Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
~ Matthew 5:3-4 (NRSV)
Dear People of St. David’s,
I have been helping lead our Tuesday Morning Bible Study since the Rev. Frank Allen retired in December of 2023. We meet on Zoom every Tuesday morning, with anywhere from 12 to 15 participants. We begin at 6:30 a.m., which I know is very early, but it is a wonderful group. It has been a privilege to study Scripture together. If you’re interested in joining us here is the link.
This Bible study has always focused on one book of the Bible at a time, usually reading one chapter each week. When I first became involved, we read Exodus together. Much like the Israelites in the desert, we were a people in transition here at St. David’s. Reading the words of this ancient book was comforting. It reminded us that God’s people have always struggled with how to understand God in a world that can often feel difficult. Yet God’s presence never wavered for the Israelites.
Now we are a little more than halfway through the book of Acts. Once again, we are reading about God’s people, the early Christians in particular, navigating a sinful and broken world. We regularly encounter stories of persecution, suffering, and even death experienced by the apostles in the earliest days of the Church.
It is heartbreaking to read about such hatred and persecution. Yet it is a continuation of what Jesus himself experienced during his earthly ministry. Jesus represented a Kingdom that was not of this world, but rather the Kingdom of Heaven. In that Kingdom, those who are vulnerable, hurting, and grieving are blessed, as the Beatitudes proclaim in Matthew’s Gospel, which we will hear this Sunday.
“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.
Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy.
Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.”
So as Christians living in a world that is deeply wounded by violence and hatred, how are we called to bring the Kingdom of Heaven to earth? How do we protect and care for those who mourn, those who are poor in spirit, those who are merciful, and those who hunger and thirst for righteousness? This is part of our call to follow Jesus and to help make the Kingdom of Heaven visible here and now.
It begins with us. If you’re not sure where to start, we have many ministries here at St. David’s that already do this work, especially through our outreach and pastoral care ministries. Yet I believe we are also called to take this a step further by living out our Baptismal Covenant, every day, in every aspect of our lives, particularly by respecting the dignity of every human being. This includes those who do not look like us, those who do not come from the same places we do, and those who live on the margins of society. We can be God’s hands and feet in the world by how we love and care for one another. It’s our job as Christians to remind people no matter how crazy and unjust our world may seem, God is still present among us.
Love you all,
Thomas
The Rev. Thomas Szczerba, Jr.
Vicar
Published on January 29, 2026