for Your return that proves it, as we celebrate it under the name of Easter. We offer this in the name of Your Risen Son, Amen.

Alleluia! He is risen! He is risen indeed! Alleluia!

This semester and the devotion series have been focused on the Beatitudes: "'blessed are the poor in spirit, those who mourn, the meek, those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, the merciful, the pure in heart, the peacemakers ...'" These attributes paint a different picture from what society would call successful or as 'having arrived.' Society paints a picture of accomplishment, power, money, prestige, and living a life to the fullest.

Jesus, on the other hand, preaches, teaches and lifts up the lowly in everything he says and does. He models a selfless life and pushes himself to embody all those beatitudes. Ultimately, he is put to death and brings about the next transformational life lesson: resurrection from the dead.

The poor in spirit and mourning female followers of Jesus went to the tomb early in the morning to prepare Jesus' body. And yet they find an empty tomb and the men or angels who say to them, "‘Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here but has risen'" (Luke 24:5).

Jesus is risen from the dead and invites us to follow his selfless life in discipleship and share the good news that, "theirs is the kingdom of heaven, they will be comforted, they will inherit the earth, they will be filled, they will receive mercy, they will see God, AND they will be called children of God."

Jesus meets us where we are and invites us to live in resurrection hope, where the lowly continue to be lifted up in our world. You may know someone who needs to hear, see, experience, or feel the resurrection hope. Share it! Let them know that the resurrected Jesus is alive and no longer in the tomb. Share it with those who are hurting, broken, lonely, longing for peace, hungry, and down and out. Share the good news with family. Share the good news with your neighbors. Share the good news that Jesus, Christ is risen today!

Alleluia! He is risen! He is risen indeed! Alleluia!

God of Resurrection, thank you for living the beatitudes and modeling them for us. Thank you for the hopeful and hope-filled surprise of resurrection. Bring it in our lives when we need your saving grace and mercy. Bless us so we might be a blessing to those around us. In the name of Jesus, firstborn of the dead, we pray. Amen.

He is risen, halleluiah! There is no more glorious day of the year. The great gift of Easter is hope. Easter is the symbol of hope, renewal and new life. The Resurrection is that moment of time when joy triumphs over loss and pain. Let the joy of the Resurrection lift us from loneliness, weakness and despair to faith, strength and happiness. The Resurrection represents Christ’s victory over death and the promise of eternal life for those who follow Him.

“The promise of eternal life for those who follow Him.” We will never get a better deal or a more important invitation. We are all forced to deal with moments of great disappointment — a negative medical diagnosis, the loss of employment, the death of a family member or close friend, or just an accumulation of tough breaks where things turn out rather poorly. But reflect on the pain, the suffering, the sacrifice of Jesus Christ those days before the Resurrection and then be reminded of His promise of eternal life. There will never be a greater example of selfless love than Him dying on the cross for us. Death was not Christ’s endgame, but rising up again was.

In Romans 6:9 we are reminded that since Christ was raised from the dead, He will never die again. Death no longer has dominion over Him. Jesus Christ was knocked down, beaten, and finally died on the cross. However, His message was not one of death, but a message of faith, hope and love. When we take a stand based upon the principles of His teaching, we will find eternal life. When hope is fleeting and we are actually questioning our capacity to endure any more pain or disappointment, we must remember the Crucifixion and the Resurrection. We can get through the toughest of times because Jesus Christ is constantly pouring fortitude, resilience and hope into our body and spirit.

The Easter Sunday Resurrection tells us to keep the faith and never give up hope. As great as the pain and suffering we endure, Pope John Paul II tells us, “Do not abandon yourselves to despair. We are the Easter people and Halleluiah is our song."

We cannot allow Death to dominate our thoughts or behavior. We are reminded at Easter to pause, reflect on the beautiful array of the colors of springtime, cherish the gift of Life. Savor every moment with a commitment to bringing happiness into the lives of others, while selflessly dedicating our lives to be satisfying to the Lord.

Holy Father: Let us give forgiveness where we have been denying; let us show love where we have been afraid to do so in the past; and let us bring hope to those who are in despair. Let us be a rainbow on someone else’s cloudy day. In this season of rebirth, may you help us feel renewed. Open our hearts to kindness; expand our minds with curiosity and inclusivity; and fill our bodies and souls with endless energy and enthusiasm to live our lives in a manner that is pleasing to you. Help me become a better person, and today, let me joyously shout from the rooftops, "He is Risen. Halleluiah, halleluiah, halleluiah.” Amen.

The Friday, Saturday, and Sunday Experiences

The crowds had gone from shouting praise about Jesus to angrily yelling 'crucify him,' all within a week. That is a lesson for all of us. Our current circumstances do not define us, God does. It is also a lesson to do what is right. Crowds are fickle.

The Friday, Saturday, and Sunday experiences of Easter represent most of the days of our lives.

