Blessed Are Those Who Mourn
OT Lesson: Psalm 38:17-22 (TLB)
How constantly I find myself upon the verge of sin;
this source of sorrow always stares me in the face.
I confess my sins;
I am sorry for what I have done.
But my enemies persecute with vigour and continue to hate me—
though I have done nothing against them to deserve it.
They repay me evil for good
and hate me for standing for the right.
Don’t leave me, Lord;
don’t go away!
Come quickly!
Help me, O my Saviour.
NT Lesson: Matthew 5:4 (NRSV)
Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
Sermon
Introduction
We had a special visitor last Sunday: Karen Korteling, the granddaughter of Rev. Arthur Korteling, after whom our fellowship hall is named. Janet Landon graciously gave her and her daughter a tour of the church after the Worship in the Park. Today, we are thrilled to celebrate our graduates and hear about their academic achievements and future plans.
Today’s New Testament lesson is brief, similar to last Sunday’s reading, with just ten words. Interestingly, the shortest verse in the Bible is John 11:35, “Jesus wept,” while the longest is Esther 8:9, with eighty-six words. Our passage today is concise and consists of two parts: it identifies who is blessed and explains how they are blessed. It tells us that those who mourn are blessed, for they will be comforted.
This raises the question: what does it mean to mourn? Last Sunday, we learned that being poor in spirit goes beyond economic or financial poverty. It refers to those who are humbly dependent on God, with open hearts and ears ready to hear.
Mourn over Death
Today, let us reflect on mourning. To mourn is to grieve and to feel sadness. In the Greek Bible, the word Jesus uses for mourning is πενθέω, which strongly connects to two things, primarily death. We grieve for the loss of our beloved family and friends. At funerals, we witness grieving families. As a hospital chaplain, I saw this daily. Some lost parents or grandparents, others a child or grandchild. Some deaths were anticipated after prolonged illness, while others were sudden due to accidents, strokes, or heart attacks.
Speaking of heart attacks, a member of my previous church experienced symptoms while driving. Realising what was happening, she pulled over and called her mother, but it was April 1st, and her mother thought it was a prank. After calling a few friends who all responded “Ha-ha, that’s a good one,” she finally reached 911 and was saved. The moral of the story is that if you are planning to have a heart-attack, avoid April 1st. Call 911 immediately, and never make a prank call to 911.
As I said, I have witnessed many families grieving in hospitals, each in their unique way. Some express their grief openly, crying loudly and rolling on the floor, while others deny the reality. Mourning is deeply connected to grieving over death.
Let us look at some examples of πενθέω in the Bible. After the crucifixion of Jesus, before the news of the resurrection, His family, friends, disciples, and followers were grieving. Mark 16:10 states, “they were mourning and weeping.” The Greek word used here is πενθέω, indicating grief over death. Later, they were greatly comforted by the resurrection news, fulfilling Jesus’ teaching that “Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.”
In Genesis 23:2, it says, “Sarah died at Kiriath-arba (that is, Hebron) in the land of Canaan; and Abraham went in to mourn for Sarah and to weep for her.” The Greek word in the Septuagint is πενθέω, again indicating mourning over death.
Abraham’s grandson Jacob showed extreme favouritism toward his youngest son, Joseph, which led Joseph’s brothers to hate him. They eventually sold him into slavery and deceived Jacob by dipping Joseph’s garment in blood, falsely claiming he had been killed by a beast. Genesis 37:34 describes Jacob’s grief: “Jacob tore his garments, and put sackcloth on his loins, and mourned for his son for many days.” Imagine receiving news that your child has died unexpectedly and horribly. The Greek word used here is πενθέω, signifying deep mourning over death. The Bible is filled with examples of mourning, chronicling thousands of years of grief over countless deaths.
I mentioned that I was a hospital chaplain before and that I saw people dying everyday. Regardless of the age, people die: Old people, young people, and even children die. Regardless of gender, people die: men and women die. Regardless of their jobs, people die: professors, students, lawyers, plumbers, and pastors die. But the worse case I have witnessed in my opinion is this: One night I was working overnight as an on-call duty, which night I got an emergency call from the Labour and Delivery department because of a stillbirth. A lady of thirty-some weeks of pregnancy came to the ER after her work because she did not feel any movement of the baby. In that hospital, it was the chaplain’s job to contact the family. So I called her husband and asked him to come immediately. Because of HIPAA, I could not say anything more than that over the phone. Somehow it looks like Indiana hospitals do not care about HIPAA, but the hospital that I worked for in Illinois, it was very important. Anyway I told the husband over the phone to come right away with my voice as low as possible. About thirty minutes after midnight he showed up with flowers and balloons. Because it was thirty-some weeks, he thought his wife had an early delivery. When I saw him, I prayed in my heart, “Oh… my… good… God… I don’t think I can tell him the truth. I’d rather die myself. Let me please lie to him.” They had been working on a baby for several years and it was the first actual pregnancy. I cannot forget his screaming from the bottom of his lung, his crying and rolling on the floor. Later the mother and the father asked me to baptise their child, which is against the Presbyterian rules. But I baptised the foetus or infant anyway, hoping that might comfort the parents even a little bit. Years later, Hannah got pregnant after trying for six years, which ended as a miscarriage. Hannah and I cried overnight for several days. But God comforted us with baby Samuel’s birth. And I still pray from time to time for the parents of the stillbirth that God would have comforted them with another baby, hopefully many babies.
