“Blessed are the merciful for they shall obtain mercy.”

Christians of good conscience have always lent their hand to those in the most need. Youโ€™re more likely to find hospitals and orphanages named after saints (St. Lukeโ€™s, St. Judeโ€™s) than ones after even the most famous atheists or agnostics. Can you imagine a Christopher Hitchens Hospital or Bertrand Russell Home for Children? Every week …

Blessed are the MEEK for they shall inherit the earth

The meek bridle their lust for power and live to serve others. โ€œThe โ€˜politicsโ€™ of the Kingdom,โ€ says Scott Bessenecker, โ€œhas more to do with meekness, submission and dying to self than it does with exercising authority to increase my share in this life (emphasis mine).โ€[i] Some outside observers evaluate Jesusโ€™ words about being good …

Blessed are the Broken

"Blessed are the poor in spirit..." Reminds me of the first of AAโ€™s Twelve Steps: โ€œWe admitted we were powerless over alcoholโ€”that our lives had become unmanageable.โ€ The Twelve Steps and the Beatitudes have an uncanny similarity. They both address the destitute and leave no viable recourse but to run to a โ€œpower greater than …