Week 9 Daily Dose of Love
(#57) 2/26
Blessed Are the Merciful
Matthew 5:7
“Blessed
are the merciful, for they will receive mercy.”
Mercy is a state of mind, not something we pull out in special circumstances.
Neither is it something that is deserved or needs to be earned. If we desire mercy, we must be merciful.
It’s as simple as that. No one in this world has the clarity of vision or depth of experience
to be able to live without sin. Mercy starts with acceptance. We cannot be merciful toward someone
we cannot accept. God loves us for who we are, not for how we appear, or what we do. Sin
distorts who we are. Acceptance involves recognizing the pressures and temptations of our world - it requires
a realization that, given the same background and situation, we could be pulled toward the same sin we may judge in others. Judgment is
the opposite of mercy. Judging others makes us feel righteous. Putting another down
gives us the illusion that we are raising ourselves up. Mercy recognizes that we are all God’s children
and each of us has weaknesses and faults. Judging others leads them to defend and justify their actions
while being merciful makes it more likely they will see and correct their faults Acceptance and mercy form
a foundation for love. It is impossible to be merciful without acceptance and impossible to love without
forgiveness. Principles of Love:
Acceptance; Compassion, Forgiveness
Reflection/Discussion:
What are the obstacles to acceptance and
mercy in our culture and community?
Pray through the Day:
Not my will
But yours be done
(#58)
2/27
Blessed Are the Pure in Heart
Matthew 5:8
“Blessed
are the pure in heart, for they will see God.”
To “have heart” is to be motivated to continue to deal with challenges in
spite of obstacles and difficulties. Being “pure of heart” is to be motivated to do God’s
will in all circumstances. God’s will is simply that we love; that we meet the challenges of discerning how
to love under the differing conditions and situations we face each day. Learning to love involves realizing
gifts and limitations while recognizing opportunities, obstacles, and timing. The
greatest impediment to a pure heart is ego and selfishness. Certainty that we are following God’s
will is a sign that our motivation is being contaminated by ego. We like to think that God has a “plan”
for us and we simply need to see and follow it as if we were reading a map. But a map has only two dimensions
while love is multidimensional. Purity of heart gives us the flexibility to change direction as needed,
to recognize what might be behind, under, around, or above us so that we can respond with the pure motivation of God’s
love.
God is less interested in what we do than in how we do it. The
pure of heart keep ego out of the way and bring God’s love to every situation and circumstance.
Principles of Love:
Humility; Decision; Opening; Commitment
Reflection/Discussion:
When is it most difficult to be pure of heart?
Pray through the Day:
Help us be humble
So we may love
(#59) 2/28
Blessed Are
the Peacemakers
Matthew 5:9
“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children
of God.”
The “peacemakers” are those who make peace. The first six beatitudes prepare us
to receive and extend God’s love. This one challenges us toward responsibility and effective action. It is not enough
to simply be peaceful, or to desire or advocate for peace to fulfill this beatitude. Being a peacemaker
implies that we succeed in spreading the peace of Christ in our world. Loving others is the only means
to dependable peace. True, lasting peace requires us to live in God’s love. Any
other approach may bring superficial, temporary peace, but only love brings peace that endures. How and whether to love is a conscious choice that must be made moment-to-moment.
It is a choice that many in our world do not make and this causes great pain and suffering. This
creates thousands of opportunities for us to make peace in our world . At this moment we only need to choose
one. And then we choose another, and then another...
Principles of Love:
Decision, Compassion, Unity; Forgiveness; Acceptance;
Learning; Vision
Reflection/Discussion:
What might help us to be more effective peacemakers in
our daily lives?
Pray through the Day:
Help us always
To choose love
(#60) 3/1
Blessed Are Those Who Are Persecuted
Matthew 5:10-12
“Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”
Luke 6:22-23
“Blessed
are you when people hate you, and when they exclude you, revile you, and defame you on account of the Son of Man.
Rejoice in that day and leap for joy, for surely your reward is great in heaven; for that is what their ancestors did
to the prophets.”
This beatitude expresses the deepest and highest level
of love. To choose love in spite of rejection, humiliation, pain, and/or abandonment gives us a glimpse
of the love that Jesus has for us.
Principles of Love:
Decision; Acceptance; Suffering; Opening; Vision; Forgiveness
Reflection/Discussion:
How do we choose love when impulses and pressure pull us in the opposite direction?
Pray through the Day:
Help us always
To choose love
(#61) 3/2
Woe To You Who Are
Rich
Luke 6:24
“But woe to you who are rich, for you have received your consolation.”
Being rich creates
four major obstacles to love: First, the process of acquiring and managing wealth can easily consume all of one’s time
and energy, leaving little room for God in lives that are already overfull. Second, the
rich tend to be exclusive - they often have limited contact with, or awareness of those who suffer and struggle to survive
in this world. This limits opportunities for compassion and solidarity with “the least” of
God’s children. Third, being rich makes it very easy to find diversions that separate us from the suffering
or longing that draws us toward God. And, fourth, acquiring more and more nice things that bring temporary
satisfaction leads to materialistic thinking. Love is easily pushed aside when it requires more time and
effort than our perception of the eventual payoff would justify. Riches
are like stones in a fertile field - they impede the ability for love to take root, grow, and deepen. When
being rich becomes an end in itself, it is like paving the fields of our hearts with stone. The seeds of
God’s love have a hard time penetrating the surface. The light of his compassion is blocked, and
the living water of eternal life flows away.
Principles of Love:
Compassion, Vision; Learning
Reflection/Discussion:
What makes seeking to be rich such a strong
temptation?
Pray through the Day:
Open our hearts
To your creation
(#62) 3/3
Woe To You Who Are
Full Now
Luke 6:25a
“Woe to you who are full now, for you will be hungry.”
God needs room to move in our lives. He recedes into the background as schedules,
stomachs, and senses become overwhelmed by more and more stuff. A life that is full to overfilling leads
to a spiritual indigestion which interferes with our ability to give and receive love. Love only deepens as we empty ourselves of diversions and distractions that bring temporary fulfillment.
When being full becomes a habit, love is crowded out and our lives become meaningless. It is only
when we empty ourselves that we can begin to recognize the fullness of God’s love for us.
Principles of Love:
Opening; Learning; Vision
Reflection/Discussion:
What makes it difficult to think in terms of “enough”?
Pray through the Day:
Open our hearts
To your love
(#63) 3/4
Woe To You Who Laugh
Now
Luke 6:25b
“Woe to you who are laughing now, for you will mourn and weep.”
Laughing at someone is the opposite of compassion, the opposite of love. It comes from
a feeling of self-satisfaction that separates us from them in a way that is hurtful and isolating. Separating
ourselves from others in this way separates us from God and his love. And that is something to weep about.
Principles of Love:
Unity; Compassion
Reflection/Discussion:
What makes it tempting to laugh at others?
Pray
through the Day:
Bring
us together
In your love
