The Beatitudes: Part 2 – Mourning

Jesus said, "Blessed are they who mourn, for they shall be comforted." It is important to remember that this portion of Jesus’ teaching was directed toward His closest friends, not the general population. The beatitudes are the opening words of Jesus’ sermon on the Mount and is a collection of truths designed to prepare His followers for His kingdom, which involved a lifestyle radically different from the world’s. The beatitudes are meaningless without faith in Christ. The term mourn means “to experience deep grief.” In keeping with His theme of spiritual blessedness, Jesus seems to indicate that this mourning is due to grief over sin. The people who agree with God about the evil of their own hearts can attain an "enviable state of blessedness," due to the comfort they receive from communion with the Holy Spirit. Christians do not seek happiness as the world does.