Often times we are sad and burdened with many situations in
our life. People tend to live in sorrow because it is the only
reality they can find in such situations. The problem of suffering is as a
result of the presence of pain and evil. Our inability to suffer is
representative of our inability to bear the pains of this world. We fall deeper
into darkness and despair as though in our very existence life has seized to
exist within. This is the case of those who have lost a loved one in their life
to the hands of death. These ones who mourn in the
pains of their sufferings do so because their souls seek a comfort that they
are unable to grasp; a comfort they believe to be their right. In most
instances, these people are consumed by grief, hatred or despair. The fear of
living in pain drives them to live a life of pain. As I've always mentioned, I am a strong lover of Japanese anime and I would ask you to permit me to tell
some of you about of one of my favourite character in Naruto Shippuuden whose
name is “Pain”. Nagato was an embodiment of suffering which he had
experienced growing up and this changed his perception of life. He chose to eradicate suffering by becoming
pain itself and inflicting it on those with the potential to cause great
suffering. His mantra was that “pain is inevitable…suffering is optional”.
We all have a choice to suffer or not but then we must all come to terms with
the reality of pain. Cartoon or not, that message right there is truth and no
one, not even our Lord Jesus Christ was exempted from pain.
You see, our Lord hasn’t proclaimed blessedness to people who suffer
from pain as a part of life. These indeed deserve to be comforted but the truth
is their state of mourning is not a state of blessedness. It would take more
than just a compliment to make them see a blessing in their situation. Our Lord
in this beatitude has shown us an attitude of choice to mourn, not because we
are in sorrow, but most importantly for the sorrows of others. Remember he
first shows, by both deeds and words, to be poor in spirit. Now he shows us that there is blessedness or a happiness in mourning over the demise of others.
He weeps for Lazarus who had passed away and finds comfort in the resurrection
of the dead. He mourns for the eminent fall of Jerusalem but rejoices in the
Kingdom of Heaven. There is a scene from Mel Gibson’s passion where He says “greater
love has no man than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends”
[Jn XV:13]. Earlier, he had told the Pharisees how He was choosing to suffer
for others: “I lay it [my life] down of my own accord [cf. Jn
X:18]. Those who mourn, like our Lord, embrace the path of sorrow not for
themselves but for the sake of others. The ability to choose the sorrows of mourning is what distinguishes the
negative attitude of mourning from the positive attitude of those who mourn. They
spend time crying and fasting for the needs of sinners, for the needs of family
members and friends, for the suffering of the world and, most heroically, they mourn for the ignorance of those who continuously hurt them. These lot are as angels who grieve for the sins of God's children like the beautiful angel in the photo but are "rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents..." [cf. Luke XV:7].
If you’ve ever
come in contact with someone who practices this beatitude it mesmerizes you. I
once knew someone dear who on the first day we prayed together, she insisted we
prayed for a woman in her church who was going through a lot and had some
special needs. I didn’t know it then, but what I saw and loved that day was in
many ways the blessedness of those who mourn. It felt so comfortable sharing in
this spiritual work of mercy with someone new. I remember spending my last Christmas
mourning
for the perfection of those things
which had become imperfect in my life and in the life of many around me. For
the first time in life I felt blessed because I had found comfort in praying
for others more than entertaining myself. The comfort of those who mourn is in
their faith that the prayers and mortification they have offered for many will surely be answered because Our Father in Heaven will give whatever they ask for. Although they weep and mourn, they are convinced in these promises of Jesus in the day when their grief would end: "Ask and you will receive, that your joy will be complete ” [cf. Jn XVI:20-24]. Such a comfortable faith!
How crazy must you have seemed to the world: a man forsaken to die
humiliatingly on a tree yet praying for those you have loved from the foundations
of the world? Like You, help us also to realise that by hurting us “they
do not know what they are doing” and give us the grace to love them
even more. As we begin to meditate daily on our attitude towards life, help us learn
to realise that we need to dedicate some of our tears and prayers for others
and give us the grace to continue to pray for the salvation of the world and most frequently for the sanctification of your Holy Church. Amen!
”O
the Blessedness of those who mourn, for they will be comforted” [Matt
V:4]
Those who mourn are unselfish beings, they care so much about the welfare of others and so even in prayers, they don't forget to intercede for them.As Jesus Christ followers, this should be part of us, and as the bible says, we shall be comforted. #SHALOM# #I'm inspired#
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