Friday represents the days that we feel forsaken and abandoned. We all have these days. For me it was the deaths of two brothers both before they were 60, my wife’s cancer, a spinal injury, a potential amputation, a tornado, flood, and a fire that took our home, our possessions, and our dog. We all have a Friday experience, but none of them compares to Jesus who put the sins of the world on him, and died a cruel, painful death feeling forsaken. Friday is “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth." Job experienced more than a few Fridays and on his very worse day, Job proclaimed, “Though he slay me, yet will I hope in him” (Job 13:15).

Saturday represents the days of unbelief and uncertainty. The disciples wanted Jesus to be resurrected, but with the exception of a few of the women, they were 90% doubt, 10% hope. Inside there was still a small flickering light, but it was just enough to hold on. That is most of us, most of the time. We hold onto a mustard seed. Saturday, the worst was over, but what did the future hold?

Sunday represents love conquering. We run to the hope of Sunday, the fact of a resurrection. Our circumstances do not define, God does. Sunday acknowledges the pain of Friday, the uncertainty of Saturday, but boldly proclaims there is hope. He lives. His death certificate is our birth certificate. We can take a deep breath, we can exhale. We have hope. Hope is an expectation with certainty that God will do what he has said. “Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see” (Hebrews 11:1).

The song "Beautiful Terrible Cross" says it perfectly.

There is a beautiful terrible cross

Where though You committed no sin

Savior, You suffered the most wicked fate

On the cruelest creation of men

Yet on that beautiful terrible cross

You did what only You could

Turning that dark inspired evil of hell

Into our soul's greatest good

We see the love that You showed us

We see the life that You lost

We bow in wonder and praise You

For the beautiful terrible cross

There on that beautiful terrible cross

Though darkness was strong on that hill

You remained sovereign, Lord, still in control

As Your perfect plan was fulfilled

Oh, we gained the riches of Heaven

Jesus, You paid the horrible cost

We stand forgiven and praise You

For the beautiful terrible cross

For the beautiful terrible cross

In the cross, in the cross

Be my glory ever

Till my raptured soul shall find

Rest beyond the river

Beautiful cross

Terrible cross

Beautiful cross

Terrible cross

Let’s pray: Thank You, God, for loving us so much, that you have your only Son, that whomsoever believes in Him can be assured, Friday happened, but Sunday’s coming. Amen.

"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 be shown 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 the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." — Matthew 5:3-10

The streaming platform I watch frequently shows a commercial that looks forward to a time when good healthcare is readily available to everyone. According to the commercial, “you will get better when your healthcare is not dependent on how much money you have” (or your race or gender) and “you will get better when your pain isn’t minimized.” The commercial offers hope for those who currently cannot receive adequate healthcare because of their socioeconomic circumstances. It is a commercial that causes me to reflect on what the world could be when the type of justice and righteousness that Jesus extols in the Beatitudes exists.

In the Gospel of Matthew, at the beginning of Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount, Jesus lists eight beatitudes. Each of them begins with the Greek word makarioi, which means “blessed” or “happy.” There are 82 beatitudes in the Bible, most of which function like the commercial – to help us see what can be when we live a faith-filled life. Matthew’s beatitudes show a paradox: the poor in spirit, the bereaved, and the persecuted are blessed.

This paradox is made possible because Jesus willingly suffered and gave his life so we could be blessed. As they are portrayed in the Gospels, the events of Maundy Thursday include the Last Supper, when Jesus explains to his disciples what will happen to him and why he needs to die. Jesus’ suffering brings about eternal life.

My hope is that we can get better because we pay attention to the poor, the marginalized, and the persecuted. I hope we can consider ourselves blessed even when the world sees us as meek or hurt. The Beatitudes don’t only say who is blessed; they also compel us to act in ways that bring about blessings on others. Go, bless and be blessed!

Let us pray: Almighty God, your Son, our Savior, suffered at human hands and endured the shame of the cross. Grant that we may walk in the way of his cross and find it the way of life and peace. Amen.

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” — Matthew 5:3

It is rarely easy to accept or ask for help.

The feeling permeates myriad situations and a vast array of circumstances, from moving a piece of furniture (“It’s not heavy, it’s just awkward”) to accepting items from a community food pantry, to other times when life just happens.

We may think it would burden others. We may see acknowledging our need as a form of weakness. We may rush to assume that they can’t or won’t help. But, for logistical and other reasons, we can’t be helped until we get over ourselves and receive it.

The best explanation I’ve ever heard for the phrase “poor in spirit” comes from Dr. Jordan Peterson, who defined it as being “brought low enough, to be humble enough, to be ready to receive.” Spiritually, this means acknowledging, at a soul-deep level, our need for God’s grace, peace, and total transformation. Only then can we receive and experience all this and infinitely more.

If I may rank the Beatitudes, this is probably the most powerful. It underlies all the others. Actually, in underlies our entire relationship with the Lord. He offers us love, joy and peace, but a gift is a two-way street. There must be a receiver, as well as a giver.

This Lent and our whole lives through, we are called to continually be open — truly open — to God’s forgiveness, grace and power; to allow the Spirit to work in and through us; and to offer up our very selves to the will of the Father. As C.S. Lewis wrote in Mere Christianity, “nothing that you have not given away will be really yours. Nothing in you that has not died will ever be raised from the dead.”

