Peace and grace to you!
As we listen to Jeremiah’s lamentations and hard-earned wisdom about the frailty and fickleness of human beings, we are given a stern reminder that in the end, God is the only one where we can place our ultimate trust. Luke’s Gospel is the sermon on the plain in which are included the blessed (happy) and the woes (sorrows).
Jesus gives a message of hope for those who are poor, hungry, grieving, or experiencing hate from others because of their faith in God. Jesus shows how compassionate God is. God cares about every person’s human experience, and he reminds us that our situation in life is always changing but faith hope and trust in God will help them transcend any situation and lead to a good outcome.
While expressing a message of hope to those without, Jesus seems to be warning those who have possessions, wealth, comfort and friendship that they are enjoying what will not last. He cautions people against placing their trust and confidence in the present situation or things, rather than in God. Change will come and their experience will be sadness. This set of blessed and woes can also be understood as an encouragement to use what we have wisely: as good stewards we consider what we have and remember there are those who need.
Stewardship is an invitation to partner with God and make God the priority and director over all that one has. The greatest gift that we have is divine love. God gifts us with his own life and love in the Eucharist. We are stewards of this!
“Woe to you” can be turned around and become “blessed are you” when we are good stewards!
Blessed, fortunate and happy are you who are rich in money, power, influence, time and talent because you can do much for the poor, the marginalized, the alien, mentally ill, the prisoner and the lonely! You can lift another’s burden! If we have the heart and mind of Christ to recognize the needy as God’s children and act to care for them, God increases our joy. In the large vision, we recognize that we need them as much as they need us! We can experience the blessedness of the kingdom when we place ourselves and our possessions in God’s service. May God continue to enrich you in every way! +++ Fr. Peter