Four years ago, the incoming president Trump read the words of The Beatitudes, from Matthews Gospel, chapter 5, at his inauguration ceremony. Back then this seemed bizarre and inconcongrous, given what we knew about his character and the way he had run his campaign, but we could not imagine just how far he would diverge from the intent behind those searing, wonderful words.

Today he leaves behind a broken country, whose political system is split from top to bottom, and whose power has been shown to be available for purchase on the open market. Perhaps the biggest casuality of all during Trump’s stay in office was truth itself.

To mark the departure of the worst political leader of a democratic nation in my lifetime, I first take a deep sigh of relief. It has been quite a ride, and we should never again fail to extol the virtue of boredom in our politics.

And I also repost this poem, written four years ago in response to that Trump Bible reading;

The Beatitudes, Jesus versus Trump

5 Now when Jesus saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him, ² and he began to teach them.

When he saw the (lack of )crowd, he retreated to the safety of his penthouse suite, attended by his acolytes. From there he tweeted out a stream of popular wisdom

He said:

³ “Blessed are the poor in spirit,
    for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Blessed are the rich, because their wealth trickles down like syrup and small people feast like ants on the mess beneath their tables.

⁴ Blessed are those who mourn,
    for they will be comforted.

Blessed are those who are properly focused on the things that matter and do not get distracted by weak sentiment. Blessed are those who never look backwards, but always forwards, upwards, towards bright new things

⁵ Blessed are the meek,
    for they will inherit the earth.

Blessed are the strong as they smite down the weak and unproductive for how else can our nation prosper?

⁶ Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
    for they will be filled.

Blessed are those who control the message and shape it to their demands. Blessed are their spokespersons. Blessed are the clever forks in their twisted tongues.

⁷ Blessed are the merciful,
    for they will be shown mercy.

Blessed are those whose charity is sensibly directed only to the deserving poor. The rest should reap the rewards of their indolence.

⁸ Blessed are the pure in heart,
    for they will see God.

Blessed are the consumers, for their greed is holy. Let the fire of aspiration burn in your souls so that the blessed economy might never be cursed by a lack of ‘confidence’.

⁹ Blessed are the peacemakers,
    for they will be called children of God.

Blessed are the ascendant. Blessed is the Caucasian. Blessed are the men. They make the world as they wish. Any hole is theirs for the digging, any pussy theirs for the grabbing. Through their industry, the nation will be great again.

And how blessed are the warmongers, for they ensure our security.

¹⁰ Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness,
    for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Blessed are those who take no shit from anyone. Let their power and might be unassailable. May no insult be left unpunished.

Let no slight remain unlitigated.