The Beatitudes – Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness
I am continuing to act on my inspiration from Michael Longley who in a conversation with Krista Tippett on the NPR program “On Being” referred to Jesus “as a proto-socialist.” He went on to say, “And the Sermon on the Mount, the Beatitudes, are as good a system to live by as any that I am think of.”
Because of that inspiration I have been revisiting the Beatitudes. Today I want to focus on “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness; for they will be filled. (Matthew 5:6).
The first thing I noticed is that Jesus does not say, “Blessed are those who are righteous.” That would have been out of character for him. In all the words which are attributed to him it is almost always obvious that he is careful to distinguish those with whom he is speaking from a being which has achieved perfection. He is acutely aware, as is the Buddha, that life is indeed a journey. It is not expected that any of us humans will achieve righteousness. We are in fact going to stumble, fall, have moments when it may seem as if we are self-centered, teenage acting, unkind people. Often we are more like this in our head than in our actions. We may severely berate ourselves while Jesus and Buddha just smile and notice our humanness. Our behavior is not a surprise. Jesus merely says, “Get right back to your desire - your hunger and your thirst – to be righteous.” Paradoxically the less energy we waste on obsessing about our inability to stay focused on our goal to be righteous, the more energy we have to tap into the part of us which deeply longs to be worthy of love and respect.
The second thing I notice in this beatitude is the concept of righteousness. What on earth could it mean? Many claim to be righteous. In most political campaigns anywhere in the world all the candidates claim to be the most deserving of one’s trust. They will be honest and motivated by love, a thirst for justice and a hunger to work toward a stable, good life for all who are good and rightful citizens. Most clergy persons are only too happy to lecture the congregation about the “wages of sin” or to promise that the truly righteous will be rewarded in this life or the next.
Yet, here is Jesus promising that those who “merely” hunger and thirst for “righteousness” will be filled. He does not talk about being rewarded with wealth or awards nor does he promise rewards in “heaven.” He merely says, “Fervently hunger and thirst for righteousness and you will be filled.”
What is this word righteousness? The Greek word is dikaiosune and is frequently translated as just or justice. Thayer’s Greek lexicon says, “…in the broad sense, the state of him who is such as he ought to be…the condition acceptable to God.” One could go back to the endless debate about what constitutes justice as I have done in previous blogs. At least in this sermon Jesus has kept it simple.
In the Old Testament often righteousness is equated to obeying the law of Moses or “ethical conduct.”
Three examples from the Qur’an are:
“We will give the home of the Hereafter to those who do not want arrogance or mischief on earth; and the end is best for the righteous.”
— Qur’an, Sura 28 (Al-Qasas) Verse 83
“O mankind! We created you from a single (pair) of a male and a female and made you into nations and tribes that ye may know each other (not that ye may despise each other). Verily the most honored of you in the sight of Allah is (he who is) the most righteous of you. And Allah has full knowledge and is well acquainted (with all things).”
— Qur'an Surah 49: Verse 13
“Righteousness is not that you turn your faces to the east and the west [in prayer]. But righteous is the one who believes in God, the Last Day, the Angels, the Scripture and the Prophets; who gives his wealth in spite of love for it to kinsfolk, orphans, the poor, the wayfarer, to those who ask and to set slaves free. And (righteous are) those who pray, pay alms, honor their agreements, and are patient in (times of) poverty, ailment and during conflict. Such are the people of truth. And they are the God-Fearing.”
— Al-Quran Surah 2:Verse 177(Al-Baqarah)
All religious traditions make an attempt to clarify or delineate what it means to be a righteous or a worthy person. It is all an attempt to figure our role or purpose in the universe. Unlike other animals, as far as we can determine, we are not satisfied to just follow our instinct or just be. We have the ability to question and endlessly analyze our role.
Then along comes the Buddha, Jesus, and even a professed “non-believer” such as the poet Michael Longley who suggest that it may be pretty simple. Again in this simple statement Jesus says, “Those who have the willingness to keep it simple and merely hunger and thirst to be the kindest, most sharing, person they can be in any given moment will feel whole – be connected with themselves.” He seems to be saying if we own our nature to be a village – to take care of each other we will be full - we will be fulfilled. Over and over again, as an early addiction therapist, Jesus, suggests that we do not need to escape with alcohol, drugs or mind-altering behavior. Nor do we need to prove our worth with money, power, eternal youth or other things. We merely need to be who we are – members of a village – who strive to be intentional about claiming our connection with each other and, thus, with the universe or, as some would say, the God of our understanding.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst after righteousness; for they will be filled.
