The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today present an opportunity to contemplate our preparation for the end time and the degree to which our actions resonate with the Beatitudes as presented by Luke.
The reading from the First Letter of Paul to the Corinthians exhorts us to make the most of the Life that the Lord has assigned to us.
* [7:1–16] It seems that some Christians in Corinth were advocating asceticism in sexual matters. The pattern it is a good thing…, but occurs twice (1 Cor 7:1–2, 8–9; cf. 1 Cor 7:26), suggesting that in this matter as in others the Corinthians have seized upon a genuine value but are exaggerating or distorting it in some way. Once again Paul calls them to a more correct perspective and a better sense of their own limitations. The phrase it is a good thing (1 Cor 7:1) may have been the slogan of the ascetic party at Corinth. (1 Corinthians, CHAPTER 7 | USCCB, n.d.)
Psalm 45 is an Ode for a Royal Wedding.
* [Psalm 45] A song for the Davidic king’s marriage to a foreign princess from Tyre in Phoenicia. The court poet sings (Ps 45:2, 18) of God’s choice of the king (Ps 45:3, 8), of his role in establishing divine rule (Ps 45:4–8), and of his splendor as he waits for his bride (Ps 45:9–10). The woman is to forget her own house when she becomes wife to the king (Ps 45:11–13). Her majestic beauty today is a sign of the future prosperity of the royal house (Ps 45:14–17). The Psalm was retained in the collection when there was no reigning king, and came to be applied to the king who was to come, the messiah. (Psalms, PSALM 45 | USCCB, n.d.)
In the Gospel of Luke, Jesus Sermon on the Plain declares Blessings and Woes.
* [6:20–49] Luke’s “Sermon on the Plain” is the counterpart to Matthew’s “Sermon on the Mount” (Mt 5:1–7:27). It is addressed to the disciples of Jesus, and, like the sermon in Matthew, it begins with beatitudes (Lk 6:20–22) and ends with the parable of the two houses (Lk 6:46–49). Almost all the words of Jesus reported by Luke are found in Matthew’s version, but because Matthew includes sayings that were related to specifically Jewish Christian problems (e.g., Mt 5:17–20; 6:1–8, 16–18) that Luke did not find appropriate for his predominantly Gentile Christian audience, the “Sermon on the Mount” is considerably longer. Luke’s sermon may be outlined as follows: an introduction consisting of blessings and woes (Lk 6:20–26); the love of one’s enemies (Lk 6:27–36); the demands of loving one’s neighbor (Lk 6:37–42); good deeds as proof of one’s goodness (Lk 6:43–45); a parable illustrating the result of listening to and acting on the words of Jesus (Lk 6:46–49). At the core of the sermon is Jesus’ teaching on the love of one’s enemies (Lk 6:27–36) that has as its source of motivation God’s graciousness and compassion for all humanity (Lk 6:35–36) and Jesus’ teaching on the love of one’s neighbor (Lk 6:37–42) that is characterized by forgiveness and generosity.
* [6:20–26] The introductory portion of the sermon consists of blessings and woes that address the real economic and social conditions of humanity (the poor—the rich; the hungry—the satisfied; those grieving—those laughing; the outcast—the socially acceptable). By contrast, Matthew emphasizes the religious and spiritual values of disciples in the kingdom inaugurated by Jesus (“poor in spirit,” Mt 5:3; “hunger and thirst for righteousness,” Mt 5:6). In the sermon, blessed extols the fortunate condition of persons who are favored with the blessings of God; the woes, addressed as they are to the disciples of Jesus, threaten God’s profound displeasure on those so blinded by their present fortunate situation that they do not recognize and appreciate the real values of God’s kingdom. In all the blessings and woes, the present condition of the persons addressed will be reversed in the future. (Luke, CHAPTER 6 | USCCB, n.d.)
Tamora Whitney comments that, in the Gospel, Jesus says that the poor are blessed, and they will have their reward in heaven. But woe to the rich who have their consolation here already.
But I guess poor people can be selfish or angry or untruthful as much as the rich can. I think the point is in the choice of spiritual path. Those who have chosen to be poor, perhaps by being generous and charitable will have their reward in heaven for those choices. Those who choose hunger by sharing their food are blessed. Those who suffer because they follow Jesus, those who are persecuted because of their spiritual path, will get their reward in heaven. But those who are selfish and greedy – who are rich but do not share their wealth with those in need, those who eat and drink in excess while others starve at their door, who indulge with no compassion, woe to them. They laugh at others’ misfortunes, but they will not have salvation who have no compassion. (Whitney, n.d.)
