Beatitude (Part 3)
“Each of the Beatitudes is an outrageous paradox. Those whom worldly wisdom regards as the least blessed turn out to be the most blessed, and vice versa. Apparent losers are real winners, apparent winners are real losers. There is a staggering contrast between appearance and reality. No one can read these Beatitudes without his spirit staggering, unless it is already flat on its back asleep. Preachers and teachers are tempted to mitigate the scandal and prop up the staggering spirit for the sake of good feelings and acceptability—something Jesus never did. In fact, He seems to have done the opposite, making His teaching as uncompromising as possible to separate clearly the sheep from the goats.
Many preachers try to make Christianity in general and the Beatitudes in particular acceptable—that key word of modern ethics. Behavior must be ‘acceptable’ or ‘appropriate’ rather than ‘good’ or ‘right’ or (heaven help us!) ‘virtuous’ or (most unthinkable of all) ‘holy’. For if we are acceptable, the world will accept us. And isn’t that the Church’s business, to win the world, to get her message accepted?
No, it is not.
Jesus commanded us not to succeed, but to obey; not to sell the gospel, but to proclaim it. Jesus was not found ‘acceptable’; He was nailed to a cross. And He told His disciples to expect the same kind of reaction, for human nature will not change and the proclamation of the gospel should not change. It is not our job to convert the world or to fill churches; that is God’s job. Ours is to sow the seed, without sugar-coating it; God’s is to make it take root and grow.”
~Peter Kreeft
Many preachers try to make Christianity in general and the Beatitudes in particular acceptable—that key word of modern ethics. Behavior must be ‘acceptable’ or ‘appropriate’ rather than ‘good’ or ‘right’ or (heaven help us!) ‘virtuous’ or (most unthinkable of all) ‘holy’. For if we are acceptable, the world will accept us. And isn’t that the Church’s business, to win the world, to get her message accepted?
No, it is not.
Jesus commanded us not to succeed, but to obey; not to sell the gospel, but to proclaim it. Jesus was not found ‘acceptable’; He was nailed to a cross. And He told His disciples to expect the same kind of reaction, for human nature will not change and the proclamation of the gospel should not change. It is not our job to convert the world or to fill churches; that is God’s job. Ours is to sow the seed, without sugar-coating it; God’s is to make it take root and grow.”
~Peter Kreeft
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