Receiving help is an act of courage. Receiving grace is an act of God.

Let us pray: Heavenly Father, thank You for the gift of Your grace. Open our hearts to You. Help us continually to give You our very selves, to receive the richness of Your love, and to share it with others. Amen.

“Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.” — Matthew 5:5

Words have always fascinated me. By defining a word, we are saying not only what it is, but also what it is not. Our perceptions are based on the definition of the words that we use. Take the word “meek.” According to our contemporary definition, meek means weak, lowly, humble, patient, quiet. These are not words you would normally associate with someone who is going to inherit the earth. I guess one way to look at it is that, if you remove yourself from the stresses of everyday life, you can have a quiet life, work the land, and not be bothered by the outside world. Since you are working the land, perhaps you have ‘inherited’ that spot on earth. Seems a bit of a stretch to me.

But what if we defined meek in terms of its meaning 2,000 years ago? “Praus” – that’s the word the Greeks used; the word that was translated as meek. But their definition was not one of weakness. Rather it was one of strength, controlling our nature to be more, to do more, to give more. The story has been told that the Greeks used this word to describe their war horses. They would take wild, rambunctious, aggressive horses and train them to control those characteristics and focus all that energy on being a horse trained for war, controlled by the soft touch of the rider, charging forward without fear. A war horse was referred to as “praus” (meek) because it had learned to control its nature.

Christ was meek. He did not use His power and authority to force or coerce others to follow. He took abuse, both verbal and physical, but did not strike out. He let the way He lived His life be an example of the power of meekness. Eleven meek men with power from the Holy Spirit changed the world. Ghandi and Martin Luther King are but two contemporary examples of those who brought about change, not through power as defined by others, but by being meek in the face of aggression and hostility.

Being meek means controlling our passions, our emotions, ourselves. Being meek means doing what we should do, not what we can do. Being meek means following the example of the life of Jesus – love our neighbors, care for the sick, help those less fortunate, share the good news. Being meek relies on inner strength, not outward strength. Being meek means putting others before self. It takes strength to be meek in a world where success if often measured by the accumulation of material goods, focused on worldly ideals, having more faith in man than in God.

Being meek also means being humble, not viewing ourselves as superior to others, not using title or position to enhance our power or position, not assuming we are always right, being willing to admit mistakes. Today’s world seems to emphasize the self-centered, the boastful, the egotistical, and the arrogant. It seems the less we know, the more confident that we are right. Polite conversation all too often devolves into arguments over who is right and who is wrong. Not the example of the life of Christ.

For me, Lent is a season to remember. Remember the life of Christ. Remember His humility. Remember His meekness. Remember His willingness to give of Himself for the benefit of others. Remember His sacrifices for us. Remember that it is the meek that shall inherit the earth.

Let us pray: Father, God, help us to live as you have shown us. Help us to use the gifts You have given us to improve the lives of others. Help us to be humble, to be meek in all of our relationships. Help us to remember that we do not build ourselves up by tearing others down. Help us to remember Your greatest commandment – that we love one another and by that love everyone will know that we are your disciples. Amen.

“Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.” — Matthew 5:7

Have you identified with a Beatitude yet? We are all on this list. But in case you haven’t, I nominate “merciful.”

Why is mercy so important to Jesus? Mercy is the essence of the Gospel. Everything Jesus did was merciful. His blood poured out on the cross … a red river of mercy … that mercy is for everyone. We desperately need it. We can’t earn it. And praise God we can’t lose it.

While the poor in spirit inherit the kingdom, the meek inherit the earth, and the pure in heart will see God, being merciful gets you … more mercy. So this verse describes how mercy works. It operates on a loop. When you receive it, there’s only one appropriate thing to do with it: invest it in someone else. When you give it away, you get more. Mercy is the treasure of the gospel, the currency of God’s kingdom.

Remember the parable about the master leaving his home, and leaving three servants with some of his money/property (Matthew 25:14-30)? Jesus said this parable is about the kingdom of heaven. While the master is gone, two servants invest and increase the property entrusted to them. One servant does not. Afraid of the master, the third servant buries the money in the ground, afraid of losing it and suffering the consequences of that.

Upon returning home the master praises the two servants who invested and increased his property. And he gives these servants MORE of his property. But the master excoriates the servant who buried his property, takes back what he originally gave him, and angrily banishes him to a place outside the kingdom of heaven. Ouch.

Is the master Jesus? Then why so cruel to the third servant? And why this talk about property and money and investing, when Jesus has spoken so specifically about the pitfalls of money and possessions? Maybe what the master left with the servants is … mercy. That would explain why the master is so upset with servant three. It’s because mercy is so cherished and so valuable in the kingdom of heaven, and the worst possible thing you can do with mercy is? Bury it. That would be enough to outrage our master. That would also explain why the two servants who invested and grew what the master left them were rewarded with more, and the servant who buried what the master left him was banished from the kingdom.

