April 8, 2016

PLEASE FORGIVE ME!

Matthew 5:3-12

Blessed are the poor in spirit,
For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are those who mourn,
For they shall be comforted.
Blessed are the meek,
For they shall inherit the earth.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
For they shall be filled.
Blessed are the merciful,
For they shall obtain mercy.
Blessed are the pure in heart,
For they shall see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers,
For they shall be called sons of God.
Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness 'sake,
For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

Personal Challenge

In the Orthodox Church, we have entered into the second half of our Lenten season. Why do we still practice Lent? As we lead up to our celebration of the resurrection of our Lord, we use this time to review our lives, our hearts, and our minds to be reminded of how much we need Jesus as our Savior. We also use this time to search our hearts and contemplate the depth of our selfishness and sin that separates us from God. It is a time for soul-searching, confession, and repentance. It can be so easy to just ramble off a list of things that I have done asking for God's forgiveness, but the challenge for me is to dig in deep and try to see what is causing me to do the things on that list. I have found that praying through the beatitudes helps to lead me through this process.

Here are some notes from my Orthodox Study Bible that expand on this passage:

Poor in spirit - those who have the heart of the poor, the same attitude as the poor, and are totally dependent on God.
Those who mourn - sorrow over the sufferings of this life, the sufferings of others, the state of the world, and their own sins.
Meekness - an attitude of being content with both honor and dishonor.
Hunger and thirst for righteousness - see the presence of God and His Kingdom as the most important thing in life.
Mercy - love set in motion, expressed in action.
Pure in heart - completely devoted to the worship and service of God and accepting no compromises.
Peacemakers - share God's peace with those around them, imitating Christ's sacrificial love and participating in His work.
Persecuted for righteousness' sake - uphold truth, refuse to compromise with the ways of the world, and give themselves to no other.

As I read through these I am so clearly reminded that my list of sins that I have committed all boil down to a heart that does not pursue these virtues presented and exhibited by Christ. And for this, I ask your forgiveness for the offenses that I have committed against you.