Rewards For Obedience

𝐒𝐄𝐏𝐓. 𝟏𝟎, 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟓: 𝐓𝐖𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐘 𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐑𝐃 𝐖𝐄𝐄𝐊 𝐈𝐍 𝐎𝐑𝐃𝐈𝐍𝐀𝐑𝐘 𝐓𝐈𝐌𝐄

𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝟏: 𝐂𝐨𝐥 𝟑:𝟏-𝟏𝟏

𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐩𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐏𝐬𝐚𝐥𝐦: 𝐏𝐬𝐚 𝟏𝟒𝟓:𝟐-𝟑, 𝟏𝟎-𝟏𝟑 “𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐋𝐨𝐫𝐝 𝐢𝐬 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐭𝐨𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐝 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐬.”

𝐆𝐎𝐒𝐏𝐄𝐋: 𝐋𝐊 𝟔:𝟐𝟎-𝟐𝟔

𝑲𝒆𝒚 𝑽𝒆𝒓𝒔𝒆: “𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒓𝒆𝒘𝒂𝒓𝒅 𝒘𝒊𝒍𝒍 𝒃𝒆 𝒈𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒕 𝒊𝒏 𝒉𝒆𝒂𝒗𝒆𝒏.” (𝒗.23)

        At first glance, you might think this is the same as the 𝑺𝒆𝒓𝒎𝒐𝒏 𝒐𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑴𝒐𝒖𝒏𝒕 (𝑴𝒂𝒕𝒕 5:3-12) but this narrative written by Luke was made by Jesus on a plain which is why there are some references to this Gospel as the Sermon on the Plain.

       This Gospel also differs in some way from the Sermon on the Mount or what is now commonly referred to as the Beatitudes in that Luke’s account only carries four “𝐛𝐥𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬” and the Evangelist included four “𝐰𝐨𝐞𝐬” or what I might call as “𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐮𝐦𝐛𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐬” which might prevent the soul of a person from entering the Kingdom of Heaven and avail of the eternal salvation that God promised.

       Let us also not belabor ourselves with trying to read through the minds of Luke and Matthew relative to the differences in their account of the Beatitudes and it would be best to just appreciate what Jesus is trying to tell us in this Gospel written by Luke.

       The word “𝐰𝐨𝐞” is a curse and perhaps this is the message that Jesus is trying to put across to the people who were listening at the time. What Jesus is presenting in this Lucan account are the contrasts between the blessings that we can expect if we follow the standards of Christ and what awaits us if we remain grafted to the pattern or criterion of the world’s values.

       In these contrasting scenarios, Jesus is also reminding us that our lives are constantly filled with making a choice or choices and it begins from the moment we acquire the capacity to understand what life is all about up to the time when we are called to our final destination.

       And to better understand what Jesus is saying in this Lucan account, let us go back to what "𝐛𝐥𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐝" and “𝐰𝐨𝐞” meant. As the Greek language was what was commonly used in those days, the Greek refers to a person who is blessed as someone who is filled with religious joy because he is aware that he has been saved whereas, woe is an expression of abomination to someone who has done wrong.

       Here in today’s Gospel, Jesus presents His own standard of conduct that he expects from His disciples or anyone who has committed to follow Him and He also outlines what await those who will prefer to remain anchored on the values of the world. Jesus is giving us two choices and because He respects our independence and the choice is actually left for us to make.

       In the first verse alone 𝒗.20 Jesus already set the tone when he extends His blessings to those who are poor contrasting this with 𝒗.24 which is a curse to those who are rich. Not that being rich is bad or a sin but what Jesus is saying is that when we try to find fulfillment by seeking material wealth, indeed wealth is the only thing we will ever get. In contrast, the poor in spirit are those who are humble, those who have the spirit of a child.

       What led Jesus to deliver this Gospel is premised on the presence of false prophets in the olden times who were praised by the kings and the Jews because they promised victory over the occupation of their land. And these false prophets were hugely popular in those days, and Jesus is saying that popularity doesn’t guaranty the truthfulness of the message of these false prophets nor do their actions merit the approval of God.

       Even in this modern day and age, there are still false prophets who are not only full of themselves but are inconsiderate and self-absorbed who are endowed with the “𝘐’𝘮 𝘳𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘯𝘰 𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘦𝘭𝘴𝘦 𝘪𝘴” attitude and this contrasts with a Christian disciple who will run into all kinds of trouble, sacrifices, suffering and we may be led to think we are unhappy but Jesus assures those who will choose His values that their reward is still to come and it will bring eternal joy to those who will make the right choice.

       What Jesus is trying to emphasize in this Gospel is that seeking the approval of men and or of the world brings disaster especially when we place too much value on how favorable we are perceived by the world. What He is telling us is we must not seek popularity or the approval of the world but to seek faithfulness.

       We also are not to make persecution as our objective in life but if persecution comes "𝘣𝘦𝘤𝘢𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘚𝘰𝘯 𝘰𝘧 𝘔𝘢𝘯," then that should be counted as a privilege rather than reject it and run away from it because the value system of every Christian disciple is based on love for and faithfulness to God, not the opinions of the Church, the Community or the world.

         With this Gospel, Jesus assures the poor in spirit with admission to eternal felicity or blessedness as heaven belongs to those who will choose Christ over the world as the pearl belongs to the man who acquires it as well as to those who will renounce all earthly possessions as they have already bought heaven at the cost of all their possessions.

         This Gospel is directed to those who will commit to follow Christ as it speaks of what motivates us and what tempts us and Jesus assures us that blessings will pour out on us if we remain in Him because the alternative are the woes (curses) that await us if we do otherwise.

         As we reflect on this Gospel, let us ask ourselves 𝐖𝐈𝐉𝐓𝐌? (𝘌𝘥 𝘔𝘢𝘭𝘢𝘺 - 𝘚𝘦𝘱𝘵. 10, 2025)