Jesus’ lesson here is all we must do to grow rich in mercy is receive it and pour it into others. I can use all the mercy I can get. How about you? Try this. For Lent, instead of defending yourself, be generously kind to someone who has been unkind to you; repeat often. Or, give up sarcasm. Sarcasm is the opposite of the truth (which is reason enough to give it up), and the opposite of mercy.

Mercy is free. You can’t earn it. You can’t lose it. But you must pass it on. Blessed are those who do. Blessed is our lord and savior Jesus Christ.

Holy Week is the official time when Christianity acknowledges the events that took place 2,000 years ago that resulted in the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. Holy Week is the eight-day period that begins with Palm Sunday and ends with Resurrection Sunday. Borrowing from Danish philosopher Soren Kierkegaard, “The truth must essentially be regarded as in conflict with this world; the world has never been so good and will never become so good that the majority will never desire truth.” On Palm Sunday, Truth rode into Jerusalem on a donkey. The crowds cheered Truth; but beneath the surface, conflict raged. The majority did not want Truth that day, nor had they wanted Truth before that day, nor does the majority want Truth on any day since.

Picture the scene. Jesus had sent his disciples to Bethphage, the likely neighboring village, with instructions to bring back two donkeys, a mother and her colt which had never been ridden. It was on the young colt that Jesus rides into Jerusalem with the mother of the colt walking alongside.

There were two crowds that day: the crowd that joined him as he rode from Bethphage and the crowd that met him on the other side of the Kidron Valley just before entering Jerusalem. In 21st-century language, these crowds cheered their Holy hurrahs: This is the man, and this is the day. Ride on, King Jesus!

There was a third group, a cynical group of self-righteous men, the chief priests, zealots, and scribes alarmed about the public display of support for Jesus. A fourth group, the Romans, soldiers and two key leaders, Pontius Pilate and Herod Antipas, saw it all, particularly the donkey riding, as a laughable spectacle of little merit. Palm fronds, indeed.

• Kings rode on horses. This King rode on a donkey.

• Kings adorned themselves in royal apparel. This King wore the clothes of a humble peasant.

• Kings convoyed themselves by an entourage of fighting men. This King rode in alone, followed only by a few friends.

• Kings had many servants. This King served many.

• Kings ruled over the people. This King ministered to the people.

• Kings feasted on sumptuous foods prepared for them. This King multiplied fish and loaves to feed others.

• Kings wore crowns of gold and precious gems. This King soon wore a crown of thorns.

• Kings made loud proclamations and the people were silent. This King was stood silent when the people yelled, “Crucify Him.”

• Kings were protected at all costs. This King soon gave His life paying the cost of all sin.

Jesus had not come to be King of the Earth. He came to be the King of our hearts. Yes, Jesus was a different leader. He lived a life his Beatitudes teaching espoused, a life unlike the world. Unconventional, in his last days, our Master entered Jerusalem to assume his regal role. As God in the flesh, He would have nothing of the power politics. Instead of grasping for the throne, Jesus rode to Jerusalem in the humblest of circumstances, in the most lowly of conditions. He knew the ephemeral nature of power, wealth, and wisdom.

Not just good advice, Jesus embodied the eight descriptions and prescriptions in the Beatitudes modeling to us what the blessed life will be like as he headed to the cross. Jesus Christ was blessed in his impoverishment, as he mourned, in his meekness, in his appetite for righteousness, in his mercy, peacemaking, and being persecuted. Jesus called his friends to come and sit by him on the mountain. Then suddenly it got quiet. People were ready to listen to Jesus. They watched him and listened to his words. Jesus taught all the people of all ages the lesson called Beatitudes. Beatitudes teach us how to treat and act toward each other. Jesus knew our relationships with each other are the most important thing about life. Listen now to the words from Jesus, the teacher. Listen for what kinds of people he asks us to pay attention to and become:

• Blessed are the poor in spirit, for they will one day get to heaven

• Blessed are those who are sad, for they will be comforted

• Blessed are those who are gentle, for they will have all the earth

• Blessed are those who seek justice, for they will make a difference

• Blessed are those who forgive, for they will be forgiven

• Blessed are those who treat others with kindness, for they will see God

• Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called the children of God

• Blessed are those who try to do the right thing, for they will go to heaven

Father God, thank you for redemption. Help us to embrace every day as holy. It is our intention to not grieve the Holy Spirit. As you inspired David, create in us clean hearts. We pray let your will be done in our lives. Acknowledging that all authority resides in Jesus, Amen!

“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called children of God.” — Matthew 5:9

I learned about the Beatitudes while growing up in Catholic schools a long time ago. When we are young, we may remember the words and phrases that are repeated to us over and over, but for most of us, at some point we learn to understand what those words mean, and more specifically, what they mean for us. I remember thinking that Jesus was telling us that the kingdom of Heaven wasn’t just for some, but for everyone, even the poor in spirit. He said to his followers that day that they “are the light of the world.” Matthew 5:14 says, “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden.” Jesus was born on this earth and certainly was the light of the world; because we are also sons and daughters of God, we are also the light of the world.

