Mike Paget and Erica Hamence explore what it means to be "poor in spirit" and how the empty-handed find fullness in the kingdom of God.
These days meekness is not a trait widely aspired too. So what is Jesus on about when he celebrates the meek, and what has that got to do with inheritance?
In today’s video teaching, Matthew Tan – Senior Lecturer in Theology at Notre Dame University – reflects on how Christ is our model for understanding meekness, how our relationship to God frames our relationship with the world, and warns of the attitude of haughtiness which directly opposes the nature of meekness.
"Blessed are the meek,
for they shall inherit the earth."
Unlike the haughty who see themselves as the centre of their world, meekness recognises everything about ourselves and our world as a received gift from God. This understanding recalibrates our relationship to God, our neighbours, God's beautiful creation, and the goods of this earth.
God uses the life of the meek to unveil and expose the haughty. The waves of injustice present everywhere in our sin-stained world are exposed in the treatment of the weak, and seen most keenly in the passion of Jesus Christ. We are called to live our lives in the realisation of our meekness, aware of the gift of life from God as Christ lives in us.
Create space this weekend to watch Matt’s teaching and sit in silence with the Beatitudes meditating on the text and let the Spirit speak to you. Consider sharing this with someone you know as you explore what meekness looks like in your own life:
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Daily Readings: Feb 23 - Feb 27
Throughout Lent we will be providing you with daily readings relating to each of the Beatitudes. This week, we're reflecting on what Jesus is teaching on being "meek" through the following passages:
| Fri, Feb 23 | Matthew 5:5 (our Beatitude for the next few days) |
| Sat, Feb 24 | Isaiah 42:1 - 4 (what might Jesus be embodying?) |
| Sun, Feb 25 | Matthew 9:19 - 22 (how does Jesus honour someone who shows meekness?) |
| Mon, Feb 26 | Philippians 2:5-11 (how did Jesus’ live meekness?) |
| Tue, Feb 27 | Hebrews 12:1-3 (how did Jesus’ live meekness?) |
| Wed, Feb 28 | Our next teaching will be published |
More readings will be provided with our next video on Feb 28.
Spiritual Practise: Contemplative Prayer
Set aside time this week to try the rich tradition of contemplative prayer. Read through the Beatitudes text slowly, meditating on the scriptures. Then take some time in silence to reflect, instead of using your voice while praying, listen to that which the Spirit is saying through the Scriptures. Sit quietly with the Lord.
With Your Church: Honour meekness
Meekness is so rarely valued in our culture, and yet the Lord Jesus is to be our pattern. Think of someone in your church who you think shows meekness in a beautiful way, how could you honour them? Choose to bless this person this Sunday, perhaps you could give them a card, buy them flowers or speak some words of encouragement to them.
We also encourage you to play this video in your service and invite others to come on this journey through the Beatitudes.
Matthew Tan is the Private Secretary for Bishop Tony Randazzo of the Catholic Archdiocese of Sydney, and a Senior Lecturer in Theology at Notre Dame University.
This video was filmed by Daniel Fewchuck and edited by Scott Sanders, with music licensed from The Brilliance.
This series has been produced by Common Grace and Bible Society Australia.
