The Gospel of Luke 6:17-26
Jesus came down with the twelve apostles and stood on a level place, with a great crowd of his disciples and a great multitude of people from all Judea, Jerusalem, and the coast of Tyre and Sidon. They had come to hear him and to be healed of their diseases; and those who were troubled with unclean spirits were cured. And all in the crowd were trying to touch him, for power came out from him and healed all of them.
Then he looked up at his disciples and said:
“Blessed are you who are poor,
for yours is the kingdom of God.
“Blessed are you who are hungry now,
for you will be filled.
“Blessed are you who weep now,
for you will laugh.
“Blessed are you when people hate you, and when they exclude you, revile you, and defame you on account of the Son of Man. Rejoice in that day and leap for joy, for surely your reward is great in heaven; for that is what their ancestors did to the prophets.”
“But woe to you who are rich,
for you have received your consolation.
“Woe to you who are full now,
for you will be hungry.
“Woe to you who are laughing now,
for you will mourn and weep.
“Woe to you when all speak well of you, for that is what their ancestors did to the false prophets.”
Let us Pray:
Dear God, As I meditate on the words of Jesus, I am reminded of the importance of compassion and mercy. Help me to have a heart that is sensitive to the needs of others, and give me the strength to act with kindness and generosity. Let Your love flow through me, that I may be a source of comfort and hope to those who are struggling. Teach me to embrace humility and to seek Your will in all things. May Your grace be upon me as I strive to live according to the teachings of Christ. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
As I wrote this to reflect today’s world, I felt hypocritical, I have some very strong opinions about our current government, and it is difficult to practice sometimes the words I have written. I feel that what I have written is my belief but as a human I have my faults and prejudices and trying to understand the direction our country is taking is extremely difficult. In my mind many of our current leaders of our country do not come close to following in the path of Jesus.
Jesus speaks directly to the disciples and the crowd about blessings and woes. He blesses those who are poor, hungry, weeping, and hated, saying they will be rewarded in the Kingdom of God. This assures us that even in our hardest times, there’s hope and a promise from God. It encourages us to empathize with the marginalized and afflicted. By doing so, we align ourselves with the values Jesus preached and lived by.
This passage challenges us to rethink our values and priorities, to live with compassion, and to place our faith in God’s promises.
We have been through a period that we should have read this lesson in November 2024. The teaching is addressed explicitly “I say to you that listen” making it very inclusive. Sometimes we wonder whether the text is addressing us. In this case, we may be sure this text is addressing us, along with anyone else who reads or hears it. Jesus is calling us to examine ourselves and treat others like we want to be treated. There will be varying responses, there are people who there is no way we can forgive them or love them. But Jesus wants us to. Jesus understands that forgiving is first a decision. However, it also is a process. The path to forgiveness may take a long time, and understandably so. However, we must choose to take the first step. No one can force us to take this step; we are the only ones who can make this decision. And it may take a long time before we are ready and willing to begin the process of forgiveness. These bluntly spoken words are difficult to hear. They may challenge us at the deepest level of our being. Most likely, each one of us has been wounded, betrayed, or rejected at differing times in our lives. If this person was a friend, this wounding typically is amplified since we trusted this individual. However, each one of us also has wounded or betrayed individuals in our life. It is all part of our human condition. When we have differences with people it leads to Judging, and judging causes us to find faults and makes us less likely to be able to treat them as we would like to be treated. As we look around our country today it becomes difficult to be able to feel good toward many in power. It is very difficult to stop judging and many who you upset will judge you. Therefore, portion out goodness to others in the same way you want it measured out to you. Give a good measure of love and a good measure of love will be given back. Your reward will be great. This is what the godly life is all about. It is difficult to do good to those we feel are not worthy of our love, but Jesus asks us to. By treating others, sometimes cruelly as we think they deserve, we might try treating them as God wishes them to be treated with loving-kindness and mercy. This can be a very difficult task. God is going to reward us for making these sacrifices. Jesus doesn’t ask for miracles, nor does he want fake forgiveness. He continually invites us not only to forgive the individual who wounded us, but also to release ourselves from the pain, anger and hurt that binds us. Jesus is patient and yet persistent. He continually invites us and calls us to forgive. Perhaps today we can take one small step in this direction. We cannot even begin to imagine what the reward will look like when the God who created all things says we will have a great reward.
Lastly, it highlights the importance of putting our trust in God rather than in worldly riches or comforts. Jesus calls his followers to trust in divine provision and care, rather than the temporary securities of this world.
Let us Pray: Loving Father, forgiveness is the hardest thing we ever do – but refusing to forgive is worse. Thank you for the forgiveness that you have given us in Jesus. Let it sink in and work deep within us. Although it is so hard, teach us how to forgive, and to ask for forgiveness. Restore us to yourself, and to those who are separated from us, by their sins or by our own. This we pray in the Name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Amen
Reflections by Bob 