Since we are all brothers and sisters in the eyes of Jesus, we are all the light of the world. In this physical world, the sun provides light and warmth for all living creatures on our earth. When nightfall arrives, it doesn’t mean that the sun is gone. When the sun sits behind clouds on an overcast day, the sun is still there, we just can’t see it.

In the same way, when our lives are disrupted by anything that causes us pain, or leads to loneliness and depression, or brings us challenges that may seem unbearable, we may not see God, and we may not always be listening to the words Jesus spoke at the Sermon on the Mount or anywhere else. But Jesus is right there with us. He never leaves our sides. He has always loved us and has us first in his heart.

Because we are sons and daughters of God, we are all connected. We were connected in spirit even before we became connected here at Newberry. When we need to, we walk on the same dirt and breathe the same air. We are all connected, even if we don’t know each other on a first-name basis.

When we try, we can feel the connections, feel the light of the world shining on us, sometimes coming from those around us. God often sends us light and love through the people we see during our daily lives.

We are not just sons and daughters of God, but also God is always with us. He is a part of us and thus we are a part of Him and his Kingdom. He put us on this earth together, for so many wondrous reasons. Our world today needs peacemakers. We can be peacemakers on a broad scale and help to make the world or our community a safer, better place, or we can live our daily lives making others we interact with daily feel safe and at peace.

The 40 days of Lent gives us an opportunity to appreciate the 40 days Jesus spent alone in the desert. He chose to suffer and die for us, so that we may inherit the earth, become the light of the world, and become the sons and daughters of God.

O God, we pray that you give us strength to be peacemakers in our war torn world. Give us grace to stand in your grace and make our communities safer for all. We pray in the name of the Prince of Peace, Amen.

I believe when Jesus is delivering the Sermon on the Mount, he is giving his followers the truth about what it means to be blessed and the traits of a Child of God. When Jesus gave this sermon, there was a lot of misconception about what the Messiah was going to be like. Many of the Jews and Jewish leaders believed that the Messiah was going to be a militant who would rescue the Jewish people from the afflictions of the world. However, Jesus calls his followers to look above the world, above the teachings of the Pharisees, and above the kings of the world.

The world may tell you that you are “blessed” if you have a high-paying job, a nice car, or if you’re heartless. Jesus describes being blessed as being “poor in spirit,” “meek,” “merciful,” “peacemakers,” and “persecuted.” Jesus did not come down to Earth and die to solve our worldly problems; however, he came and died so that, through our problems, we may have a relationship with the one, true God. Our struggles bring us closer to God and when we are merciful, peacemakers, and even persecuted for the Kingdom we are following Jesus’ message.

It is not about the outside. You may be struggling in this world, but there is a redeemer who died on the cross 2,000 years ago who doesn’t promise a beautiful and perfect life but promises a beautiful and great life after this one. For a prayer I want everyone to search within their heart and have an intimate and truthful conversation with God. Think about your life and how God has been with you on this journey and reflect on your life and your relationship with God. If you do not know what that looks like, please reach out to me, Pastor David, or spiritual leaders on campus. Thank you.

I imagine every one of us could go down the list of the Beatitudes and see ourselves in each verse. There are times we're poor in spirit, or we mourn, or we feel meek or persecuted or insulted or talked about for trying to do the right thing. I can certainly talk about times in my own life when that's applied to me.

More recently, I have been among those who mourn. A couple weeks into the new year, my mother passed away after a brief illness. If you’ve lost a parent, you know no other experience in life can hurt like that. As the grief gives way to reflection, though, I keep coming back to "blessed are the peacemakers," and how that captured something my mother did better than anyone else I've known.

My mom was the first of four children. As it turned out, there was just enough of a gap between her and her siblings that she became a sort of "assistant mom" for her sister and two brothers. With a family of six living in a tiny house, there was no end of little crises to resolve. My mother's ability to defuse things with tact and love came early. Later on, when she and my dad started going together, her family practically adopted him, giving him a loving environment in a life that hadn't had very much of it.

That ability to keep the peace came in very useful when she became a mother. When my brother and I would get into a fracas, Mom knew how to step in and keep us from killing each other. As I grew older and wanted to set my own course, my dad and I would get at loggerheads. Somehow, Mom was the cushion between us, urging me to show him compassion - and, when I wasn't around to hear it, very likely telling my dad to show me compassion. And, somehow, we made it.

One of my mentors in the teaching trade, the late Dr. Ron Farrar of the University of South Carolina's journalism school, said his philosophy was "it's more important to solve a problem than win an argument." During the fifty years I had my mom, I watched her live that very philosophy. That's what peacemakers do. They don’t seek to win arguments. They want to solve the problems that keep us from getting along with one another.

This incredibly aching world needs more of that. Too often we don't understand that the argument keeps us from seeing each other as fellow humans in a common struggle. On some level my mother understood that. Maybe there were times when in making the peace, I didn't get what I wanted, and I didn't like it. But in time I came to see the wisdom behind it.

And now, as it's my turn in this sometimes weird job of mine to help resolve situations, I understand that. Fortunately, my mom, who was the best peacemaker I have known or will ever know in this life, taught me well by her example. The Beatitudes tell us that the peacemakers shall be called the children of God. If ever a title fit my mom, that was it.

