Sunday, February 13, 2022

 SIXTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME

(Jeremiah 17:5-8; I Corinthians 15:12.16-20; Luke 6:17.20-26)

Everyone knows the Gospel story of the servant whose ear was cut off. But few are aware of how the narratives of the story differ in the Gospels of Matthew and Luke. In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus is seen as the great teacher. When his disciple cuts off the servant’s ear, Jesus gives all a lesson: "Put the sword back in its sheath, for all who take sword will perish by the sword.'" In the Gospel according to Luke, the ever-gentle Jesus immediately heals the wound.  It is similarly worthwhile to compare the beatitudes in these two gospels.

The beatitudes of the Gospel of Matthew are more widely known. They are popular because they include all kinds of people. The rich along with the destitute can be "poor in spirit." The well-fed along with beggars may "hunger and thirst for justice." Not so in the Gospel of Luke. Only those without material resources and empty stomachs are called “blessed.” The poor and the hungry are counted as blessed because Jesus has come to save them. He is the personification of the Kingdom. Wherever Jesus goes, there are the fruits of the kingdom: justice, peace, and love. This is the same message that Jesus delivered at Nazareth. There - we remember - he told the people that Isaiah's prophecy was fulfilled by his presence. Anointed with the Spirit, Jesus proclaims the good news to the poor and announces release to captives.

Another difference between the two accounts of the Sermon is the “woes”. Saint Luke, but not Saint Matthew, warns the rich and the well-fed that they are headed for perdition. Are all the rich going to be lost?  No, at the end of the gospel Jesus will bless the rich man Zacchaeus who shares half his wealth with the poor. Jesus has headed for destruction those people described by the prophet Jeremiah in the first reading. They rely on expert advice for earthly reward. They look for financiers to increase their wealth, not the needy who can use their help. They spend hundreds of thousands of dollars on their houses and pay immigrants only the minimum wage.

America today is known for the superabundance of goods. In this environment it is easy for comfort to twist our hearts. We are always tempted to invert the meaning of the Beatitudes. Instead of saying "blessed you poor," we want to say "blessed you who have a 54-inch TV to watch the Superbowl." Instead of saying "Woe to you, those who are filled now ", we want to say "Woe to you who have to ride the bus to work." Even if we have a big screen TV and a Camry in the garage, we have to remember that the goods of the earth originate with God, the Father of all. Therefore, we are obliged to share our goods with the poor, our brothers and sisters.

How is it that when we recall the happiest experiences of our lives, moments when we were poor come to mind? We want to relive the times when we visit our grandparents on Sunday, not the times we took tours of big cities. Visiting grandparents, we felt the affection of people who really cared about us. 54-inch TVs weren't necessary to make us feel blessed. Rather we could just go outside and throw around a football. Yes, blessed are you poor!


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