Beatitudes – My Pastoral Ponderings

Posted on May 30, 2023May 29, 2023 by Rev. James E. Laurence · 5 Comments

Mourning with Jesus

Jesus blesses those who mourn, but what does it mean to mourn with Jesus? Here is a brief reflection on that question, in a devotion that I wrote for my congregation on the beatitudes of Jesus found in Matthew 5:1-12.

Posted on May 23, 2023May 16, 2023 by Rev. James E. Laurence · 1 Comment

What Does It Mean to Be Poor in Spirit?

What does it mean to be poor in spirit? Here is a brief reflection on that question, in a devotion that I wrote for my congregation on the beatitudes of Jesus found in Matthew 5:1-12.

Posted on May 16, 2023May 15, 2023 by Rev. James E. Laurence · 4 Comments

The Path of Blessedness

Here is the first of a new devotional series I wrote for my congregation on the beatitudes of Jesus found in Matthew 5:1-12.

Posted on January 26, 2021January 29, 2021 by Rev. James E. Laurence · 4 Comments

The Blessing We Seek

A sonnet inspired by the Beatitudes shared by Jesus in his Sermon on the Mount.

Posted on October 31, 2020October 30, 2020 by Rev. James E. Laurence · 7 Comments

The Path of Blessedness

In the beatitudes, Jesus offers us nine qualities of being a disciple, and blesses us when we seek to do them. Here is my sermon on the beatitudes in Matthew 5:1-12.

Posted on November 4, 2019April 13, 2020 by Rev. James E. Laurence · 2 Comments

“Blessed Are You.” My sermon on November 3, 2019, All Saints Sunday

Then Jesus looked up at his disciples and said: “Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God. Luke 6:20 “Blessed are you,” Jesus says. “Blessed are you.” But what does it mean to be blessed? The notion of being 'blessed' goes back a long, long way. In ancient Greek and…