Lord, thank you for the peacemakers in our lives. Please let us learn from their example, that we may solve problems and not care about winning arguments, so that through those acts we can bring peace to a world that needs it. Amen.

“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.” — Matthew 5:11-12

This is not the easiest wisdom to live by, even though it comes from Christ’s mouth, yet it is a great reminder that we should not rely on this world for comfort. We are talking about a world that can growl at us and attack us. Still, we should not wallow in despair, nor should we pout after being tripped up. For the Lord gave us the following command: “Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.” How often do we hear wisdom like this? We all have a reason for being joyful that is built on the very foundation that Christ established.

College students like me strive for success. We all want to prosper as much as possible, which is completely normal. But a problem arises if our dreams of success keep us from thinking about the Kingdom of Heaven. This is especially the case if we are tempted to do wrong things and start to sin. Sinful actions can not only harm a person’s reputation, but also corrupt their chances at living a Christian life. The Apostle Paul has the same attitude in 1 Corinthians 6:9. “Don’t you realize that those who do wrong will not inherit the Kingdom of God? Don’t fool yourselves.” It is a shame for someone with the potential of being a child of God to not be able to walk in God’s kingdom.

In the year 2024, the Word of God still has power. Scripture is so powerful that it will stay on your lips like lip balm, as long as you do not smear it off in frustration. It is even powerful enough to influence the songs we sing at church. No wonder we are always glad to sing about salvation, joy, grace, rejoicing, and peace early on a Sunday morning! I have heard nothing but good things about the Kingdom of Heaven, and I cannot wait to see it in its majesty, a majesty that will not ever lose its touch.

Dear Heavenly Father: Another day has come for us to rejoice in the name of your precious son, Jesus Christ. Please bless all the Newberry College students so that they will take on successful careers in remembrance of you, for such a life is filled with everlasting joy. Also bless the College’s faculty so that they can educate so many young minds that are filled with so much potential. We know that we cannot live without you, Lord. Steering away from you is like turning away from the sun, only to find out that we cannot live without you. Please help us to further realize that we need you in all our lives. I am asking this in your son, Jesus Christ’s name. Amen.

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

Writing this, I think back to families I have walked with while planning funerals. I think back to the ways in which they have mourned. When I was an intern in seminary, my supervisor wanted me to gain experience being present with and ministering to families in times of loss. Each year, the intern would be an ‘on-call clergy’ for the local funeral home, offering pastoral care and services to any families who did not have a home church or pastor, but who wanted a Christian funeral. I was a part of 24 funerals that year, meeting in the homes of strangers, offering my time, a listening ear, and comfort where I could. Every family, every situation, every lost loved one was unique, but I consistently found myself wondering about each family after my time with them came to a close. What did the days after look like?

Since becoming a pastor in my own parish, I have been able to see families after the funeral. I have been able to meet them and be with them the day after the funeral as well as the next days, the next weeks, the next months. Every situation is different and there’s no formula for grief and mourning, but I have seen how this promise in the Beatitudes comes to fruition. I have seen how the community of faith bands together and offers comfort. I’ve seen congregations walk with friends as they put one foot in front of the other. The family who feels the loss is not left alone and the person who died is not forgotten.

To be comforted implies that the one who mourns is not alone. This passage promises that the journey of mourning does not lie along an abandoned road. Jesus promises that we are not alone and that mourning will give way to comfort. Just as days grow incrementally longer as we head into spring, mourning will find its way to a place of comfort. Mourning will not last forever. Sure, there may be rainy days or gloomy days, but God promises that the darkness of mourning will not be the last word.

Loving God, we give thanks for your healing and peace. May we give comfort to those who mourn and know you walk with us in times of sorrow. Amen.

"When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up the mountain, and after he sat down, his disciples came to him. And he began to speak and taught them, saying: ... Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled." — Matthew 5:1-2,6

I grew up in Catholic school from kindergarten to senior year in high school. Every year our teachers would talk about Lent and the time when we should give up something or do something good for someone during the days leading up to Easter. They would then go onto tell us all about the Passion of Jesus. When I was younger, religion was forced upon me and I did not like it. It wasn’t until a few years into college when I finally started to ask myself what I believed in and what I thought about God. After a lot of time in multiple churches and I am still finding my way. I have narrowed it down to a few things and the Lenten season is a huge part of it.

I wish I knew this earlier, but I believe everything happens for a reason and I was not supposed to find myself and my faith until later on. Jesus was the greatest teacher we have ever had and have to this day. The Beatitudes are his teachings for how we are all supposed to live our lives.

This verse tells us to thirst for righteousness. When I was younger, I would have told you that I had to look and act a certain way in the church to be fulfilling God’s word. Now I know that God made me and each and every one of us in his name. To fulfill righteousness, we just need to be our own, unique selves living in his name. God loves each and every one of us. If we strive to be ourselves while doing it all for God, then we are living out his message! Striving for righteousness also means letting God do his work. Letting him take control and leading us in the right direction is challenging but it was what we are called to do.

