11012020 – Matthew 5. 1-12
I do not have a long history.
It is actually “a rather short piece of history.”
About 1/5 of their lives. Just a glimpse really…
I have looked in…
I have seen, I have noticed…
I have observed and watched…
I have listened…
NO, NOT A STALKER mind you…but their spiritual advisor…
We are HERE for THEM.
In that time, I have come to see compassion.
I have witnessed caring.
I have seen support expressed.
Young people, as we all know, can be so very cruel.
They can be very mean, spiteful, and hurtful. They can degrade and hurt.
They can be bullies…and tormentors…and manipulative.
I have witnessed none of that…
These are good kids, all very different.
All very unique.
Each their own individual person.
I think, “someone” has done a good job.
Someone is to be commended
That someone would be YOU.
You need to hear that.
I know it has not always been easy.
I know there are days, and times and moments.
They are likable, they are loveable … and I think they WILL always have your back.
These kids ARE good. And you ARE to be congratulated…and even applauded for being GOOD PARENTS.
I think we have a “good group of humans” here…
The kind…that will “not want to let you down.”
When it came time for Jesus to select the 12…his students…his followers…
He did not seek out the religious…
There was Not a theologian in the bunch…
He did not seek out the scholars…
He did not seek out individuals of power and authority and wealth.
He sought out everyday people…doing everyday things…
They did not have impeccable credentials morally, spiritually, or even humanly…
When it came time to teaching and preaching and healing he reached out NOT TO THE SPIRITUAL GIANTS but to the Poor in spirit.
Common everyday people.
He surrounded himself with people who had absolutely nothing to GIVE him, save themselves…and their time.
He ministered to those WHO NEEDED to RECEIVE.
He chose familiar, regular, ordinary, every day, good people. Pedestrian.
Not the CHAMPIONS of faith, but those who knew something about life and living and even suffering…
His followers, his hearers, the crowds were not the strong ones, the mighty ones, those yielding power, but rather the meek and gentle ones…the kind ones…
He did not seek out the righteous, but those needing and longing for a word of hope…
He surrounded himself NOT WITH THE WINNERS of great victories over evil in the world, but the ones who acknowledged that evil was real and they wanted to see it eliminated…destroyed…vanished…
Those who longed for and hoped for a better world…a better tomorrow…a better today…
He looked for and found the pure in heart. NOT THOSE who were TOTALLY AND COMPLETELY PURE…it was enough that they were “pure in heart.”
He sought “out innocence and freshness and kindness and loving ways…”
He looked for those, who looked for peace…who longed for Shalom…who had visions that Peace might somehow in some way be possible…
And he looked at all of them, eyeball to eyeball and he said, “Blessed are you!”
(Look at the confirmands)
Blessed are You!
(Look at the parents)
Blessed are You.
Thank you, for journeying with me. Thank you for journeying with us in this place. It has been a pleasure. It has been OUR pleasure.
And we thank you…
And we bless you…
Thank you for this opportunity to share further with you…
Thank you for confirming your faith.
Thank you for being you…
For there is no one, quite like you.
You are loved.
You are prayed for.
And YOU are being CELEBRATED THIS DAY!
The LORD BLESS YOU, now and forever.
Amen.