Blessed are...

Suffering With Christ

“Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven.” Matthew 5:10

In the second version of the eighth Beatitude, Jesus says “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me.”[1] If we owe our allegiance to Jesus we should not be surprised when our obedience to the values of the Kingdom leads to persecution.

The apostle John recalls, in his Gospel, how Jesus predicted the trouble that His disciples would face. “If the world hates you,” says Jesus, “keep in mind that it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, it would love you as one of its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world… If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also.”[2]

Our values are not the values of the world. Instead of boasting how wonderful we are, we are to acknowledge our poverty of spirit. Instead of gloating over others, we are to mourn our lack of real community, the death of deep relationships. Whilst others are eager to push their advantages, we are to put a high value on mercy. We refuse to equate meekness with weakness, instead we are to look for honesty and simplicity. We do not seek to dishonor anyone, but we would rather do that than dishonor God. At the same time, we treasure peace, especially a peace that is just. It is because we hold to these Kingdom values that we should not be surprised when opposition comes. Darkness is always threatened by the light. The threats we receive may be real. We may feel their sting. But those who oppose us for the sake of the Gospel will never, ever extinguish the flame of the passionate and enduring love of God,[3] made known to us in Jesus Christ.


Suffering Lord,
They hated You first. They hated You without reason.
They persecuted You. They threatened You.
And in the end they killed You.
But death could not hold You.
All the darkness in the world could not overcome Your light.
Strengthen me, suffering Lord, that I may suffer with You.
For Your love’s sake.
Amen.

[1] Matthew 5:11
[2] John 15:18-20
[3] John 1:5