The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today challenge us to assess our blessings and how we use them to support the practice of Jesus Way in our environment.
The Reading from the Letter to the Colossians proclaims Mystical Death, Resurrection and Renunciation of Vice.
* [3:1–4] By retaining the message of the gospel that the risen, living Christ is the source of their salvation, the Colossians will be free from false religious evaluations of the things of the world (Col 3:1–2). They have died to these; but one day when Christ…appears, they will live with Christ in the presence of God (Col 3:3–4).
* [3:5–17] In lieu of false asceticism and superstitious festivals, the apostle reminds the Colossians of the moral life that is to characterize their response to God through Christ. He urges their participation in the liturgical hymns and prayers that center upon God’s plan of salvation in Christ (Col 3:16).
* [3:5, 8] The two lists of five vices each are similar to enumerations at Rom 1:29–31 and Gal 5:19–21.
* [3:6] The wrath of God: see note on Rom 1:18. Many manuscripts add, as at Eph 5:6, “upon the disobedient.”
* [3:8–10] Put…away; have taken off; have put on: the terms may reflect baptismal practice, taking off garments and putting on new ones after being united with Christ, here translated into ethical terms.
* [3:10] Image: see note on Col 1:15.
* [3:11] Scythian: a barbarous people from north of the Black Sea. (Colossians, CHAPTER 3 | USCCB, n.d.)
Psalm 145 declares God’s mighty acts show forth divine kingship.
* [Psalm 145] A hymn in acrostic form; every verse begins with a successive letter of the Hebrew alphabet. Acrostic poems usually do not develop ideas but consist rather of loosely connected statements. The singer invites all to praise God (Ps 145:1–3, 21). The “works of God” make God present and invite human praise (Ps 145:4–7); they climax in a confession (Ps 145:8–9). God’s mighty acts show forth divine kingship (Ps 145:10–20), a major theme in the literature of early Judaism and in Christianity. (Psalms, PSALM 145 | USCCB, n.d.)
The Gospel of Luke presents the Sermon on the Plain.
* [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.)
A Member of Creighton University Community invites us to consider the question: “Where do I get caught up in the earthly things, and when do I find myself focusing on the wrong things?”
It seems to me that Jesus is inviting us to reconsider who might be the people who are most loved or in tune with their reliance on God….not the successful, the satisfied, the happy, the popular, the protected. Those who are grieving, weeping, excluded and victimized are the ones who are close to God’s care. Are they the ones that I could be spending more of my time and effort with? How might I learn from them?
These readings are not just inviting us to question where our hearts are, where our focus should be. These words of Jesus also give hope that there is a more wonderful place and time coming, and that the destruction, greed, division and tragedy of this world will not have the final say. (Member of Creighton University Community, 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 Colossians 3:1-11 comments that this example illustrates what Paul is speaking of in today’s first reading when he talks about the “old self” and the “new self” (Colossians 3:9, 10). The “old self”—including that part of us that enjoys being selfish and uncaring—reveals our fallen nature, with all its sins and harmful inclinations. The “new self” is the renewed way of thinking and acting that is made possible for us in our Baptism.
So make a plan. What will you do the next time you are confronted with a temptation that has been troubling you? How will you put off the old self and ask God for the grace to put on the new self? Or to put it another way, how will you embrace the privilege of letting the Spirit transform you?
“Thank you, Jesus, for making me a new creation in you!” (Meditation on Colossians 3:1-11, n.d.)
Friar Jude Winkler comments that in the Colossians reading we hear we have died and have risen with Christ meaning we should live away from earthly things and adopt a new way. Divisions are no longer important Paul, in other letters, describes the Body of Christ in which we exist. In Luke, the beatitudes are given on the Plain. Matthew’s Beatitudes are more spiritualized and are on the mountain. Luke’s version is likely closer to Jesus teaching because blessings and woe were a traditional teaching method. The “Blessed” are those who cannot make it on their own. The rich are self sufficient. The anawim are the poor, the special group to whom Jesus reaches out like the Bethlehem shepherds and the “Good Thief” on the cross. Friar Jude reminds us that he needed salvation and he received it.
Brian McLaren reflects on the different understandings of power held by the early Jesus movement and the Roman Empire. He highlights the radical contrasts between the two empires.
Rome’s empire was violent. God’s empire was nonviolent.
Rome’s empire was characterized by domination. God’s empire was characterized by service and liberation.
Rome’s empire was preoccupied with money. God’s empire was preoccupied with generosity and was deeply suspicious of money.
Rome’s empire was fueled by the love of power. God’s empire was fueled by the power of love.
Rome’s empire created a domination pyramid that put a powerful and violent man on the top, with chains of command and submission that put everyone else in their place beneath the supreme leader. God’s empire created a network of solidarity and mutuality that turned conventional pyramids upside down and gave “the last, the least, and the lost” the honored place at the table. (McLaren, n.d.)
We ponder the dualism of the blessings and woes cited in the Sermon on the Plain and invoke the Wisdom of the Spirit to guide our morals that shape the decisions we make.
References
Colossians, CHAPTER 3 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved September 10, 2025, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/colossians/3?1
Luke, CHAPTER 6 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved September 10, 2025, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/luke/6?20
McLaren, B. (n.d.). The Empire's Power. Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved September 10, 2025, from https://cac.org/daily-meditations/the-empires-power/
Meditation on Colossians 3:1-11. (n.d.). Word Among Us Homepage. Retrieved September 10, 2025, from https://wau.org/meditations/2025/09/10/1377804/
Member of Creighton University Community. (n.d.). Creighton Online Ministries: Home. Retrieved September 10, 2025, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/daily-reflections/daily-reflection-september-11-2019
Psalms, PSALM 145 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved September 10, 2025, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/145?2
Schwager, D. (n.d.). Blessed Are You Poor - Yours Is the Kingdom of God. Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations – Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved September 10, 2025, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/?ds_year=2025&date=sep10
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