Blessings and Woes

For Friday, October 5, 2018

 Now during those days he went out to the mountain to pray; and he spent the night in prayer to God. And when day came, he called his disciples and chose twelve of them, whom he also named apostles: Simon, whom he named Peter, and his brother Andrew, and James, and John, and Philip, and Bartholomew, and Matthew, and Thomas, and James son of Alphaeus, and Simon, who was called the Zealot, and Judas son of James, and Judas Iscariot, who became a traitor.

 He came down with them and stood on a level place, with a great crowd of his disciples and a great multitude of people from all Judea, Jerusalem, and the coast of Tyre and Sidon. They had come to hear him and to be healed of their diseases; and those who were troubled with unclean spirits were cured. And all in the crowd were trying to touch him, for power came out from him and healed all of them.

 Then he looked up at his disciples and said:
‘Blessed are you who are poor,
   for yours is the kingdom of God.
‘Blessed are you who are hungry now,
   for you will be filled.
‘Blessed are you who weep now,
   for you will laugh.

 ‘Blessed are you when people hate you, and when they exclude you, revile you, and defame you on account of the Son of Man. Rejoice on that day and leap for joy, for surely your reward is great in heaven; for that is what their ancestors did to the prophets.
‘But woe to you who are rich,
   for you have received your consolation.
‘Woe to you who are full now,
   for you will be hungry.
‘Woe to you who are laughing now,
   for you will mourn and weep.

 ‘Woe to you when all speak well of you, for that is what their ancestors did to the false prophets. Luke 6:12-26

We live in a world that seems to bless the very rich, honor them with position and accolades, acting as if they are deserving of all the good things of life. Some people truly believe that to be successful, we must be rich and powerful, a real "winner". Being aggressive and winning at all costs seems to mark the day. Yet I often find that the people who have changed my life and really blessed me, were those who had no recognition, those who seemed like failures to the world. The ones who have a truly happy life are those who have little but surround themselves with love and share it freely. I always think of the fictional character, Forest Gump, a person whose life was full of heartache and pain, yet he still acted for love and relationships and was blessed.

Jesus calls his disciples and began teaching the people who gathered. Some of those who followed him wanted an easy life. Some wanted fame and fortune, and international recognition. Jesus knew how we are as humans and reminds us that the truly blessed are those who seem to be the "losers", those who give themselves away. Charm and beauty fade, but true love and service have a lasting impact. We are invited by God to have a lasting impact, to give love in the face of cruelty and poverty, and in all things to be humble and joyful.

Today, I ask God to help me know the true blessings of this life. May we have a lasting impact as we spend our days in truly loving others and serving the communities around us.