At and after every death, people cry, weep, mourn, and grieve. Regardless of the nature of the loss, it leaves a deep scar on our hearts. I no longer grieve the miscarriage as I once did. I do not mourn the loss of my father as intensely as I did thirty years ago. These wounds no longer hurt as much as they once did, but the scars remain in my heart and yours. Wounds heal, but scars persist. I pray that God will bless and comfort us as we continue to grieve and mourn.
Mourn over Sin
Another significant connection of πενθέω is with sin—specifically, grieving over sin. The Apostle Paul rebukes the church in Corinth for their serious immorality and lack of repentance. He writes in his letter, “You are arrogant! Should you not rather have mourned?” The Greek word he uses here is πενθέω, indicating grieving over sin. In his subsequent letter to the same church, Paul writes, “I may have to mourn over many who previously sinned and have not repented.” Again, the word he uses is πενθέω, grieving over sin.
So, how can we mourn and grieve over sin? According to Paul, to mourn over sin is to repent. Today’s Old Testament lesson echoes this: “How constantly I find myself on the verge of sin; this source of sorrow always stares me in the face. I confess my sins; I am sorry for what I have done.” Here, the poet expresses sorrow for his sin, mourning and grieving over it, leading to confession and repentance.
James, the brother of our Lord Jesus, urges us to repent in his letter, saying, “Lament and mourn and weep. Let your laughter be turned into mourning and your joy into dejection. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and He will exalt you.” The Greek word he uses for mourning is πενθέω, again emphasising grieving over sin.
Mourning over sin and death are the same
The Apostle Paul writes to the church in Rome that we have died to sin and that “we have been buried with Him by baptism into death.” In the following chapters, he assures us that Christ Jesus has set us free from the law of sin and death. Sin and death are interconnected, like two sides of the same coin. Therefore, grieving over sin and mourning death cannot be separated. We repent and grieve over our own death to sin so that we may live with Christ in new life.
What Is Begin Comforted
Now, let us move on to the second half of today’s New Testament lesson. Jesus says that those who mourn will be comforted. The Bible promises that God “will wipe every tear from their eyes” and that “death will be no more.” Furthermore, God assures us that “mourning and crying and pain will be no more.” This divine comfort is the promise of eternal life—no more death, mourning, crying, or pain. These comforts come only from Jesus Christ, our Saviour. While we cannot provide this ultimate comfort, as faithful Christians, we should support those who mourn and grieve on a more practical level.
I once broke Presbyterian rules by baptising a deceased foetus at the parents’ request, hoping to offer them comfort. In another instance, while in Chicago, I attended the funeral of a gunshot victim. The grieving family expressed a wish for a world without guns. However, some individuals responded by asserting their constitutional right to own firearms. This was not the right time, not the right place, nor the right people for such comments. While I respect constitutional rights, it’s crucial to consider the context when offering comfort.
Greek Word for Comfort
Let us consider how we can comfort using the Greek terminology. The Greek word Jesus uses in today’s New Testament lesson is παρακαλέω. However, another Greek word with a similar meaning appears in John 11, where people comfort Mary and Martha after Lazarus’ death. The word used there is παραμυθέομαι, which means to comfort, console, and soothe, akin to saying, “I am very sorry for your loss.” In contrast, παρακαλέω, the word Jesus uses, means to strongly appeal, encourage, cheer up, and comfort, but not simply to console. This distinction indicates that divine comfort encompasses more than mere verbal consolation. It is real and substantial.
The Apostle Paul, in his first letter to the church in Thessalonica, says, “We urge you, brothers and sisters,” using the word παρακαλέω, the same one Jesus uses. Therefore, when we comfort those who grieve, it should be encouraging, appealing, uplifting, and genuinely helpful—not just empty words. The word παρακαλέω is a compound of παρα (next to) and καλέω (to speak), implying that comfort involves speaking kind and helpful words in close proximity. Physical presence matters; being with them can be more comforting than a hundreds of nice words from afar.
Holy Spirit
When the Greek word παρακαλέω becomes a noun, it is παράκλητος, literally meaning “a speaker next to you” or “someone who speaks alongside you.” According to the Biblical Greek dictionary, it refers to one who appears on another’s behalf—a mediator or intercessor. In English, we might call such a person a proxy or, in a modern context, a defence lawyer, someone who verbally defends you while standing by your side in the court. During the Last Supper, Jesus tells His disciples that God “will give you another παράκλητος, to be with you forever.”15 He further assures them, “It is better for you that I go away. If I don’t go away, the παράκλητος won’t come to you. But if I go, I will send Him to you.” After the resurrection, Jesus ascended into heaven and sent the Holy Spirit to all believers on Pentecost. This παράκλητος is the Holy Spirit.
Therefore, when Jesus says that those who mourn will be comforted, it means much more than a simple expression of sorrow. It signifies that they will receive the Holy Spirit, and with the Spirit, they will enter the kingdom of God, where there is no more death, mourning, crying, or pain.
Conclusion
Last Sunday, Jesus said, “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” He meant that if we listen to the Word of God, we will be saved. Today, Jesus says, “Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.” He means that if we repent, we will receive the Holy Spirit, and in the kingdom of heaven, God will wipe every tear from our eyes. So, friends, let us repent, grieve, and mourn over our sin, and Jesus will send the Holy Spirit upon us. Let us also invite our beloved family and friends to join us in this blessed mourning and grieving. Amen.
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