Blessed are those who Mourn
Blessed are those who mourn for they will be comforted. Matthew 5:4
It is interesting to me that Jesus acknowledges the sorrow that Christians must live with: grief for our world, grief over sin, grief because of our longing for the Kingdom of God. We mourn (as God must mourn), for our own personal failings as well as the failings of others.
The prophet Isaiah said that the Messiah (Jesus) would be a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief. Which was very true. We see in the New Testament how Jesus did suffer and grieve in many situations, and he experienced grief through his death.
Hebrews 5:8 says, "Even though Jesus was God's Son, he learned obedience from the things he suffered." This grief is a --productive-- grief, because eventually we understand God's wisdom and His ways.
Jesus is saying here, in this Beatitude, that His followers will be acquainted with grief as well -- but God imparts a special Blessing so that we can bear it. He will not leave us alone, but we will be comforted. This is God's promise.
Obviously, the Beatitudes are not wimpy little mealtime blessings or goodnight prayers! The rich meaning of these simple phrases is for those who are very serious about following Christ. The Beatitudes are a brief outline of true Discipleship.