Original message shared by Rev. Melissa Guthrie with Come and Worship on February 1, 2026. Come and Worship is a unique Moravian Church that meets weekly in Winston Salem at The Enrichment Center, with a relaxed, welcoming atmosphere. Melissa is one of their visiting ministers. Because of snow and ice, the February 1 gathering was via Zoom. Please note the quotation marks around “Fuck ICE Forever” and the multiple attributions to other voices in Melissa’s reflections.
I enjoyed dinner on Friday night with friends at a local restaurant that needs support — and the restaurant still uses its business to support justice efforts!
I purchased a drink with an expletive in its name. Proceeds from the beverage benefit Siembra NC. Siembra is “a grassroots organization focused on defending communities from abusive employers and landlords, ICE, and bad políticos.”
>> I participated in a call with Siembra to learn about resisting the development of immigration detention centers in Winston and Greensboro. Do you know what’s happening in your cities? Do you know how to get involved in your city?
I enjoyed my drink and I’m glad a portion of proceeds is supporting justice work.
>> The drink was called “Fuck ICE Forever.” If you’re in Greensboro, enjoy the food and drinks and people at Freeman’s Grub and Pub.
Of significance is a small tattoo that I noticed on the hand of my server. I could only make out the first word so I asked her what the tattoo said. “Be here now.”
Let Us Pray: God, God! May we be here now.
I often find irony in my ordinary, day-to-day experiences. The server’s tattoo read, “Be here now,” and I have been meditating on Jesus’ invitation through the Beatitudes in Matthew to be part of God’s kindom Here and Now SO THAT the Not Yet is fulfilled.
Here and now and not yet? Also, yes; KINdom.
When rereading the scripture, I got caught up in language about TIME and PLACE. To be honest, I’ve been caught up and burdened by prayers and laments like WHEN?! WHEN, God, will the violence end? WHEN, God, will migrants like Jesus be welcomed? When will people be housed and fed? WHEN? And WHERE, where do we go from here?
I’ve made the assumption that many of us are familiar with the famous Beatitudes. I remember a youth group activity about ATTITUDE and the Beatitudes. While that approach to the message in Jesus’ discourse in Matthew 5 stuck with me, I bend toward ACTION not just attitude. Too much hurt and harm is happening in our communities to comfortably frame Jesus’ instructions as just a frame of mind. I think the Beatitudes have been spiritualized; by this gospel writer Matthew, and by many of our churches.
New Testament Professor Osvaldo Vena writes:
“The implication of Jesus blessing the poor, the marginalized, is not that they should be happy in their deprivation, for even though they may be poor materially they surely are rich spiritually! No. It is more an indictment on the society of the time for having forgotten its responsibility toward the neighbor.”
In what ways have we forgotten our responsibility toward the neighbor? Every single neighbor.
We like to quote Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.: “The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends towards justice.” Theodore Parker, a minister and abolitionist, wrote a version of this in 1853; and I emphasize today that we must do the bending and building. Every single one of us.
Professor Vena’s reflections are from 2023, and I want to share more of his commentary:
“Sitting on a mountain, Jesus, a Galilean Jew, declares the marginal of his society as blessed and deserving of God’s kingdom. He describes them as peacemakers, merciful, meek and, because of that, persecuted. Two thousand years later some of his compatriots have to take rocks from the very same mountains to defend the peace they have been striving for. Their rocks are met with bullets from the Israeli army. Then, out of desperation, the rocks turn into human bombs.
Under the hot desert sun, a line of ‘illegal’ immigrants is making its way towards the border between Mexico and the USA. There are adults and children in the group. They carry a few possessions, mostly water for the journey. Suddenly a helicopter hovers over them and they all run for cover. In desperation one of the men picks up a rock and throws it at the helicopter. Then he finds a place under a bush and hides. Soon after that a border patrol van pulls over and takes them into custody. Later that day they are all deported back to Mexico.”
Vena’s words gave me chills.
Headlines and photos and videos give me chills.
As we sit in our homes hearing and exploring Jesus’ words, I wonder where Jesus would sit today.
The Gulf of Mexico? Venezuela? Greenland? Minneapolis? Winston or Greensboro?
People, we must keep bending and building. A colleague of mine, Disciples of Christ minister Elizabeth Grasham rewrote the Beatitudes this week. This week! For Here and Now. I don’t think Elizabeth’s words purport to be a translation of scripture but an application. Here, from Elizabeth Grasham, with her permission:
“Blessed are you who watch an execution on your phone and quietly cry in the kitchen before dinner is served – yours is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are you who stand in a vigil for the dead, on the coldest night of the year, your tears freezing on your face – you will be comforted.
Blessed are you who 3-D print whistles, quietly passing them to neighbors – you will inherit the earth.
Blessed are you who hunger for what America could be if we would just try – you will be filled.
Blessed are you who, with warm clothes and burner phones, meet those who have been released from unjust detainment into the woods to freeze to death – you will receive mercy.
Blessed are you who sing about freedom and justice with strangers – you will see God.
Blessed are you who create neighborhood Signal chats to protect immigrant neighbors – you will be called children of God.
Blessed are those cities where ICE descends and refuse to stop resisting the brutality of their own empire – yours is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are you when internet trolls and even the President revile you and persecute you and call you a domestic terrorist because you would not comply with evil wrapped in a flag.
Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets (Martin, Malcolm, Prathia, Fred, Leonard, Delores, Cesar) who were before you.”
Where will you sit? And I don’t mean sit. Where will you place yourself here and now to comfort those who mourn, to feed the hungry, to clothe and house and employ the poor, to make peace?
Holy God, Your Kindom come. Here and now. Amen.