Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. — Matthew 5.4

I used to have a really hard time with this passage of Scripture. I think those of us who have grieved deeply over the loss of a dear loved one hear something completely counter-intuitive in these words of Jesus. Are you mad, Jesus? What blessing could there possibly be in mourning?

It helps me to remember that Jesus is well acquainted with grief. They tell us that the shortest verse in the Bible is “Jesus wept.” It may be the shortest verse, but there are fewer that are more powerful and profound. After the death of his dear friend Lazarus, Jesus experienced the heart-rending grief common to all who mourn. He wept. Knowing full well what was about to happen, Jesus still gave in to his heart’s desire to remember the life of his friend. Jesus wept and this is what qualifies Him to credibly call the church to a life of weeping alongside those who are grief-stricken (Romans 12.15).We are to be bearers of comfort, the same kind of comfort we have received from God (2 Cor. 1.3-4).

It also helps me to understand that the word translated “mourn” (penthountes) has a connotation broader than simply grief. Jesus is describing those who are grieved over the present condition of the world, those saints who empathize with the hungry, the thirsty, the oppressed in the world. Moreover, this grief prompts action — the kind of action that aims to deliver these from their current condition. Jesus is saying that there is a blessing in store for those who are grieved to the point of action on behalf of the poor, the downcast, and the oppressed. In the end, God will bring an ultimate sense of peace and restoration to those who have grieved. This comfort is expressed beautifully in the eschaton, when God Himself will “wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away. (Revelation 21.4)”

Until all things are made new, blessed are those who mourn.