Teresa’s story reminds us of the challenge of power. And how Jesus invites us to flip it over. To seek righteousness.
Teresa of Avila
Matthew 5:13–16
[see page 521]
The Sermon on the Mount begins with the Beatitudes. Blessed are the poor in spirit, those who mourn, the meek. Those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, the merciful, the pure in heart. The peacemakers, those who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness, you—when people revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely. Because of Jesus.
Blessed are those who feel the weight of the world because the kin-dom is yours. Because you are the earth’s salt. It’s light. You are. You are beacons of Christ. The world can find its way out of the darkness by you being you. By your bearing the light of Christ through these dark times we all have the light.
Jesus starts there because we keep bemoaning the darkness. How dare it be dark!
And we expect the light to come—where is it?
We expect much from others — why don’t they fix it?
And we don’t know what to do about it. But even if we did, it would seem like too much for us to do alone.
Our False Theory
This is why we believe in the Superman theory of the world—that someone special will come along and save us. And we honor saints because they prove themselves as having a special faith. Right? Wrong.
The sermon starts by saying we are all the way this thing gets done. All of us. Because this is a big project. And the people who do the heaviest lifting, the ones with the most important roles in the kin-dom aren’t aliens with super powers.
But people with weak hearts. Hearts that break and grieve and ache at the pain of others. Hearts that strive to transform systems of injustice for the sake of righteousness.
We become righteous when we strive for justice.
In Teresa’s story, we don’t see a giant man with superpowers. We see the opposite. She reveals God’s righteousness through her ministry, her striving, her heart and love for the world—her hunger and thirst for it.
We also see the challenge of seeking righteousness from below—when you don’t look the part, or represent the mighty.
Teresa’s story reminds us of the challenge of power. And how Jesus invites us to flip it over.
This is clearly a lesson we need to keep learning. Because the church keeps exerting power over the powerless, discouraging the work of women, racial and ethnic minorities, the disabled, the young, and LGBTQ+ persons. It still likes listening to big, strong men. And considering the ministries of others as less important. In many cases continuing to refuse to ordain.
But it isn’t only the faultlines of long-running political skirmishes that reveal our errors. It’s also found in who we listen to in general. And what values we prioritize. Happiness over sadness, ignoring over mourning, strength over meekness. Having little appetite for righteousness, seeking retribution, and mixing up our values. Making division and protecting it; maintaining injustice rather than seeking true equity.
Our very vision of leadership—in government, business, finance, church, non-profits, healthcare, scouting—it often reinforces competition rather than concern; injustice rather justice; division rather than peace.
We are called to flip that upside down. Because the kin-dom comes through generosity, not meritocracy. Not strength and victory. It comes through compassion, service; feeling connected to our neighbors and what they are going through. For the love of God.
For ever.
I am struck by Teresa’s prayer; like a mantra. How fitting it is. How generous it is. Let it be ours today.
“For ever, for ever, for ever, they shall see God.”