Written November 7, 2016
I am continuing to act on my inspiration from Michael Longley who in a conversation with Krista Tippett on the NPR program “On Being” referred to Jesus “as a proto-socialist.” He went on to say, “And the Sermon on the Mount, the Beatitudes, are as good a system to live by as any that I am think of.”
Because of that inspiration I have been revisiting the Beatitudes. Today I want to focus on “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness; for they will be filled. (Matthew 5:6).
The first thing I noticed is that Jesus does not say, “Blessed are those who are righteous.” That would have been out of character for him. In all the words which are attributed to him it is almost always obvious that he is careful to distinguish those with whom he is speaking from a being which has achieved perfection. He is acutely aware, as is the Buddha, that life is indeed a journey. It is not expected that any of us humans will achieve righteousness. We are in fact going to stumble, fall, have moments when it may seem as if we are self-centered, teenage acting, unkind people. Often we are more like this in our head than in our actions. We may severely berate ourselves while Jesus and Buddha just smile and notice our humanness. Our behavior is not a surprise. Jesus merely says, “Get right back to your desire - your hunger and your thirst – to be righteous.” Paradoxically the less energy we waste on obsessing about our inability to stay focused on our goal to be righteous, the more energy we have to tap into the part of us which deeply longs to be worthy of love and respect.
The second thing I notice in this beatitude is the concept of righteousness. What on earth could it mean? Many claim to be righteous. In most political campaigns anywhere in the world all the candidates claim to be the most deserving of one’s trust. They will be honest and motivated by love, a thirst for justice and a hunger to work toward a stable, good life for all who are good and rightful citizens. Most clergy persons are only too happy to lecture the congregation about the “wages of sin” or to promise that the truly righteous will be rewarded in this life or the next.
Yet, here is Jesus promising that those who “merely” hunger and thirst for “righteousness” will be filled. He does not talk about being rewarded with wealth or awards nor does he promise rewards in “heaven.” He merely says, “Fervently hunger and thirst for righteousness and you will be filled.”
What is this word righteousness? The Greek word is dikaiosune and is frequently translated as just or justice. Thayer’s Greek lexicon says, “…in the broad sense, the state of him who is such as he ought to be…the condition acceptable to God.” One could go back to the endless debate about what constitutes justice as I have done in previous blogs. At least in this sermon Jesus has kept it simple.
In the Old Testament often righteousness is equated to obeying the law of Moses or “ethical conduct.”
Three examples from the Qur’an are:
“We will give the home of the Hereafter to those who do not want arrogance or mischief on earth; and the end is best for the righteous.”
— Qur’an, Sura 28 (Al-Qasas) Verse 83
“O mankind! We created you from a single (pair) of a male and a female and made you into nations and tribes that ye may know each other (not that ye may despise each other). Verily the most honored of you in the sight of Allah is (he who is) the most righteous of you. And Allah has full knowledge and is well acquainted (with all things).”
— Qur'an Surah 49: Verse 13
“Righteousness is not that you turn your faces to the east and the west [in prayer]. But righteous is the one who believes in God, the Last Day, the Angels, the Scripture and the Prophets; who gives his wealth in spite of love for it to kinsfolk, orphans, the poor, the wayfarer, to those who ask and to set slaves free. And (righteous are) those who pray, pay alms, honor their agreements, and are patient in (times of) poverty, ailment and during conflict. Such are the people of truth. And they are the God-Fearing.”
— Al-Quran Surah 2:Verse 177(Al-Baqarah)
All religious traditions make an attempt to clarify or delineate what it means to be a righteous or a worthy person. It is all an attempt to figure our role or purpose in the universe. Unlike other animals, as far as we can determine, we are not satisfied to just follow our instinct or just be. We have the ability to question and endlessly analyze our role.
Then along comes the Buddha, Jesus, and even a professed “non-believer” such as the poet Michael Longley who suggest that it may be pretty simple. Again in this simple statement Jesus says, “Those who have the willingness to keep it simple and merely hunger and thirst to be the kindest, most sharing, person they can be in any given moment will feel whole – be connected with themselves.” He seems to be saying if we own our nature to be a village – to take care of each other we will be full - we will be fulfilled. Over and over again, as an early addiction therapist, Jesus, suggests that we do not need to escape with alcohol, drugs or mind-altering behavior. Nor do we need to prove our worth with money, power, eternal youth or other things. We merely need to be who we are – members of a village – who strive to be intentional about claiming our connection with each other and, thus, with the universe or, as some would say, the God of our understanding.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst after righteousness; for they will be filled.
Written November 7, 2016
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