Blessed are those who mourn

[Dorothy]

Indeed. While no doubt this beatitude 'Blessed are those who mourn ’ include those who suffer from loss of loved ones, ( Jn 11:35 *" Jesus Wept" * )

Death came into the world because of sin.

I believe that those who mourn are those souls on Earth who are close to God, and suffering with him, the way he lamented and saw his own people who chose to reject God, the Jews and he wept over that. Today it is no different. In the post-Christian world we see many people who profess to be Catholic, to seculars who know the gospel and now choose to neglect him.

I think this applies universally for Christians seeking Christ, and when they enter into the mystery of Christ, they encounter mourning as they witness life through sanctified eyes.

Christ is a sign of contradiction: with Christ, we know where Joy is always – yet we know the cross held by the **Man of Sorrows. ** is always before us.
We know that the the wages of sin bring death. We know that merely seeing bodily life is not the same as those who have been brought to life by Sanctifying Grace.

So we needn’t look around for funerals, in the culture of death, we see defiance of God and the promoting of mortal sins to children, broken families, broken marriages…

How can a Christian not mourn over the scandal that threatens to kill the souls of young and old every day, from the cultural indifference the world has developed in respect to the value of Life?

I think * ‘Blessed are those who mourn’* is connected with the mystery of Christ’s agony at Gethsemane.

St Francis, though joyful, demonstrates this mourning:

p 26; Saint Francis of Assisi : Devotions, Prayers, & Living Wisdom
edited by Mirabai Starr

There are many repetitions of Christ’s sufferings that go on in every generation.

• 'Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me.*

Those Christians who mourn over the wages of sin in all forms, are blessed to be moved to action toward alleviating those sufferings of the least of these through prayer and work.

Thank you for that post!

 

[johnthebaptist2]

We shall always mourn,either for the dead,those who know a person in an accident,those who are depressed,ect.

 

[aragonjohn1]

Blessed are those that mourn for they shall be comforted.

Are we expected to mourn for the dead ? What exactly does mourning mean ? Or rather how does one mourn ? What does it mean in reference to the beatitude ?

this usually can mean compassion and love shared or felt for the person(s).

God bless

 

[fhansen]

Blessed are those that mourn for they shall be comforted.

Are we expected to mourn for the dead ? What exactly does mourning mean ? Or rather how does one mourn ? What does it mean in reference to the beatitude ?

It also relates to another verse: " Blessed are the poor in spirit". If we’re so hardened to the evil and darkness in this life as to not be affected by it, to not become sorrowful in spirit at times, and to not feel the rejection that Jesus knew to one degree or another, then we’re probably still more apt to remain conformed to this world. When we experience the pain of humiliation, rejection, meaness, and conflict, all due to the values this world holds, then we’re more prone to forsake the world in favor of a better way when we find it, the way of light and love offered by the gospel.

 

[TCEL]

Indeed. While no doubt this beatitude 'Blessed are those who mourn ’ include those who suffer from loss of loved ones, ( Jn 11:35 *" Jesus Wept" * )

Death came into the world because of sin.

I believe that those who mourn are those souls on Earth who are close to God, and suffering with him, the way he lamented and saw his own people who chose to reject God, the Jews and he wept over that. Today it is no different. In the post-Christian world we see many people who profess to be Catholic, to seculars who know the gospel and now choose to neglect him.

I think this applies universally for Christians seeking Christ, and when they enter into the mystery of Christ, they encounter mourning as they witness life through sanctified eyes.

I think * ‘Blessed are those who mourn’* is connected with the mystery of Christ’s agony at Gethsemane.

Those Christians who mourn over the wages of sin in all forms, are blessed to be moved to action toward alleviating those sufferings of the least of these through prayer and work.

I grew up Catholic. I have to admit that I can’t remember a time where I didn’t take this beatitude in the more spiritual sense of grieving over sin and separation from God, or the denial of God (while not negating the grieving experienced from physical death, because there’s certainly a connection.) I sometimes wondered if I was simply self-righteous or just weird! It’s comforting to hear this.

 

[hazcompat]

Peace

 

[Augustine3]

Blessed are those that mourn for they shall be comforted.

Are we expected to mourn for the dead ? What exactly does mourning mean ? Or rather how does one mourn ? What does it mean in reference to the beatitude ?

The Beatitudes are not some random sayings. The beatitudes are a journey. Notice how the first beatitude begins with the reward of the kingdom of heaven and ends with the same reward? That’s the goal, the other promises are just the rewards along the way and the graces needed to get there. The first beatitude i.e. the poor in spirit are those individuals who recognize they are lacking God’s grace and so turn to God for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. Once they are filled with the Holy spirit they are able to mourn for their sins, be meek, hungry for righteousness, be merciful, pure in heart, peacemakers and suffer for the sake of righteousness.

We can take a beatitude in isolation and apply it to the mourning for the dead. I think St Thomas Aquinas takes it in isolation does best when applying contrition for the rest of one’s life. Not that we should be miserable all our lives. Rather we should have contrition, mourn for our sins out of repentance that draws its strength and motive ultimately for the love of God.

St Thomas Aquinas: newadvent.org/summa/5004.htm