Blessed Are The Poor, In Spirit! (Part One)
Community of Christ pursues Christ’s mission to abolish poverty and end suffering. This profound call is deeply rooted in Judeo-Christian teachings and scripture related to justice for the poor.
Throughout the law, the writings and the prophets, the Hebrew Scriptures cry out for justice for the poor.
In the Torah itself, the very purpose of the promised land seems to have been to abolish poverty among the people.
There will, however, be no one in need among you, because the Lord is sure to bless you in the land that the Lord your God is giving you as a possession to occupy, — Deuteronomy 15:4
Numerous aspects of the law were designed to make sure that the poor were cared for. For example, the concept of leaving the gleanings behind in the field when harvesting so that the poor can gather them:
When you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not reap to the very edges of your field, nor shall you gather the gleanings of your harvest. You shall not strip your vineyard bare, or gather the fallen grapes of your vineyard; you shall leave them for the poor and the alien: I am the LORD your God. — Leviticus 19:9-10
In Psalm 12:5, God is seen as a protector and defender of the poor:
“Because the poor are plundered and the needy groan, I will now arise,” says the Lord. “I will protect them from those who malign them.”
And in Psalm 35:10, God is seen as a rescuer of the poor:
“My whole being will exclaim, “Who is like you, Lord? You rescue the poor from those too strong for them, the poor and needy from those who rob them.”
Indeed, God’s defense of the poor is a quality of God deemed worthy of praise. Concern for the poor is part of what makes God marvelous and worshipful. God is to be praised for saving the need says the psalmist in Psalm 109:30-32.
With my mouth I will greatly extol the Lord; in the great throng of worshipers I will praise him. For he stands at the right hand of the needy, to save their lives from those who would condemn them.
Praying for the poor to be relieved by God was modeled in the Psalms as well. In a Psalm attributed to Solomon, the psalmist prays for prosperity and the fruit of righteousness for the afflicted and children of the needy.
May the mountains bring prosperity to the people, the hills the fruit of righteousness. May he defend the afflicted among the people and save the children of the needy; may he crush the oppressor.— Psalm 72:3-4
Later in this Psalm, the weak and needy are seen as precious in God’s eyes:
For he will deliver the needy who cry out, the afflicted who have no one to help. He will take pity on the weak and the needy and save the needy from death. He will rescue them from oppression and violence, for precious is their blood in his sight. — Psalm 72:12-14
How could God create all the bounties of earth and create all peoples and then be satisfied to see so many in poverty, distress and suffering? No! God indeed “upholds the cause of the oppressed” and loves, watches over and sustains the marginalized in society. God’s concern for the poor is viewed as an extension of God’s role as Creator and as God of Israel (Jacob):
Blessed are those whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the Lord their God. He is the Maker of heaven and earth, the sea, and everything in them—he remains faithful forever. He upholds the cause of the oppressed and gives food to the hungry. The Lord sets prisoners free, the Lord gives sight to the blind, the Lord lifts up those who are bowed down, the Lord loves the righteous. The Lord watches over the foreigner and sustains the fatherless and the widow, but he frustrates the ways of the wicked. — Psalm 146:5-9
The prophets of the Hebrew Scriptures are the radical voice of justice. Read the following passage from Isaiah 58.
Is not this the fast that I choose:
to loose the bonds of injustice,
to undo the thongs of the yoke,
to let the oppressed go free,
and to break every yoke?
Is it not to share your bread with the hungry,
and bring the homeless poor into your house;
when you see the naked, to cover them,
and not to hide yourself from your own kin?
Then your light shall break forth like the dawn,
and your healing shall spring up quickly;
your vindicator* shall go before you,
the glory of the Lord shall be your rearguard.
Then you shall call, and the Lord will answer;
you shall cry for help, and he will say, Here I am.
If you remove the yoke from among you,
the pointing of the finger, the speaking of evil,
if you offer your food to the hungry
and satisfy the needs of the afflicted,
then your light shall rise in the darkness
and your gloom be like the noonday.
The Lord will guide you continually,
and satisfy your needs in parched places,
and make your bones strong;
and you shall be like a watered garden,
like a spring of water,
whose waters never fail.
Your ancient ruins shall be rebuilt;
you shall raise up the foundations of many generations;
you shall be called the repairer of the breach,
the restorer of streets to live in. —Isaiah 58:6-11
Isaiah’s program of peace proclaims that the calling of the Messiah is to feed the hungry and satisfy the needs of the afflicted.
The prophet Amos sees the poor being cheated and abused by the so-called righteous of his day and proclaims the Lord’s rejection of hypocrisy.
I hate, I despise your festivals, and I take no delight in your solemn assemblies. Even though you offer me your burnt offerings and grain offerings, I will not accept them; and the offerings of well-being of your fatted animals I will not look upon. Take away from me the noise of your songs; I will not listen to the melody of your harps. But let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an everflowing stream. —Amos 5:21-24
The prophet Ezekiel includes obligations to help the poor among his description of a righteous person:
5If a man is righteous and does what is lawful and right— 6if he does not eat upon the mountains or lift up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, does not defile his neighbor’s wife or approach a woman during her menstrual period, 7does not oppress anyone, but restores to the debtor his pledge, commits no robbery, gives his bread to the hungry and covers the naked with a garment, 8does not take advance or accrued interest, withholds his hand from iniquity, executes true justice between contending parties, 9follows my statutes, and is careful to observe my ordinances, acting faithfully—such a one is righteous; he shall surely live, says the Lord God. —Ezekiel 18:5-9
Download or open the Community of Christ app on your smartphone or visit www.cofchrist.org to read today’s Daily Bread and Prayer for Peace. After reading the Daily Bread, consider these questions:
When have you experienced God’s call in your life? From what do you need to let go and move on?
As you listen to the sound of your own breathing, consider the prayer phrase “God of the poor…”
Pray: God of all, bless all creation with equity and free us to act to abolish poverty and end suffering. Help us to see those in need, move us to compassion, make effective our offering and bless your children I pray in the name of Jesus. Amen.
Read John 14:27: “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not let them be afraid.”
What word or phrase caught your attention in this passage?
Read the passage again. How is this passage speaking to you today?
Pray the Mission Prayer: God, where will your Spirit lead today? Help me be fully awake and ready to respond. Grant me the courage to risk something new and become a blessing of your love and peace. Amen.
2021 Guiding Question: Are we moving towards Jesus, the peaceful One?
Part 1 of 3