6th Sunday of Ordinary Time Year C
Jer.17: 5 – 8; 1Cor 15:12, 16 -20; Luke 6::17,20 – 26
The introduction of today’s Gospel addresses the Real economic and social conditions of humanity. It is human to desire to be rich, to be full, to be happy and to have people speak well of us.
In Matthew and Mark, the beatitudes were given on the mountain – indicating that what an ideal, promised out come of the long climb ahead. But in Luke, Jesu came down from the mountain into the plain, at the level where we live and where his listeners had assembled.
They had come from far, from all parts of Judea. They had come to hear him and be cured. They left their homes, jobs, worries and opportunities behind. They needed Help.
Looking at them, He said, how happy are you who are poor! Hungry! and weep all day! Was Jesus insinuating that poverty is good? No. He was speaking to people and about people who were hoping to have all that changed!
They came because they hoped for a change, because they wanted to see, they wanted to hear, they wanted to know. They came because they considered themselves poor, hungry, thirsty, ignorant, frustrated and sad. They came because they were eager for a change, greater integrity, human dignity, justice and more joy. That is why He praised them and blessed them.
Those people who considered themselves in danger and helpless were and are the hope of this world. He told them, many people would be against those changes, that they would be hated, accused, exiled, abused, arrested as criminals. Yet be happy. The change will come.
If we believe that our life is not only to be lived on this earth and that there is life beyond death, then we will live this life in view of the future life promised us. This confidence in the future life is based on Christ who died and rose for our sake.
Today we celebrate our past, present contribution in Canada and the world. We reaffirm our efforts to address the causes and effects to hatred, hunger, poverty – and build inclusive society, a peaceful society, a world that recognized all as equal.
When we place all our trust in Jesus, the Lord will bless us and make us fruitful not in our material life but most of all, enrich our interior life with love, joy and peace.
In three weeks, we will be celebrating the First Sunday of Lent. Today’s Gospel and those for the next two weeks are taken from Jesus’ sermon on the plain. Jesus’ words emphasize the closeness of God to those who are poor, oppressed and grieving.
As we approach the season of lent, a time of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving, we might begin to consider how we could use that holy time to align ourselves with those whom Jesus proclaims as blessed. In every decision and action that make up our daily lives, we have an opportunity to encounter blessing or woe, justice or wickedness, trust in God or trust in the things of the world that are passing away. The choice is ours.
Fr. Alex Osei
SSC-USA Spiritual Director