Matthew 5:3-10
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.
This week, you are invited to meditate on these Beatitudes…Attitudes of Being, and to consider the question:
What does it mean for me to be Christlike?
2 comments:
Good choice Gail, and the phrase "attitudes of being" is perfect.
Years ago [1911, though probably written much earlier], there was a book of philosophy called, "Philosophy of As If", by Hans Vaihinger. He believed human beings can never really know the underlying reality of the world, and, as a result, we construct systems of thought and then assume these match reality: we behave "as if" the world matches our models. Alfred Adler, the founder of Individual Psychology, was profoundly influenced by Vaihinger's "theory of fictions," incorporating the idea of "psychological fictions" into his personality construct of a fictional final goal.
We do not have "fictions"; better, we have "beliefs." We believe God exists, and, based on that belief, we develop an "As If." There is no better statement of what an "as if" World based on God would be than the Beatitudes, in both this form and that found in Luke 6.
You know, when I do an initial read-through of the Be-attitudes, I'm feeling a being present and authenticity to the "attitudes". If you're grieving, grieve; if you're depressed, be depressed. Really owning your feelings and your attitudes are the only way they'll be addressed. We can repair what we can't admit is broken. Hmmmmmm
Anyway, that's my first blush at this one.
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