Ancient Anglican

Being merciful means to (1) take pleasure in forgiving others of their sins and faults and (2) doing works of compassion for those in need.

Jesus says that his “food is to do the will of him who sent me.”  Therefore, our hunger, like Jesus’, is satisfied by doing the Divine Will.

Throughout Scripture, “righteousness” arises not simply in the negative of doing no harm, but includes the affirmative duties to “show mercy and compassion on the outcast, the oppressed, the weak, the orphan, and the widow” and “to have a burning compassion for the oppressed.”

For Gregory of Nyssa, in this Beatitude Christ promises that it is the humble and reasonable man who obtains reentry into the perfect spiritual state found in the land of the Garden of Eden.

For Aristotle, the virtue of meekness is “the man who is angry at the right things and with the right people, and, further, as he ought, when he ought, and as long as he ought, is praised.”

Now the comfort comes through participating in the Comforter. For the gift of comforting is the special operation of the Spirit, of which may we made worthy, through Jesus Christ. – St. Gregory of Nyssa

We mourn not over the loss of the things of this world but over the loss of our godly nature occasioned by sin.  For only within our poverty of spirit than we can mourn. 

Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven

Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven

The purpose of the parable isn’t to teach us that God will always welcome us home or to be a joyful rule follower.  Rather, the heart of the parable, and indeed the very heart of the Gospel, is to teach us what it means to become the Father. 

This morning we are looking at the Creation narrative set forth in the first few verses of Genesis. I want us to look at three major lessons of the Creation narrative, and how it relates to our life in Christ.

I only desire to attain to that care and diligence in the sacred writings, which the Apostle has placed last among the duties of the saints (Eph. 4:11); and this very thing I desire, so that, in the endeavour to teach, I may be able to learn.