During Lent, let’s all take some time to examine how we have been living and think about Jesus’ teachings more in depth. Don’t just read the words; find the meaning behind the words.

Now, let us take a moment, take a deep breath and pray.

God, thank you for today. Thank you for allowing us to walk on this wonderful world of yours. As we go through this Lenten season guide us to grow deeper in our relationships with you and push us to strive for righteousness. You loved us so much that you sent down your only son to die for our sins. And in Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.

“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.” — Matthew 5:8

A pure heart isn’t about virtue, or innocence, or morality. A heart is made of what you allow to come into and fill it. Knowing and allowing God to be fully within you means that your heart will be pure. But even after accepting Him into our hearts, we will still fail. Just because you know God, doesn’t mean that everything is suddenly without heartache or distress. God never said that it wasn’t going to storm.

Instead, He said that when it does, He will be there with you. Often it seems that people want to be pessimistic and point out and draw attention to the negative, and that’s a really easy thing to do. But when you are pure in heart, when you have God within you fully, you’ll start to see things differently. By seeing things differently, you will notice that your actions and behavior or demeanor change. Most people would say they are inherently good. Most people would agree that they try to do the right thing, make the right choices. And most people probably agree that it’s something they could work on.

Working on it doesn’t mean that it even has to be a conscious effort. Because once you take that step and allow God to fill your heart, being a good person, being a better version of yourself, will come naturally. That’s not to say that it doesn’t take work on your part, because it does. Being good is still a choice and decision you need to make. God gives us all free will, but by choosing to be good, it’s a sign that you are thankful to God. Once you accept God and allow Him into your heart, you then need to thank Him and give Him praise for being there.

A pure heart isn’t about virtue, or innocence, or morality. It’s about God’s love that you allow to fill it.

Let us pray: God, during this Lenten season, help us to recognize our sins and in turn, lead us toward you in all things. While we try each day to allow you to fill our hearts, we know that it takes dedication on our part and is something we must work at. We ask that you be there with us every step of the way, through every storm, so that we can live a thankful life in service to you for all of the love and graciousness you continue to show us every day. Amen.

"When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up the mountain, and after he sat down, his disciples came to him. And he began to speak and taught them, saying ... 'Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.'" — Matthew 5:1-2, 5

For most of my life, Lent has meant giving something up. I have seen family and friends give up soda, candy, social media, and other things that are important to them, to help focus on what Lent means. I have grown up hearing the Beatitudes, and most of them make perfect sense. I have always understood that the peacemakers and the merciful will be blessed. However, I have never quite understood why the “poor of spirit” and the “meek” will be blessed as well.

For me, the word "meek" has a negative connotation. When I hear "meek," I think of weak and brittle; someone whom people walk all over. However, this could not be further from the truth. In reality, meekness comes from a place of great strength. Meek is being able to control one’s strength, not the lack thereof. As usual, Jesus is the perfect example of this. Jesus was the most powerful person to ever walk this earth; however, he also died one of the most inhumane and painful deaths ever recorded. He didn’t lack the strength to stop it; he could have stopped it in a heartbeat, calling down legions of angels to subdue his oppressors. Truthfully, he could have stopped them himself. However, he exemplified the meekness that is referred to in this passage by humbling himself, taking on a punishment for which he did not deserve, and dying for every human who has come before or after him, many of whom despise his name. That is meekness: trusting in God’s plan, even when that plan may make no sense to us, may inconvenience us, or maybe even cause us pain in the moment. Meekness is completely sacrificing oneself to God, in love and trust that he sees the bigger picture even when we cannot.

As we approach this Lenten season, let us focus our minds on how we can submit ourselves fully to God’s plan for our life, even when we cannot see the full picture. Because we know his plan for us is built on the unconditional love He demonstrated for us through Jesus’ death on the cross. Instead of thinking only of giving up something physical, perhaps we can also give up some control these forty days to our Heavenly Father, and hopefully continue to trust him, even when this season is over.

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” — Matthew 5:3

Lent is a puzzle, of sorts. This verse of the Beatitudes has always puzzled me.

When we think of the verse today, we may tend to think, “what is Jesus talking about? Is he talking about being financially poor and destitute? What does that have to do with God, our Father, and with Jesus and love?”

As we devote ourselves to reflect on this verse, I want to first share a story.

Years ago, I got laid off from my first job out of college, a government job with the State of Florida. It was a role that was very rewarding and that I was good at. I really enjoyed my colleagues, the work I was doing, and the blessing of that job. Until that job was gone.

It was scary and humiliating to be out of work, even though the government cutbacks were not my fault. I was blessed that my family could help me during this period and that I would be able to draw unemployment for a while. But I wondered how long it would take to find something else. I worried about making sure I could pay my bills and not being a burden on my parents. I felt lost and my sense of security was shaken.

I applied and interviewed for lots of jobs. Several times I was among the final candidates. And I got passed over each time. I was frustrated and the rejections took their toll. My confidence was low.

