First Reading: Jeremiah 17:5-8/Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 1:1-2.3.4 and 6 (R. Psalm 40:4ab) Second Reading: I Corinthians 15:12.16-20/Gospel Accl.: Lk. 16:23/Gospel: Luke 6:17.20-26
Theme: The Two Ways
It is said that the whole of reality is seen in opposites. There are also many dualisms in life: day and night, light and darkness, rain and sunshine, sowing and reaping, male and female, pleasure and pain, joy and sorrow, health and sickness, life and death, etc. Thus, the Two-Way pattern of life is a reality which must not be ignored. Today, the readings present us with such dualisms, namely, trusting in human beings versus trusting in God, tree planted in the desert versus tree planted by the waterside, blessings and curses, righteousness and wickedness, life and death, spirit and body, mortality and immortality, and beatitudes and woes. We are urged to choose blessings by following the way of the Beatitudes. To this venture, we now turn our attention.
In the first reading, the Prophet Jeremiah reiterates: “Cursed is the man who trusts in man and makes flesh his arm, whose heart turns away from the Lord … Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose trust is the Lord” (Jer. 17:5, 7). Jeremiah then compares the cursed man with a shrub in the desert which experiences all the unfavourable consequences of aridity and stunted growth. On the other hand, he compares the blessed man with a tree planted by the riverside which derives benefits of better root-system, ever-greenness, fruitfulness and resilience even in a time of adverse weather conditions (cf. Jer. 17:6, 8). In Jeremiah’s presentation above, it is obvious that he wants us to be aware of the Two-Way principle, the consequences of each path and the role played by human freedom in deciding which of the two ways to choose.
It is from the aforementioned premise that the Responsorial Psalm puts the timely words of King David into a beautiful, poetic and didactic song when he sings: “Blessed is the man who has placed his trust in the Lord; Blessed indeed is the man who follows not the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the path with sinners, nor abides in the company of scorners, but whose delight is the law of the Lord, and who ponders his law day and night…Not so are the wicked, not so! For they, like winnowed chaff, shall be driven away by the wind. For the Lord knows the way of the just, but the way of the wicked will perish” (cf. Ps. 40:4; Ps.1:1-2; 4, 6). Like Jeremiah, David also believes in the Two Ways and even begins the Book of Psalms with it. Thus, the Psalmist clearly highlights the effects of each path, and implicitly but quite insistently, exhorts us to choose the path that leads to righteousness, blessedness and salvation.
It is not surprising given its profundity and importance, the Old Testament doctrine of the Two Ways resurfacing in the New Testament too! In the Gospel of today, St. Luke gives his own version of what St. Matthew terms, the Sermon on the Mount which we call the Beatitudes (Blessings). For St. Luke, it is a Sermon on the Plain (level ground) since Jesus had already descended the hill with his disciples (cf. Lk. 6:17). In comparison with Matthew’s account which appears in Matthew 5:1- 12, we observe that Matthew’s version is longer and has eight beatitudes. On the other hand, Luke has four beatitudes and he juxtaposes the four blessings with four woes. For instance, Luke says: “Blessed are you poor, for yours is the kingdom of God…But woe to you that are rich, for you have received your consolation” (cf. Lk. 6:20 and 6:24). Again he says, “Blessed are you that hunger now, for you shall be satisfied…But woe to you that are full now, for you shall hunger (Lk. 6:21 and 6:25). These contrasts truly portray the Two Ways!
Consequently, in the Beatitudes, Jesus makes a reversal of the status quo by contrasting divine wisdom with human wisdom. Human society considers the rich as blessed, the highly favoured ones. However, in the eyes of God, the poor, the hungry, the sorrowful and the persecuted are blessed. These are those who find themselves in real economic situation of need summarily called the marginalised, the social outcasts. They refer to those who are deprived of the basic necessities which will help lead a fully human life. It is important to state that the fact that they are called “blessed” does not mean their poverty is desirable. Rather, it means God is on their side, and when God is present in one’s situation, true ‘poverty’ is ended. Again, it means that the kingdom of God is against all social structures which promote exploitation and injustice which are the common causes of poverty. At the time of creation, God created everything the human person will need. Thus, in the minds of Biblical authors, poverty is ‘unnatural’ but the result of exploitation, victimisation and marginalisation of the vulnerable in society by some persons!
Furthermore, even though Luke does not qualify his “poor” as Matthew does his own (“poor in spirit” – Mt. 5:3), the poor may also refer to those who ultimately and completely depend on God for their livelihood and sustenance. Jesus’ aim in this sermon is to provide the guiding principles and demands of God’s kingdom. Its teaching is revolutionary, for, it encourages the destruction of structural sin, that is, all social structures which impoverish people. It warns those who allow riches to make them unresponsive to God’s saving grace, like the godless rich man and the heartless rich fool (cf. Lk. 12:13-21; 16:19-31). Hence, Jesus blesses the poor not their poverty, while he repudiates the riches which most of the time enslave the wealthy and not the rich per se.
So what are the readings telling us to do? The second reading has something to offer us in that direction. To help us detach ourselves from earthly riches and possessions which sometimes end up possessing us, St. Paul exhorts us to look beyond this world to consider immortality which comes from Christ. In this regard, St. Paul uses the resurrection of Christ as an historical fact and a convincing reality to teach that the resurrection of the dead awaits all who put their trust in God; who depend on him. This means there is life after death, and that, there is also eternal reward for the just. Consequently, St. Paul bluntly but truthfully tells the Corinthian church: “If Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile” (I Cor. 15:14). When we have Christ, we have nothing to fear, neither the future nor death itself, for Christ equips us with life and immortality.
Beloved in Christ, we should be careful on how we use our freedom. Freewill enables us to choose, but makes us responsible for our choices! What informs our daily choices? Furthermore, let us pause for a while and think about the material things which we have permitted either stealthily or openly to enslave our lives: mobile phone, money, wealth, power, greed; the bribery and corruption which have left us spiritually mal-nourished, physically sick, politically immature, economically stagnant and socially impoverished. Let us ask God to pardon and heal us, so that, we can use our freedom well in all situations which call for choice-making. Happy Sunday and God bless us! Always remember the: #Two-Ways-And-Choose-The-Path-Of-The-Beatitudes#