Don Schwager quotes “Jesus, though rich, became poor for us,” by Ambrose of Milan, 339-397 A.D.
"'Blessed,' it says, 'are the poor.' Not all the poor are blessed, for poverty is neutral. The poor can be either good or evil, unless, perhaps, the blessed pauper is to be understood as he whom the prophet described, saying, 'A righteous poor man is better than a rich liar' (Proverbs 19:22). Blessed is the poor man who cried and whom the Lord heard (Psalm 34:6). Blessed is the man poor in offense. Blessed is the man poor in vices. Blessed is the poor man in whom the prince of this world (John 14:30) finds nothing. Blessed is the poor man who is like that poor Man who, although he was rich, became poor for our sake (2 Corinthians 8:9). Matthew fully revealed this when he said, 'Blessed are the poor in spirit' (Matthew 5:3). One poor in spirit is not puffed up, is not exalted in the mind of his own flesh. This beatitude is first, when I have laid aside every sin, and I have taken off all malice, and I am content with simplicity, destitute of evils. All that remains is that I regulate my conduct. For what good does it do me to lack worldly goods, unless I am meek and gentle?" (excerpt from EXPOSITION OF THE GOSPEL OF LUKE 5.53-54) (Schwager, n.d.)
The Word Among Us Meditation on Luke 6:20-26 comments that it’s important to pay attention to the setting here. When he says, “Blessed are you who are poor,” Jesus is addressing his own disciples (Luke 6:20, emphasis added). He isn’t talking about the poor, he’s talking to them.
What about your life here and now? Maybe following Jesus has made you a little poorer as you are giving more away. Maybe you’re feeling a little less secure about your future or a little less comfortable living by the standards of the world. Take some time today to examine what your discipleship has cost you. But don’t stop there. Look also at all the blessings you’ve received over your life, blessings that only Jesus could have given you. He’s worth it all, isn’t he?
“Jesus, it truly is a blessing to be numbered among the people you call your very own!” (Meditation on Luke 6:20-26, n.d.)
Friar Jude Winkler comments that Paul is urging people to avoid sinning as the end of the world is expected. Resurrection was understood as a sign of the coming of the end times. Friar Jude reminds us that Luke presents the Beatitudes and the overturning of values is the usual Jewish style of blessings and curses.
Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, introduces Mennonite pastor Melissa Florer-Bixler who connects forgiveness and restorative justice.
We are asked to choose which world we want to live in—a world of retributive justice or a world of forgiveness. [Theologian] Karl Barth, reflecting on forgiveness, writes, “Living by forgiveness is never by any means passivity, but Christian living in full activity.” Barth writes that, when we finally come before God, we will not be asked to give an account of our piety or morality. Instead, we will be asked, “Did you live by grace, or did you set up gods for yourself and perhaps want to become one yourself?” [2]
We can’t operate in both orders. And when the world of revenge enters the renewed creation, the order built on good news, it poisons the possibility of mutuality, transformation, and reconciliation. The way out of the endless loop of retribution is to recognize that forgiveness of individuals is interwoven with the social order of God’s reign. [3] (Rohr, n.d.)
We ponder our preparation for the end times as we assess the relevance of the Beatitudes to our actions.
References
Luke, CHAPTER 6 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved September 11, 2024, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/luke/6?20
Meditation on Luke 6:20-26. (n.d.). The Word Among Us: Homepage. Retrieved September 11, 2024, from https://wau.org/meditations/2024/09/11/1071010/
1 Corinthians, CHAPTER 7 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved September 11, 2024, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/1corinthians/7?25
Psalms, PSALM 45 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved September 11, 2024, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/45?11
Rohr, R. (n.d.). Restorative Justice. Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved September 11, 2024, from https://cac.org/daily-meditations/restorative-justice/
Schwager, D. (n.d.). Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations – Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved September 11, 2024, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/?ds_year=2024&date=sep11
Whitney, T. (n.d.). Daily Reflection Of Creighton University's Online Ministries. OnlineMinistries. Retrieved September 11, 2024, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/091124.html
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