Sunday Reflection with Fr Robin Gibbons - 13 February 2022

Icon by Irina Bradley

Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time

One of the problems that often appears whenever we examine the Gospels is the apparent inconsistencies or big difference between one writer and another. We have a good example in Luke's account of the `Beatitudes, which is the Gospel of this Sunday. (Lk 6:17ff) The obvious question is why are the two accounts of Matthew and Luke different ? Does this suggest a problem with the way Jesus taught or with the memory of the Gospel writer?

Immediately I return to a persistent theme in my own life, I sense that we need to be careful how we treat Scripture, not to use it as our own proof text but to understand the different purposes of the different books and letters. Nor in the context of Liturgy should the text be something we deal with in a purely exegetical manner, that comes from our own personal study. Preaching is different, it is about the Word coming alive in us. In this context, todays Gospel from Luke needs us to relate to it as if we are disciples already committed to the Kingdom and its righteousness. We have to become like the crowd of disciples and people to recognise that Jesus addresses a particular group:

' And raising his eyes toward his disciples he said:

"Blessed are you who are poor,

for the kingdom of God is yours". (Lk 6:20)

Yes, Jesus is addressing His disciples, and in our hearing he speaks to us. What does this mean? Are there any problems in the comparison with Matthew 5 and his version of the `Beatitudes? The answer is no, for a number of reasons. Firstly Matthew deals much more with immediate, localised discipleship, Luke however is pointing to a Jesus who is universal in outreach. The two accounts differ in other ways but are not so different that we cannot but recognise they are both the teaching of Jesus. Perhaps as some commentators suggest, they are the same teaching material spoken on different occasions to a different audience, that is not so difficult for us to understand, many of us happen to do the same thing as teachers or lecturers, this also helps explain why some sayings have different emphases. So Luke, what do we find from his version?

One of the biggest themes, and it is hinted right at the beginning of the text, is a strong and total concern for the poor, not only the disciples, or the Jews, but the Gentiles and much more than that for all those who are marginalised or considered the outcasts of society. But in this case he firstly speaks to the 'poor' disciples who have left all to follow Jesus. When you think of that kind of poverty, having nothing really to call ones own but a total dependence on God, the rest of the sayings begin to have a sharper edge to them. We realise that today, as his disciples now, we are being blessed in the same way, but also receive the same negative warnings of woe. First to look at blessing, we hear Jesus tell us that by following Him, the poverty we embrace, the hunger, insults, hatred, lack of respect done on account of our discipleship and by inference fulfilling the command of Jesus to be servants of love, we will receive blessing, and reward of the Kingdom, but also now become filled with the Spirit's dynamic of Joy.

However, the other side of the coin intrudes, the voice of our alert conscience enters in, we should not be comfortable Christians, following Jesus is not about the so called prosperity Gospel, the Holy One is not a disher out of sweets and treats for being good, woe to us says Luke is we do not reach out, heal, mourn, console, not only our own but all of life itself. In these words we hear the echo of the Magnificat reiterating the woe and blessings together:

"He has shown strength with his arm

and has scattered the proud in their conceit,

Casting down the mighty from their thrones

and lifting up the lowly.

He has filled the hungry with good things

and sent the rich away empty. (Lk 1 )

What then do we take away, three simple things, not to spiritualise the language about the poor, for Luke's Gospel puts immediate, pragmatic needs before us. Secondly we must look to our own lives and be uncomfortable with our riches and wealth, with the way we treat people, how we see the outcast, for in the end it is difficult to be a Christian when we are comfortable and lastly we need to be less the moaners and groaners of this world and tackle suffering, but in the process become a blessing ourselves by being more grateful, joyful, being people of mercy and love in our world.

Lectio Divina

From: THE "POOR" IN THE BEATITUDES OF MATTHEW AND LUKE

Gary T. Meadors Grace Journal 2005

"The law, righteousness and piety found in the Matthean text (of the Beatitudes Mt 5:1-12) is all but absent from Luke and the Jewish background so distinctive of Matthew is less obvious. In fact, Luke neither links nor even mentions the Mosaic law within the text. The main theme running through the Gospel of Luke is the universality of Jesus. Although His mission is first to the Jews, Lukan theology includes Jesus' concern for the Gentiles and social outcasts, such as immoral women, tax collectors, Samaritans and the poor. It is especially clear from the Gospel of Luke that the author has a special concern for the economic poor of his world and much of the content of the beatitudes and the Gospel at large reflects this".

From: Hearing The Voice of The Earth

Elizabeth V Dowling Colloquium Nov 2006

"In 6:20, part of the Lukan Beatitudes, the ptōchoi, the poor, destitute and powerless,21 are told the basileia of God is theirs. It is the Lukan ptōchoi, therefore, whose relationships within the Earth community model the values which epitomize God's basileia. We learn about these values early in the Gospel of Luke (4:5-7) when Jesus refuses the offer of tas basileias tēs oikoumenēs made by the devil (diabolos).22 Jesus rejects the opportunity to assume power over Earth. God's basileia is characterised by right relationship amongst the Earth community, and this is what is modelled by the Lukan ptōchoi. 23 In 4:18-19, the ptōchoi are linked with captives, the blind and the oppressed as being the targets of Jesus' mission. The oppressed are literally "the shattered or broken" (tethrausmenous). Jesus proclaims and embodies release, so that they can flourish. Again, while the ptōchoi and the oppressed are usually understood in relation to humanity they can be understood with respect to all the Earth community.