Luke 6:20-26

Colossians 3:1-11

Psalm 145:2-3, 10-11, 12-13ab

Luke 6:20-26

Raising his eyes toward his disciples Jesus said:

“Blessed are you who are poor,

for the Kingdom of God is yours.

Blessed are you who are now hungry,

for you will be satisfied.

Blessed are you who are now weeping,

for you will laugh.

Blessed are you when people hate you,

and when they exclude and insult you,

and denounce your name as evil

on account of the Son of Man.

“Rejoice and leap for joy on that day!

Behold, your reward will be great in heaven.

For their ancestors treated the prophets

in the same way.

But woe to you who are rich,

for you have received your consolation.

But woe to you who are filled now,

for you will be hungry.

Woe to you who laugh now,

for you will grieve and weep.

Woe to you when all speak well of you,

for their ancestors treated the false prophets in this way.”

Opening Prayer: Lord God, I see before me the path that leads to life and the path that leads to death. For some reason, the path to death beguiles me and tugs at my heart. I feel the allure of the riches and glory of this passing world. Help me to overcome these temptations and set out on the path to eternal life and communion with you.

Encountering the Word of God

1. Covenant Blessings and Curses: One of the running themes in the Bible is that of the covenant. The Bible opens with the covenant of creation. The word for wearing a covenant in Hebrew is related to the number seven. And so, on the seventh day of creation, God is seen as establishing a covenant with Adam and Eve. If they are faithful to the covenant and govern creation properly, they will be blessed: “God blessed them and God said to them: Be fertile and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it. Have dominion over the fish of the sea, the birds of the air, and all the living things that crawl on the earth” (Genesis 1:28). If Adam and Eve are unfaithful to the covenant and choose for themselves what is good and evil, then they will trigger the curse of the covenant, death (Genesis 2:17). Another covenant, that of Deuteronomy, is very clear that there are blessings – prosperity, victory, divine favor – for faithfulness and curses – poverty, illness, defeat, famine, despair, exile – for unfaithfulness.

2. Four Blessings and Four Woes: Jesus, through his life, death, and resurrection, establishes the New Covenant. And, like the covenants of old, it contains blessings and curses. The Gospel of Luke parallels the blessings and the curses. Blessings, in the New Covenant, belong to the poor, those who hunger, those who weep, and those who are hated and persecuted on account of Jesus, the Son of Man. Ultimately, this means sharing in the life of Jesus, who was poor and humble, who knew hunger and wept over Jerusalem, and who was persecuted despite being innocent. By sharing in Jesus’ passion and death, we will also share in his resurrection, glorification, and beatitude. In the New Covenant, there are also warnings of woe about the path that leads to eternal death. Those who are rich, those who are filled, those who laugh, and those who are spoken well of are all given a warning. Riches tend to lead us to earthly consolation, but not heavenly reward. Over-indulging and satisfying ourselves with earthly food can lead to spiritual hunger. Superficial living and laughter can lead to grieving and weeping in the next life. Being spoken well of can lead to a false security in our eternal destiny.

3. Put to Death what is Earthly: Paul’s Letter to the Colossians echoes this teaching of Jesus. We need to put to death the parts of us that are earthly. Paul lists eleven such earthly parts: immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, greed, anger, fury, malice, slander, obscene language, and lying. These are vices that bring about God's judgment. Paul invites us to take off the “old self” and its practices, and put on the “new self,” which is identified with renewal in the image of God the Creator. We have been created in the image of God and recreated in Christ. Having been raised with Christ, we need to seek what is above. If we do this, we will share in Christ’s glory. We do not need to be afraid or think that this ideal is too lofty. For the Father and the Son have sent us the Holy Spirit and his gifts to empower us to live as Christians in this passing world.

Conversing with Christ: Lord Jesus, I must confess that it is hard to hear your words today. You ask me to be poor, to experience hunger, to weep, and to be persecuted. I trust in your words and will do my best to follow them.

Living the Word of God: When I look at my life, am I on the path of woe (temporal riches, earthly fulfillment, superficial laughter, celebrity) or on the path of blessing (detachment from riches, hunger for justice, suffering, enduring persecution)? How can I get on the right path?