I have to say that this has been a very emotional week at Faith. All week the church has been buzzing with church members preparing for our annual holiday bazaar, which is taking place even as I record this podcast! It is also my daughter’s birthday—Happy Birthday, Hannah! 

But even as we have been enjoying the fellowship, the baking, and the decorations of the week, we are grieving, too. We can’t help but notice the people who aren’t here. For years people would come to the bazaar to buy Geri’s cinnamon rolls. At the door they’d be greeted by Ron and Pastor Neil decked out in tuxedos and welcoming grins. But Geri and Ron have died, and Neil is in hospice care. We miss them. We grieve.

And this week our hearts broke again when another saint—Linda—fell on Monday and died rather unexpectedly only a couple days ago, at the hospital, with Herb at her side.

There’s a lot of grief and loss all around us—in our families, our congregations, our communities. Even at a national level it feels like something that was once healthy and good has passed away. What do we do with grief? What does God do with our grief? That’s what we’re going to consider today. Open your Bible to Matthew 5:1-9.

Matthew 5:1-9

Now when Jesus saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him, 2 and he began to teach them. He said:

3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit,
    for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
 4 Blessed are those who mourn,
     for they will be comforted.
 5 Blessed are the meek,
    for they will inherit the earth.
 6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
    for they will be filled.
 7 Blessed are the merciful,
    for they will be shown mercy.
 8 Blessed are the pure in heart,
    for they will see God.
 9 Blessed are the peacemakers,
    for they will be called children of God.