The New Beatitudes for a Hurting World
All Saints’ Day, 2020
Matthew 5:1-12
This year, I was stopped in my tracks yet again by the extraordinary Lutheran pastor, Nadia Bolz-Weber. By her powerful ‘New Beatitudes for a hurting world’, written in 2018, that touch my soul and remind me of the work I need to do for the Kingdom of Heaven. I can do no better this All Saints’ Sunday then to share these with you:
Blessed are the agnostics.
Blessed are they who doubt,
those who aren’t sure, those who can still be surprised.
Blessed are those who have nothing to offer.
Blessed are they for whom death is not an abstraction
Blessed are they who have buried their loved ones, for whom tears could fill an ocean.
Blessed are they who have loved enough to know what loss feels like.
Blessed are they who don’t have the luxury of taking things for granted anymore.
Blessed are they who can’t fall apart,
because they have to keep it together for everyone else.
Blessed are those who still aren’t over it yet.
Blessed are those who mourn.
Blessed are those who no one else notices,
the kids who sit alone at middle school lunch tables,
the laundry guys at the hospital, the sex workers,
and the night-shift street sweepers.
Blessed are the forgotten,
blessed are the closeted,
blessed are the unemployed,
the unimpressive,
the underrepresented.
Blessed are the wrongly accused, the ones who never catch a break, the ones for whom life is hard, for Jesus chose to surround himself with people like them.
Blessed are those without documentation.
Blessed are the ones without lobbyists.
Blessed are those who make terrible business decisions for the sake of people.
Blessed are the burned-out social workers
and the overworked teachers
and the pro-bono case takers.
Blessed are the kindhearted NFL players
and the fundraising trophy wives.
And blessed are the kids who step
between the bullies and the weak.
Blessed is everyone who has ever forgiven me
when I didn’t deserve it.
Blessed are the merciful,
for they totally get it.
You are of heaven, and Jesus blesses you.
Nadia Bolz-Weber, July 3, 2018
And I invite you to continue this prayer of blessings in your own words.
There are so many needing Jesus’ blessing. I know your hearts are full with their names.