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 receive 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 for righteousness’ sake,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven
Blessed are you when people revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account.
Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
1. Preaching is about offering hope and pumping confidence to people living on the margins
2. Preaching is not subscribing to the status quo of oppressive powers, rather is about reversing it for the cause of the poor and the meek of the society. (Blessedness which is generally ascribed to the kings and to the powerful, Jesus offers it to those struggling in life.)
3. Preaching is not about unravelling the mystery of scriptures, rather engaging with the application of the scripture in affirming life to those who are living in situations of hopelessness and lifelessness.
4. Preaching is proclaiming joy, happiness and blessedness to the poor, the meek, the hungry and the persecuted. It is not about condemnation and hate towards people.
5. Preaching is reimagining the values of the gospel of Jesus Christ relevant for our times today aimed at building a new world order and is not mere repeating of the old rules and laws.
6. Preaching is public theology – addressed and understood both by the crowds and the disciples in the public sphere.
7. Preaching is about love, solidarity, compassion, encouragement and support.
@rajpatta, 29th January 2023
