Blessed are those who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Matthew 5:10
The last beatitude in Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount might be the most unexpected of them all: “Blessed are those who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness.” In this beatitude, Jesus names a truth that he lived out himself, that our good deeds are not always rewarded, and sometimes even result in persecution. The prophets who were before us were persecuted in the same way, as Jesus reminds us. It has always been so, and will continue to be until his glorious return.
Blessed are those who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when people revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
Matthew 5:10-12
The prophets and those who follow Jesus often face persecution. But think for a moment about those same prophets. Aren’t they often the very people that we most remember and admire? As they stand up for justice and side with the oppressed, regardless of the risk to themselves, they show us what it means to “take up our cross” and follow Jesus. They show the world the importance of their faith. And they offer us examples of how to walk the path of blessedness with Jesus.
And this is why Jesus tells us, in this longest beatitude, that when we, too, are persecuted for standing with the downtrodden, we should “rejoice and be glad.” We can now count ourselves among those faithful saints who have gone before us. It doesn’t mean that we should seek persecution, but that we should not avoid it, when called to do so.
Following Jesus is not always easy. It won’t always inspire the world’s admiration. Sometimes we do our acts of love and mercy without anyone noticing or caring. Other times, these very acts lead to some form of persecution. But we do them anyway, knowing that there is one who sees and cares, and it is the only one who matters.
This beatitude makes me think of these “Paradoxical Commandments.” They were first written by Dr. Kent M. Keith in 1968. Mother Teresa thought enough of them to post them on the wall of her children’s home in Calcutta. Here they are:
“People are often unreasonable, irrational, and self-centered. Forgive them anyway. If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives. Be kind anyway. If you are successful, you will win some unfaithful friends and some genuine enemies. Succeed anyway. If you are honest and sincere people may deceive you. Be honest and sincere anyway. What you spend years creating, others could destroy overnight. Create anyway. If you find serenity and happiness, some may be jealous. Be happy anyway. The good you do today, will often be forgotten. Do good anyway. Give the best you have, and it will never be enough. Give your best anyway. In the final analysis, it is between you and God. It was never between you and them anyway.”
Following Jesus is not always easy. It won’t always inspire the world’s admiration. Sometimes we do our acts of love and mercy without anyone noticing or caring. Other times, these very acts lead to some form of persecution. But we do them anyway. Because in the final analysis, it is between us and God. Nothing else matters.
This is my ninth in a series of devotions on the Beatitudes in Matthew’s Gospel. You can find the others here:
My Pastoral Ponderings 
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