Teachings of Jesus in Luke: We and Our

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 in 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 6:17-26

Non nobis solum nati sumus. (Not for ourselves alone are we born). ~ Cicero


The blessings and woes of Luke are a bit different than the Beatitudes in Matthew. Blessed are the poor in spirit from Matthew here is blessed are the poor. Period.

 Blessed by being poor??

 Implicit in these blessings and woes is God's desire - or maybe command - that we are responsible for each other. Or as Cicero says, that we are not only alive for ourselves alone.

 That we are blessed in our own lack when someone provides what we need.

 We, whether poor or rich, hungry or full, grieving or joyful, don't exist in a vacuum. And our own wholeness is made complete by others.

 That we who have too much are made whole by our generosity.

 That we who have to little are made whole by the compassion of others.

 We aren't in this thing alone. As much as we may life in a culture of "I" or "mine," in God's kingdom, the pronouns are "we" and "our."
Prayer: Remind me that I'm not in this alone, Lord, so that I can see the need of others when it is right there in front of me! Amen




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