6th Sunday in Ordinary Time: Woe to You!
February 18, 2010
I think most of us parents remember going to our kids’ soccer game, or dance recital, or school play. And even if our child scored a goal in the wrong net, or fell when they were trying to do a dance step, or forgot their lines in the play, we always told them how well they did and how proud we were of them. And I think that’s good. Our children should know we love them even though they’re not perfect – even if they mess things up now and again.
In today’s Gospel, we hear Luke’s version of the Sermon on the Mount. In fact, this one is on a plain, not a mountain. I think most of us are more familiar with Matthew’s version. In Matthew’s version we only hear about people being blessed. Matthew is a bit like the parent who only focuses on the positive. In Luke’s version, Jesus also talks about the sorts of people who are blessed – the poor, the hungry, those who weep and those who are hated because they believe in Jesus. But we also hear the other side. We hear that we’ll be in trouble if we receive all of our good things here on earth.
Now when Jesus says “blessed are the poor,” we know that he isn’t saying that if we have money we’re going to hell. He’s saying that if we have money because we’ve cheated people, or if we have money and refuse to share with the poor – then we’re in trouble. It’s OK to have enough food so that we’re not hungry, but if we don’t share with people who don’t have enough food, we’re in trouble. The other danger that Jesus was warning the people about was the same thing Jeremiah was talking about in the first reading. Jeremiah said: “Cursed is the one who trusts in mere mortals…Blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord.” When we focus only on ourselves and on our own needs we’re in danger of compromising our relationship with God.
We’ve seen an amazing worldwide outpouring of money and food following the earthquake in Haiti. And we, as a parish, have also contributed generously. We were able to make ourselves poorer and make ourselves more hungry, so that the very poor and the very hungry could have more of what they needed, in a time of great need.
And we’ve also done this without an emergency (as we think of emergencies) by our involvement in Jamaica. I think one of the wonderful things about our work in Jamaica has been the opportunity it has given us to respond directly to the words that Jesus spoke to us today. And I am very proud that so many of you have taken the opportunity to get involved – to feed the hungry, protect the orphans, educate our adopted children so they’ll be better prepared to succeed in the world. So now I’m sounding like the proud parent whose child has just scored the winning goal, who danced brilliantly at the school recital, who starred in the school play and brought the house down.
But what about the other side – what about the woes that we heard in Luke’s Gospel today. You know, it’s easier for me to tell you what wonderful work you’re doing in Jamaica and how generously you responded to the appeal for Haiti, because I can see these things. I wouldn’t think about criticizing those who haven’t responded because – I don’t know your situations or your ability to give, or the other ways you generously share your time, your talents, and your resources. But when Jesus says “woe to you…” he’s telling each of us that we have to seriously consider how we respond to those who have less than we do.
You see, it’s not a coincidence that Jesus talked about the poor and the rich, the hungry and the satisfied, those who weep and those who laugh. He talked about them side-by-side because that’s our world. Those who have much live in the same world and often side-by-side with those who have little. So the Gospel is really a call for justice. Justice is more than the bad guys going to jail and the innocent being protected by the police. Jesus’ call to justice in today’s Gospel tells us that there should be more to our lives than our desires to fill our basic human needs: physical comfort, food, even friendship.
In 1986 the US Bishops said the following, and it applies equally to Canada: “All of us must examine our way of living in light of the needs of the poor. Christian faith and the norms of justice impose distinct limits on what we consume and how we view material goods. The great wealth of the United States can easily blind us to the poverty that exists in this nation and the destitution of hundreds of millions of people in other parts of the world. Americans are challenged today as never before to develop the inner freedom to resist the temptation constantly to seek more.”
The new season of Survivor started this last week. I don’t watch it very much, but I understand the basic idea, and I think it relates to today’s readings. The basic premise on Survivor is that: “The only way I can get ahead is by “doing in” someone else. And the only time I’m gonna help someone else is when it helps me.” When Jeremiah said: “Cursed is the one who trusts in mere mortals and makes mere flesh their strength,” he was telling us that we have to get past our basic human selfishness. Rather, we have to trust in God. We have to operate at a higher level. Our primary focus should no longer be satisfying our own needs at the expense of everyone else. Woe to those who have become rich at the expense of the poor. Woe to those who have full stomachs at the expense of those who are hungry.
Think about the person who “has everything.” Aren’t they tempted to let their possessions define who they are? Instead of love, they choose something more tangible: cars, snowmobiles, fancy clothes or just power. The idea running through all the beatitudes is this: you are blessed if you don’t cram yourself full: full of food, drink, pride, drugs, sex, every kind of wealth – things – stuff. Instead, blessed are you if you stay empty, if you become a spacious home for God, for other people. If we want to love and be loved we need to have an empty space at the center of who we are: a space for others.
Mae West once said: “I’ve been poor, and I’ve been rich. Believe me, rich is better.” What is “blessed” about being poor or hungry? Why would Jesus say this? What poor person would believe it? What starving person would thank God for their situation? I don’t think Jesus was telling us that we should all become poor and starve ourselves. By speaking about the rich and the poor side-by-side, he was encouraging us to empty ourselves – open up the inner space to accept him into our lives.
He was also saying that those who make real sacrifices for other people, especially people in need – will be truly blessed. But he doesn’t leave it there – he warns us. And woe to us if we become so fixed on ourselves that we ignore other people or treat people unfairly or take advantage of other people for our benefit.
In today’s Gospel, in one of his most important teachings, Jesus has shown us the way to a truly successful life on earth – and an eternal life in heaven. And he’s also warned us about what will happen if we ignore him and focus only on ourselves. We must choose.
Comments
Got something to say?
You must be logged in to post a comment.