The Beatitudes - Those who mourn

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]