They that mourn

Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted. 

Mathew 5:4 (KJV)

Jesus says there are many who are mournful and sad. He says such people are more likely to reach out for God than those who are carefree and cheerful. God is listening. People mourn because of the way things have become. Many of us no longer want to live godly lives but clamor after things that draw us away from living in harmony with God. It is disheartening that the world’s priorities are not the same as God’s. Some people mourn when they are unable to do anything worthwhile for God, because they don’t have the means to do so, or the situation is such that they have been prevented from doing so. They feel that they are like prisoners in a world that has slowly fallen away into evil ways. 

 In our fast paced world how many of us have the time to mourn? When we hear of families dealing with horrors like drug addiction, alcoholism, divorce, eating disorders, child pornography, prostitution, kidnapping and sexual molestation of children, gun violence, murder, rape, and imprisonment we usually like to avoid them. We feel uncomfortable in their presence. These are things we don’t want to deal with, so we live in our own glass house and try to breathe the air that is within our own little worlds. Scarcely do we realize that there is a rage that is building up that if left unnoticed, our own little ceilings will come caving in, and we may be the next victim. 

A word of caution – beware of what you mourn for. Is it an Ivy League school, a fancy job, a mansion, a brand new sports car?

In New Orleans before the advent of lent, the city goes into a week of celebration till Ash Wednesday. To think that a festival that is associated with Christian traditions is today one wild party of excess in over eating, display of wealth, alcohol, and sexual depravity. Can we deliberately go into overdrive mode in celebration of our sinful nature and then come to God in repentance?

 Our God is a God of love and embraces all who mourn (Isaiah 57:18-19). Isaiah magnifies the grace and mercy of God. God has seen the ways of the people but instead of letting them destroy themselves, he heals them as a physician would and blesses them with peace. God brings us near to Him through the blood of the cross (Ephesians 2:16-17). Through Christ all people have become part of the family of God. The consolation we receive fills us with joy.

Another reason why we mourn is when we see those dear to us under tremendous suffering – physical, mental, or spiritual. One of the biggest causes of mourning is when a relationship is broken because of death or other circumstances. We cry for those relationships that should have been there. Christ comforts those who mourn. He says if we mourn we will be comforted. When his dear friend Lazarus died, Jesus wept. 

When Jesus thought about the persecution of the prophets in Jerusalem he lamented. Peter wept bitterly when he betrayed Jesus. He had denied any association with him. Was his mourning one of repentance? Do you repent with mourning? Have you found yourself in a similar situation? Those who come to God cry out to God because neither they nor their neighbor are able to keep this relationship with Him intact. We need help from God. 

In Romans 8:19-22 St. Paul says that as Christians we eagerly wait for the day when God will show us who belong to the kingdom of God. He describes it as all of creation groans as in the pains of childbirth. All of us groan because of all the pain and suffering in the world. When we hear of wars and rumors of war, ethnic cleansing, starvation, drought, tsunamis, and earthquakes – the list is endless – we long for a better world. Christ has sent the Holy Spirit so that He can intercede for us with groans for things that we don’t even realize we need. It is through Christ we are comforted by the grace and forgiveness of God. We have the assurance that even those who have died are alive in him. One day we will reunite and be together again. 

 Jesus told Peter that when he had repented he was to strengthen those who were weak. Do we reach out to those who mourn and comfort them? Do we reach out to those who are sad and weak?

Prayer:

Lord Jesus unite us with your love, heal us of our wounds, comfort us with your peace, and fill us with your joy. Amen