6th Sunday in Ordinary Time (C)

Jer 17:5-8; 1 Cor 15:12, 16-20; Lk 6:17, 20-26

“Blessed are you poor, for yours is the kingdom of God” (Lk 6:20).

For a materialist and consumerist mind, the words of Jesus would hardly make any sense. What is blessed in having little? What is good in suffering from hunger and want? In order to understand the meaning of the “Beatitudes,” it is crucial to clarify some points.

First, material poverty, in itself, is not good and has to be eradicated. Like a good Father, God wills that all His children would enjoy material blessings and prosperity. Jesus Himself feeds the hungry (Mt 14:19) and asks the rich to share their wealth to the less fortunate ones (Mt 19:21). The Lord would condemn those who are insensitive to the needs of others (Lk 16:19-31) and those who choose to trust in the abundance of their possessions or those who seek refuge in their wealth rather than in God (Lk 9:25).

Second, scholars would tell us that the word “poor” in Biblical culture primarily refers to a social reality rather than an economic one. In olden times, a person was considered rich if that individual had the influence or the power to take the property of the poor who were incapable of protecting themselves. The poor were the powerless or those who had no voice in society. No wonder in the Bible, the word “poor” often is associated with the widows and orphans, people whose circumstances were easily manipulated by the rich. Thus, the more accurate translation of “rich” and “poor” in the Bible would be the words “greedy” and “socially unfortunate” (J. Pilch). The “woes” pronounced by the Lord were meant for the greedy, not for all rich people of His time. In fact, Jesus did have some rich people among His friends (Lk 7:36; Jn 3:1).

And third, we need to underline the fact that Jesus considered “fortunate” those who were suffering from injustices and manipulation “on account of His name.” Remember that the first followers of Jesus were persecuted and considered outcast by many in Jewish society. As a consequence of their discipleship, they had to suffer from all sorts of deprivation and dispossession. One can just imagine how the words of the Beatitudes had consoled them during their moments of trial and persecution.

What is the relevance of the Beatitudes for us today? First and foremost, the Beatitudes inspires all of us, rich and poor, to put our trust primarily in the goodness of the Lord, not in human beings, not in things. Because of material abundance and connections with powerful people, the rich among us would tend to forget easily the need of God. The first reading warns: “Cursed is the man who trusts in man and makes flesh his arm, whose heart turns away from the Lord. He is like a shrub in the desert, and shall not see any good come. . . Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord . . . He is like a tree planted by water, that sends out its roots by the stream, and does not fear when heat comes, for its leaves remain green, and is not anxious in the year of drought, for it does not cease to bear fruit” (Jer 17:5-8).

Moreover, the Beatitudes challenges us to always take the side of the poor. If necessary, we have to be poor so as to feel how they feel and to see things from their point of view. What it means to experience the life of the poor is well-explained by John Harriott: “It is not just occasionally missing a meal or not being able to afford a packet of cigarettes . . . but every snub, every deprivation, every time we suffer rejection, every occasion on which we are ignored or contradicted. It is that experience of poverty which will give us some share in the condition of the poor, and spark the emotion which is needed for their defence.”

Those of us who have the influence are encouraged to do things that would empower the poor. Some of my Filipino friends, for instance, would encourage their housemaids to go to school so that they will not remain domestic helpers for life. By providing time and financial assistance for the schooling of their housemaids, my friends are practically fulfilling a Christian duty. It is also nice to know some rich entrepreneurs who support the provision of just wages and humane working conditions for their employees. Surely, because of their good heart for the poor workers, they will be among the blessed ones in the kingdom of God.

Finally, the Beatitudes provides us with the needed impetus to keep following the Lord no matter what the cost. Nowadays, it remains difficult to witness truly the values of the kingdom. We continue to encounter strong opposition, at times violent harassment, as we try to fulfill our shepherding, sanctifying and prophetic roles in the world. May the Beatitudes keep us going and strong in our resolve to remain faithful disciples of Jesus! “Happy are we when people hate us, drive us out, abuse us, denounce our name as criminal, on account of Jesus our Lord” (Lk 6:23).