Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time, cycle C

Luke 6:17, 20 – 26

Blessed are you who are poor, hungry, sad, and expendable.  Woe to you who are rich, full, happy, and popular. That seems to be what Jesus is saying. Notice that when Matthew gives his list of beatitudes he leaves wiggle room. “Blessed are the poor in spirit” Well, I may have a lot of stuff, but I'm poor in spirit. Or “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness” Well, I know I need to do something about my weight because I clearly eat too much, but I really would like there to be more righteousness, so I'm OK. Hey, Matthew's beatitudes? Easy-peasy.

The other thing about Matthew is that Jesus is talking from a mountain; he's like Moses, laying out the rules, but instead of “thou shalt not” Jesus is telling us who are poor in spirit and hunger and thirst for righteousness and are meek – we don't rock the boat, we don't speak up – we are blessed?

But Luke has Jesus standing on level ground – apparently surrounded by a large crowd of disciples and others, presumably many who had been cured or witnessed Jesus miracles. And as he teaches his disciples, the statements are stark; you can't spiritualize what he says. Blessed are you who are poor; woe to you who are rich. Blessed are you who are hungry; woe to you who are full now. Which side are you on? I am feeling uncomfortable because if I'm honest, I'm on the woe side. So what does Jesus expect of me? Shall I sell everything I have and give it to the poor and become a homeless person? Shall I eat just enough to stay alive and in reasonable health? And I'm happy now, I do a lot of laughing, especially at cat videos on the internet. Should I go around with a sad expression on my face and avoid anything that might amuse me? And can I help it if people speak well of me? I guess I could, because if I go around in rags pushing a shopping cart full of soda cans I intend to recycle while weeping and wailing, people would probably think less well of me.

I don't think Jesus is giving us a prescription as to how we are to live. That's what Matthew did. I don't think Jesus wants people to be poor and hungry and sad all the time; He doesn't want people to hate each other. After all if you remember the last few gospels he has been working miracle after miracle, and you can bet a lot of people who were poor, hungry, sad or lonely are a lot happier now. And he did tell his disciples: “These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy may be in you, and your joy may be made full.” And I think Jesus is saying that those who are rich, filled up, happy and popular are missing out on what he is offering.

And Jesus always has a point. I know in my case I can go a long time without thinking about God. It's a good thing I have regular times of prayer in my day; but even then, after prayer I say, “done with that, now what was I doing before?” If God wants to fill me up with himself, if God wants to bring me the kind of joy that only he can give, well, I suspect that given that I am rich, well fed, have a lot to amuse myself with, and most people I know have positive feelings toward me, there isn't much room for God to work. As Jesus said in another place, to a certain rich man, “You have already received your consolation”. Frederick Buechner, a writer and theologian, said this: “The world says, ‘Mind your own business,’ and Jesus says, ‘There is no such thing as your own business.’ The world says, ‘Follow the wisest course and be a success,’ and Jesus says, ‘Follow me and be crucified.’ The world says, ‘Drive carefully — the life you save may be your own’ — and Jesus says, ‘Whoever would save his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.’ The world says, ‘Law and order,’ and Jesus says, ‘Love.’ The world says, ‘Get’ and Jesus says, ‘Give.’ In terms of the world's sanity, Jesus is crazy as a coot, and anybody who thinks he can follow him without being a little crazy too is laboring less under a cross than under a delusion."

Picture the scene once again. In Matthew, Jesus takes his disciples up a mountain, away from the crowd, to teach them, to give them the beatitudes with which we are familiar, the ones which are comfortable. In Luke, however, Jesus is surrounded by people who for the most part are poor, have been hungry, people who haven't go much to laugh at, people who have been at the bottom of toe food chain for most of their lives – and as he addresses his disciples, he says these are the blessed ones. And maybe eventually the disciples come to realized that the reason they are blessed is not because they are poor or hungry or sad or expendable, but because they had nothing to get in the way of the coming of the Lord into their lives. And that is the hard lesson. What is it about being poor, money poor, living from paycheck to paycheck, trying to get by on food stamps that draws Jesus to you? What is it about being so hungry you can't think of much besides food that draws Jesus? What is it that not being able to fill up you attention span with television and sports and video games and music and parties – just living one day after another in a bed in a nursing home – why are you blessed? And what is it about being someone who nobody needs, someone who is a burden on society, someone who is grudgingly and roughly cared for by a minimum wage employee, that wakes the compassion of Our Lord?

That's what you and I have to figure out. That's what is so urgent. That is why Jesus can look at me and say, “Woe to you, because you don't seem to be hearing what I'm trying to tell you.” And I don't know the answer. All I can do is pray, “Lord, these are hard sayings. Help me understand, but more importantly help me see what you want me to see and live the way you want me to live.”