Reflections on the Beatitudes in today's gospel from Luke 6:20-26

 

It is becoming increasingly difficult to watch the news because of all the suffering that we are seeing. Wars that are causing so much death, destruction of living areas, even starvation. In the face of this reality, we might be tempted to ask if today's gospel from Luke chapter 6:20-26 is relevant. It gives us the Beatitudes where Jesus says, ''Blessed are the poor, blessed are the hungry, for the kingdom of God is yours.'' How can we say that to the people of Gaza today? I think we can say that the Beatitudes explain the reason for so much suffering in the world today. They teach us that true happiness comes when we are completely dependent on God and live according to the teaching that Jesus brought to us. ''Blessed are the poor because I have dedicated my life to you, serving, healing and helping all of you who are poor and marginalized and I want all my followers to live in that way. I want them to share the gifts I have given them, I want them to build up and not destroy, to love and not to hate, to make peace not war.'' But we know that there are rulers who do not accept a God who teaches the Beatitudes because they want more power, more land, more riches. The Beatitudes are the centre of christian life and an incentive to bring that life to others. When we see a happy marriage, we see two people who are prepared to surrender their own personal interests for the sake of the other and their love grows through that self offering. That is Beatitude living. St Paul sums up the meaning of the Beatitudes when he says, '' I will boast gladly of my weakness so that the power of Christ will dwell in me, for whenever I am weak, I am strong.'' (2 Corinthians 12:9-10)