The Savior next mentions in the beatitudes those that mourn. “Blessed are they that mourn, for they shall be comforted.” Those who despair and mourn the loss of loved ones in this life, especially under tragic circumstances, will find joy and comfort when they are reunited in heaven. But, there is a greater joy and comfort to be realized.
After a person opens himself up to Christ, turns and faces him, giving up their previous life of idolatry and worldliness and becomes poor in spirit, they become aware of their weaknesses. Nephi laments, “O wretched man that I am! Yea, my heart sorroweth because of my flesh; my soul grieveth because of mine iniquities.” (2 Ne. 4:17) Nephi’s soul mourns because of weakness. Enos writes about his own struggle for redemption, “And my soul hungered; and I kneeled down before my maker, and I cried unto him in mighty prayer and supplication for mine own soul.” (Enos 1:4) Enos sought forgiveness for his sins. To repent a person must mourn and sorrow because of their sins, a prerequisite for receiving forgiveness. The Lord comforted Enos, “And there came a voice unto me, saying: Enos, thy sins are forgiven thee, and thou shalt be blessed.”
The comfort that the Lord will bless us is the Comforter
(John 14:16-18) that He promised to send, which include the Holy Spirit and perhaps the Second Comforter, which is what the curriculum within the beatitudes is pointing us. Truly the comfort promised to those who mourn as a result of their sins, turn to Christ and receive forgiveness, surpasses any joy that you can imagine.
“To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn. To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he might be glorified.” (Isaiah 61:2-3)
“A time to weep, and a time to laugh, a time to mourn, and a time to dance;” (Ecclesiastes 3:4) A time to mourn here is juxtaposed with laughing and dancing. Perhaps wanting to laugh and dance is an appropriate attitude when you hear the words spoken to you, “You are clean.” In another setting the Savior teaches a very curious parable, “But whereunto shall I liken this generation? It is like unto children sitting in the markets, and calling unto their fellows. And saying, we have piped unto you, and ye have not danced; we have mourned unto you, and ye have not lamented.” (Matthew 11:16-17)
Can the meaning of this parable indicate that the Jews at the time of Christ, and perhaps the Gentiles in our dispensation, consider themselves righteous and thus will not turn to Christ? Those who think themselves righteous do not pay attention to the piper’s tune, which in this case is the call to repent. Those who once had mourned and despaired because of their sins, will rejoice and be comforted. They will receive the Comforter.