6th Sunday of OT—Fr. Leo Schneider
Luke gives us a shorter version of the Beatitudes than found in Matthew’s gospel. There is also more contrast between the virtuous and those clinging to sin. Let us look at the “Blessed are you” phrases and try to understand them as blessings.
First, “Blessed are you who are poor, for the kingdom of God is yours.’ What does it mean to be poor and why is it good to be poor? Poor here, does not mean being destitute. But it does mean to be without. Those who are rich in God value are less or are less controlled by material concerns. Poor in this sense, they don’t seek worldly power, glamor and influence and recognition. A truly holy person is rich in appreciation and is blessed by all the beauty and people around him or her. They have no need to possess people or things to control them.
“Blessed are the hungry, for you will be satisfied.” Again, we don’t mean this as physical hunger or starvation. We understand this as hunger for God and the things of God. To seek God in prayer and desire his company more than anything else is to hunger for God. And when we love as Christ loves, our loving has its own reward. Mind and heart come to rest in a peace this world cannot give.
“Blessed are you who are weeping, for you will laugh.” As humans we lack the global picture of our efforts towards holiness. We can become overwhelmed by our failed efforts and the mistakes that slow us down. Here we are encouraged to stick with it and trust that there will be blessings again. I am reminded of the psalm that states, “They go out full of tears carrying their seed. They come back, they come back full of joy carrying their sheaves. The transformation God makes in us can take time. We need to be patient with ourselves.
“Blessed are you when people hate and despise you because of my name. You will rejoice with the holy prophets who were treated the same and are now in heaven.” When we are close to God, we welcome and can even find comfort in knowing we are sharing in his very passion and death. Such sharing is a confirmation that in sharing his passion, we will indeed share in Christ’s resurrection as well.
We understand the wisdom of these seemingly contrary teachings when we are seeking God and are blessed with sharing in His Spirit. So let us recalibrate our expectation in this world that we may begin to live in the joy of eternity now and forever in our passing over into eternity.
Let us pray, Lord, bless us in our seeking and fill us with the joy of your Spirit. In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen!