Dear Friends,
Unlike the Evangelist Matthew who was on a mountain proclaiming the Beatitudes, the Evangelist Luke stood on a stretch of level ground for his rendition of the Beatitudes.
Last weekend Deacon Kevin began his homily addressing Luke’s Beatitudes saying who doesn’t wonder what’s going on when you hear blessed are the poor, blessed are the hungry, blessed are the weeping, and blessed are you when you are hated. What? “Rejoice and leap for joy on that day!” This is how our lives are suppose to be?
And the when you think it’s good to be secure financially, have a full belly, can laugh in life and have folks speak well about you it’s proclaimed “woe, woe, woe and more woe” to these individuals. Again, what?
Of course Kevin put this sacred text in perspective of what Jesus was conveying on what is truly important and matters in our spiritual journey.
Well, the Sermon on the Plain continues this weekend. And now we hear from Jesus that we are to love our enemies, do good to those that hate us, bless those who curse or mistreat us, turn the cheek when struck, if someone takes your clothes, give more, and give even more when anyone asks you for something. Do not expect it back. What?
We are told by Himself that we are to “do to others as you would have them do to” us. He challenges our notion and understanding of love saying even sinners love those who love and act as themselves. What kind of credit is that? He says we are to push ourselves and go for what, for whom, are the most trying situations. That means loving our enemies, not to judge or condemn, forgive all and be like Jesus.
Jesus is telling us what to do if we are going to follow Him.
It seems of late we hear more and more that people do not like being told what to do. Right? How do these folks and ourselves like Jesus telling us what to do?
Jesus is the ultimate model before us showing how we can love our enemies, how to forgive and not judge or condemn. It is all there in our sacred texts. It is all there by the grace of God if we let Jesus into our lives. Think about it. Think about how we are living our lives. Do we, are we letting Jesus into our lives so we can take His Beatitudes and make them our “model” of life?
Right, it is not easy. Human navel gazing, an attitude of me, me, me and buying into a this worldly way of life and leaving out Jesus’s way of life can mess up our thinking.
Today, Jesus is trying to get us thinking about His way. Jesus is speaking to those who “ hear” Him.
What are we hearing? How much attention are we giving to His word and what He is telling us to do?
It’s not the first time Jesus has asked us to follow His lead. He is asking again.
What will lead us in this coming week that says I’m going to do my best because I know He will provide all that is necessary. Let us take him at His word and “Rejoice and leap for joy.”
I want to thank everyone for your kind words, cards and support on the death of my good friend, Jim Griffin. Your prayers have been very much appreciated and felt. I am so blessed by you and the faith in knowing we share in the promises of resurrection in Jesus Christ.
Have a peaceful and blessed week,
Father Rob