Beatitudes and Health Care Reform

I am in the middle of writing a paper that summerizes the Emerging Church. In an effort to rest, I checked my Facebook and the ideas floating around. My husband posted this statement today on Health Care: "No one should die because they cannot afford health care,
and no one should go broke because they get sick."
He asked that we paste it on our own profile if we support the idea, I do.
After reading it, I instantly thought of the Beatitudes in the Gospel of Matthew 5:3-10. While hundreds of people followed Jesus to the mountain side to hear his ideas, Jesus took his disciples aside and taught them what we call the Beatitudes. The Beatitudes are not a list of happy, nice things to do, they are the very breath of who Jesus is. In them, he offers an opportunity to know him better, build relationship with others and live in community with those who need mercy and justice.
Many of the people who were waiting to hear Jesus speak that day, needed health care; needed healing and help for their condition. In this day and age, I believe Jesus would cut and paste Scott's quote and put it on his own Facebook. Just something to reflect on.

One day as the crowds were gathering, Jesus went up the mountainside with his disciples and sat down to teach them. This is what he taught them: "God blesses those who realize their need for him, for the Kingdom of Heaven is given to them. God blesses those who mourn, for they will be comforted. God blesses those who are gentle and lowly, for the whole earth will belong to them. God blesses those who are hungry and thirsty for justice, for they will receive it in full. God blesses those who are merciful, for they will be shown mercy. God blesses those whose hearts are pure, for they will see God. God blesses those who work for peace, for they will be called the children of God. God blesses those who are persecuted because they live for God, for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs. God blesses you when you are mocked and persecuted and lied about because you are my followers.