I didn’t have a lot of faith or hope during that period. And yet, being stripped of that security allowed me to find many blessings. My parents were a huge support system and made sure I was fed, had a roof over my head, encouraged me, and helped me fill in gaps when needed. I was able to spend precious time with family members I wouldn’t otherwise have. I learned to completely trust in God that things would work out in His good time, more than I ever have in my life. Eventually the changes set in motion by that time led me to Newberry, to finding my husband, and to Newberry College, where my skills have been repurposed on a path that was part of the many plans God has for my life.

So, back to the verse. While being poor in the monetary sense can certainly be included in Jesus’ message, that isn’t necessarily what He is referring to. To be poor in spirit means to lack power, to be demoralized, to be dejected. To have lost hope or faith. People who are poor in spirit have nothing, yet in that emptiness they are never separated from the love of God. Being stripped completely bare rids us of any illusions of power or security and allows us to rely fully on God to fill us and work in us. What Jesus is really saying here is, “blessed are you who are poor in spirit because you can completely depend on me and be filled. Because you can find your happiness in me.”

So blessed are we, during times of spiritual longing and questioning. Let us remember during this Lenten season that Jesus encountered spiritual strife; the blood on the rock, the agony of the crucifixion, the dread of separation from God — a burden he willfully took on for you and for me. He took that hard landing, so you and I could be spared it. He came to tell us of a new deal, a new vision, a coming kingdom. The Kingdom of Heaven, where he pays our price of entry at the Cross.

Let us pray: Gracious God, we thank you for your many blessings. We thank you for loving us, and for reminding us that during times of struggle and doubt, you are with us and working through us. Help us to find a deeper connection with you this Lenten season and to grow in humility and reliance on you. Fill us with your Holy Spirit and draw us closer to your love and grace. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” — Matthew 5:3

I want you to take a moment to think of a time in which your faith felt weak. Maybe it was after the death of a loved one, maybe it was because of someone’s hurtful words, or maybe it’s right here, right now, at this very moment. Whatever the cause may be, weakening faith is an uncomfortable thing to face, especially during difficult situations.

That’s what I love about the Beatitudes. Jesus sat in front of a multitude of people eager to listen to Him. He settled on a mountain and began to teach, and He started by naming those who were blessed. A list of the blessed, in any logical case, would name the powerful, the wealthy, and the stable. Those who don't struggle with their faith or their financial stability. Those people we see with the greener grass and those who enjoy the finer things. The ones with everything we’d be blessed to have. The ones that are everything we aren’t.

But God’s blessings don’t work that way. Jesus, while preaching on the mount, was never concerned with the material wealth of the crowd that followed Him. Instead, Jesus focuses first on those desperate for steadiness in their faith, and He promises them His Kingdom in heaven. Despite our own doubts, God keeps us steady. Even now, when we feel our faith waver, we are called to rely on the Lord, who can carry all our burdens.

“Cast all your anxiety on him, because he cares for you.” — 1 Peter 5:7

So, take another moment to reflect on the times you feel weak in your faith and remember: no matter how big our struggles feel or how grave our situations may be, God is with us. In the midst of faltering faith, He will always be there. Amen.

Ash Wednesday starts the 40 days of Lent: a time of reflection, prayer, fasting and service. This semester we are working our way through the Beatitudes, Matthew 5:1-14. Who are the blessed? Is it the rich and famous? Is it the influencers of our day? Is it the Super Bowl winners. Is it Taylor Swift? Is it a political party?

I think that's why we need to take seriously Ash Wednesday again or for the first time. It should come as no surprise that Ash Wednesday comes each year with a gentle reminder, that we are, "dust and to dust we shall return." We have to deal with death, mortality, grief and loss, and turn to the hope in God and through the promises of Jesus.

In previous work as a hospice chaplain and parish pastor, I became very familiar with life cycles, sickness, patient decline, dementia, coma and death. And I think one of the reasons I was excited about becoming campus pastor at Newberry was my perception that I would not have to do funerals, attend as many celebrations of life, and it would be less about dying. Yes, it is a part of life, but I thought I would not have as many as three funerals for beloved professor, alumnus, and someone so young to find words of comfort in a time of death in a matter of so many months.

But we hear the comforting words of Jesus teaching us. Each Wednesday in chapel, each of the devotions shared over the next 40 days of Lent and into Easter, we hear the promises of God making the world right when it is so consumed in death, grief, loss and unexpected surprises.

Hear the words again for the first time: "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 ..."

What does Jesus want to teach you these 40 days? What does God want to bless you with on your journey of life? What can happen if we reflect, turn to prayer, fast, and serve during these next few weeks?

As I mentioned, you will hear from students, faculty and staff on these wonderful verses called the Beatitudes. These are verses about life and about how God's world is made right when we recognize the true meaning of blessing. You will see and encounter the living God as we look at these scriptures and reflect upon them. Join me on this journey. May God bless you!

Let us pray: Oh God of grace and mercy, be gentle with us as we take on this journey of Lent toward the promises of resurrection in Christ Jesus. Help us to see the true value of your love for all people, and know your presence in our lives so that we may serve you and our neighbor. In Jesus' name, Amen.