Dear friends,

I have many heroes and heroines and one of them is Nadia Bolz-Weber. Nadia is a

Lutheran Pastor from Denver. If you“google”her, you will see a trendy tattooed

woman with an interesting past. Her language can be choice, she can offend, but

boy can she preach. She set up a church called “the Church of Saints and

Sinners”which offers welcome to all. She shares God`s love to those on the margins

and shows that the Good News of Jesus is inclusive.

Nadia recently reflected on the Beatitiudes in Matthew 5. In the Beatitudes, Jesus

lavishly blessed those who were around him on the hillside, people that the society

of the day did not have much time for. Perhaps Jesus was blessing the ones around

him who wouldn`t otherwise receive a blessing. She therefore re-imagined them for

people of today.

Blessed are the agnostics. Blessed are they who doubt. Those who aren’t sure, who

can still be surprised.

Blessed are those who have nothing to offer. Blessed are they for whom nothing

seems to be working..

Blessed are the poor in spirit. You are of heaven and Jesus blesses you.

Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. Blessed are they for whom

death is not an abstraction. Blessed are they who have buried their loved ones, for

whom tears could fill an ocean.

Blessed are they who have loved enough to know what loss feels like.

Blessed are they who don’t have the luxury of taking things for granted any more.

Blessed are they who can’t fall apart because they have to keep it together for

everyone else.

Blessed are the motherless, the alone, the ones from whom so much has been

taken.

Blessed are they who laughed again when for so long they thought they never

would. 

You are of heaven and Jesus blesses you.

Nadia aims to turn the world upside down – like the early church.

We are fast approaching Lent so why don`t we do something unconventional.

Perhaps rather than giving something up we could do something, perhaps leave our

comfort zones, undertake random acts of kindness? I`m open to ideas.

Whatever we do, let`s make sure we bless others.

Love Christina