BLESSED VERSUS CURSED
Jeremiah 17:5-8; 1 Corinthians 15:12, 16-20; Luke 6:17, 20-26
A preacher asked for a show of hands from all in the congregation who would love to be poor, hungry, weeping, and hated. No hand went up. Then he asked of those who would love to be rich, well fed, laughing, and well-spoken of. All hands went up. What would my response be?
Popular culture is quick to counsel us that we will be happy if only we can get that latest gadget, the new house, the swankiest vehicle, and so on. It is seductive.
Yet, in today’s Gospel, Jesus declares a blessing on those who are poor, hungry, weeping, and hated. He then pronounces a woe on those who are rich, well fed, laughing, and well-spoken of.
Does Jesus mean poverty is a sign of divine approval and prosperity a sign of divine disapproval? Certainly, not! Poverty, hunger, weeping, and hatred are all misfortunes; no good parents would want these for their children. Neither would God, our loving parent, want these for us.
How are we then to understand the beatitudes?
The first key is at the end of the last beatitude: “on account of the Son of Man.” Those who accept these as the price for following Jesus are the blessed ones. The passage immediately preceding today’s gospel is the call of the twelve. Today’s text is like an appointment letter; it has the terms and conditions of being apostles! The beatitudes are the direct consequences of discipleship. To be an apostle of Jesus meant instant membership in the club of the poor, the hated, the reviled, the excluded.
The second key is in understanding “poor”. The poor are the ‘anawim’ – a small group of people who, despite difficulties and trials, have been faithful to God’s covenant. They have no resources to meet their needs, recognize their total dependence on God, and trust in him. Those who are ‘blessed’ have put their trust in God; those to whom Jesus says ‘woe’ trust in the material.
Jeremiah prophesies in the first reading: “cursed is the man who trusts in humans… blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord.”
The liturgy today challenges us with choices: blessed vs cursed; trust in God vs trust in myself. What’s my choice?
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