Gospel Reading: Lk 6:20-26
RAISING his eyes toward his disciples, Jesus said:
“Blessed are you who are poor,
for the Kingdom of God is yours.
Blessed are you who are now hungry,
for you will be satisfied.
Blessed are you who are now weeping,
for you will laugh.
Blessed are you when people hate you,
and when they exclude and insult you,
and denounce your name as evil
on account of the Son of Man.
Rejoice and leap for joy on that day! Behold, your reward will be great in heaven. For their ancestors treated the prophets in the same way.
But woe to you who are rich,
for you have received your consolation.
But woe to you who are filled now,
for you will be hungry.
Woe to you who laugh now,
for you will grieve and weep.
Woe to you when all speak well of you,
for their ancestors treated the false prophets in this way.”
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Like Moses who came down the mountain with the tablets of the Law, Jesus descends from the mountain to the plain with his new teaching often dubbed as “The Beatitudes.”
Blessedness will be granted to those who accept his teachings, while woes will visit those who do not practice them. This is reversal of values from the worldly standards to the heavenly ones.
In the estimation of Jesus, those who may be considered blessed are the people who are poor in spirit, who hunger and thirst for righteousness, who are compassionate, and who are persecuted for the sake of Jesus. Jesus speaks his woes for the arrogant rich, the insensitive and greedy hedonists, the domineering masters, and the hypocritical flatterers.
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SOURCE: “365 Days with the Lord 2017” ST. PAULS Philippines, 7708 St. Paul Rd., SAV, Makati City (Phils.); Tel.: 895-9701; Fax 895-7328; E-mail: [email protected]; Website: http://www.stpauls.ph.
