Word of Life

November 2005

Meekness is powerful and requires depth of character. Not only does it make us happy, however, it helps us change the world.

“Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth” (Matt 5:5).

The Sermon on the Mount comes at the beginning of Jesus’s mission. It opens with the eight beatitudes and this month we are looking at the third.

“Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.”

What does it mean to be meek? It means that we do not become irritated in the face of wrongdoing and do not allow ourselves to be carried away by very strong emotions. Meek people know how to control and curb their reactions, especially outbursts of temper and anger. Meekness, however, has nothing to do with weakness or fear. It is not colluding with wrongdoing or deception. On the contrary, it requires great inner strength to make feelings of resentment and revenge give way to a firm and calm respect for others.

With the beatitude of meekness, Jesus puts forward a new kind of challenge. He wants us to turn the other cheek, to do good to those who mistreat us, and if someone asks for our coat, to give our jacket as well. Meekness knows how to conquer evil by doing good. And Jesus makes a great promise to those who live meekness:

“… they will inherit the earth.”

The promise of ‘the earth’ brings to mind another homeland, the one which Jesus calls ‘the kingdom of heaven’ in the first and last beatitudes. It is the life of communion with God, the fullness of life that will never end.

Those who live meekness are already blessed because the have already experienced that they can change the world around them, above all by changing how they relate to other people. In a society often dominated by violence, arrogance and the abuse of power, the meek become a ‘sign of contradiction’. They radiate justice, understanding, tolerance, gentleness and esteem for others.

While the meek are working to build up a society that is more just and true (more in tune, that is, with the Gospel), they are also preparing themselves to inherit the kingdom of heaven and to live ‘in a new heaven and a new earth’ (Rev. 21:1).

“Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.”

To know how to live this Word of Life it would be enough to look at the way Jesus lived. He said: “Learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart” (Matt. 11:29). In his school meekness is seen as a quality of love. True love, which the Holy Spirit pours into our hearts, is in fact ‘joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control’ (Gal 5:22).

Yes, the one who loves does not become agitated, is not in a rush, does not offend or hurt others.
Those who love control themselves and are gentle, meek and patient.

The ‘art of loving’ shines through the whole Gospel. Many children have learnt this art. I know they play with a special die that they call the ‘cube of love’. Each side of this cube has a few words on it suggesting a way to love as Jesus taught: love everyone, love one another, be the first to love, share the other’s joy or hurt, love Jesus in the other, love your enemy. In the morning they roll the cube and try to put into practice the words that turn up. Then they share their experiences on how they have tried to do so.

Francis is a three-year-old boy who lives in Caracas, Venezuela. One day his father came home very upset because he had had an argument with a colleague at work. He told his wife about it and she too became angry. Francis went to his room and came back with the cube. “Roll the cube of love!” he said.

They threw it together and ‘Love your enemy’ turned up. His parents understood what they had to do.

If we stop to think about it, we will realize that there are people who live out an amazing meekness in their lives. Through their meekness, great figures who have departed from this earthly life - John Paul II, Mother Teresa of Calcutta and Brother Roger Schutz, for example - made a tremendous difference to society and history, urging us on in our journey.

Chiara Lubich