Blessed are Those Who Mourn
By Steve Martin
Continuing on the path to holiness which Jesus calls us can seem to be an impossible task at times. There are so many distractions and challenges we face as we journey onward to heaven. We must stay the course and trust in the grace of God if we are to receive this great prize won for us by Christ.
Some of the greatest graces we have received are the teachings of Christ. These teachings are food for our soul. They strengthen our hearts and nourish our spirit. Meditating on the Beatitudes is an excellent way to feed our hungry souls.
In the second Beatitude Jesus shared the words, “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.”1 Often mourning is associated with those who are experiencing a loss of a family
member or friend who has died. Yet, these words of our Lord can be applied to a much wider set of circumstances.
In this Gospel teaching we hear Jesus reassuring us. When we or someone we love suffers in any way God will offer comfort. Is someone you love sick? Have you lost a job? Have you been mistreated or misunderstood? In all these situations and more the Holy Spirit will provide you with the consolation and support that is necessary to get through this
moment.
Perhaps one of the most easily overlooked ways to interpret this scripture is that God wants to bring peace to the many who suffer from the consequences of sin. In the extensive footnotes provided in The Navarre Bible, we read that, “here our Lord is saying that those are blessed who suffer from any kind of affliction – particularly those who are genuinely sorry for their sins, or are pained by the offenses which others offer God, and who bear their suffering with love and a spirit of atonement.”2
God promises to hold us up during our weakest moments if we will acknowledge our need for Him and seek to love Him with our whole heart. When we face moments of desperation we need to remember to turn to Him and trust in the infinite Mercy that is our God. When we can truly say, “Jesus I trust in you,” we can know our trust will not be wasted. For when we trust in God we will be comforted.
1Matthew 5:4,
2Navarre Bible, pg.76