The Stressitudes
#213
Friend,
Stressed are the poor in spirit,
for they are always wanting more.
Stressed are those who mourn,
for they are looked down upon.
Stressed are the meek,
for they aren’t taken seriously.
Stressed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
for they will be unquenchable.
Stressed are the merciful,
for they will be taken advantage of.
Stressed are the pure in heart,
for they will be naive.
Stressed are the peacemakers,
for they will be surrounded.
Stressed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness,
for they will experience injustice.
I don’t know what it was like to read, but it was both easy and exhausting to write. Easy because with each Stressitude, the seemingly natural result became apparent. Exhausting because with each Stressitude, I felt the weight adding up. The weariness has kicked in.
I believe the two things to be true.
God’s way of living in the world (the actual Beatitudes) is how humanity thrives in community.
Without God, God’s way of living in the world would be unsustainable.
The blessings of the Beatitudes come from the power of God working through them and doing “immeasurably more than we can ask, think, or even imagine.” So that these ways of being (poor in spirit, mourn, peacemaking, etc.) become blessings and not stressings.
So hear these true and nearly unbelievable words of Jesus:
Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are those who mourn,
for they will be comforted.
Blessed are the meek,
for they will inherit the earth.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
for they will be filled.
Blessed are the merciful,
for they will be shown mercy.
Blessed are the pure in heart,
for they will see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers,
for they will be called children of God.
Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Love,
Aaron