6th Sunday in Ordinary
Time C. Feb. 16, 2025
Jeremiah
17:5-8; 1 Corinthians 15:12, 16-20; Luke 6:17, 20-26
Theme: What it Takes to be True
Disciples of Jesus: Sufferings are Inherent to Discipleship
A.
A Brief Exegetical Analysis of Luke 6:17, 20-26
- Historical and Literary Contexts
Our
Gospel story is taken from the section of the Sermon on the Plain in Luke’s
Gospel. Its historical context is found in the previous two stories that
immediately precede this Sermon. In those two stories, Luke reported that Jesus
first called and chose his Twelve apostles among his followers to be with him
and to be sent out on a mission (6:12-16), and second, he ministered to a great
crowd of his disciples and a large number of the people who followed him from
different places, including the Gentile territories (6:17-19.) Now, in the
“Sermon on the Plain” (6:20-49), Jesus prepares his newly chosen apostles and
all followers to know what it takes to be faithful disciples. Suffering is
inherent to discipleship. In our text under study, particularly, which opens
this Sermon, he exhorts them not to give up their faith and mission regardless
of the present real economic and social injustice they face. Those who keep
their faith amid suffering are called “blessed,” and those who give up their
faith and mission because of the “fake” joy and happiness of this world are “woed.”
The
Gospel of Matthew contains a version of this Sermon called “Sermon on the
Mount” (Matthew 5:1-7, 27). Talking only about the “Beatitudes,” there are some
differences between these two versions. (1) Luke’s version addresses humanity’s
real economic and social conditions, but Matthew emphasizes the religious and
spiritual values of Jesus’ followers in the heavenly kingdom inaugurated by
Jesus. (2) Luke’s version gives less attention to Jewish law and practice since
it includes Gentiles among Jesus’ followers. (3) Matthew’s version counts only
the series of “Blessed,” but that of Luke is structured in two collections:
four “blessed are you” and four “woe to you.” (4) in Matthew, Jesus teaches on
the Mountain, but in Luke, he teaches on the plain.
Our
Gospel passage is a teaching account with metaphors. V. 17, taken from the
previous story, introduces our pericope. The body of the text can be divided
into two parts: The series of four “blessed are you” (6:20-23) and the series
of four “woe to you” (6:24-26).
- Detailed Analysis
V.
17. He came down with them: Jesus, his newly chosen Twelve
apostles, and the rest of his followers were first up on the mountain (see
6:12-16). Now, all of them came down. Jesus stood on a stretch of level
ground: Unlike Matthew, who reports that Jesus delivered his sermon on a
mountain, Luke reports that this sermon took place on the plain. A large
number of the people from all Judea and Jerusalem and the coastal region of
Tyre and Sidon: For Luke, Jesus’ followers were not only the Jews from
Judea and Jerusalem but also the Gentles from outside Palestine.
Vv.
20-23. Consists of blessings and vv. 24-26 of woes. Poor - rich, hungry -
the satisfied; those weeping - those laughing; the outcast - the socially
acceptable: Unlike Matthew, who emphasizes the religious and spiritual
values of disciples in the kingdom inaugurated by Jesus, Luke addresses
humanity's real economic and social conditions. First, he exhorts all people
who are poor and mistreated because of his name not to relinquish their faith
regardless of their suffering because their present unfortunate conditions will
be reversed into blessings. Second, he calls out to and reminds those blinded
by their present fortunate situation who do not recognize and appreciate the
real values of God’s kingdom that their present fake fortunate conditions will
be reversed to woes.[1]
4.
Synthesis
Jesus
prepares his newly chosen Twelve apostles and other disciples to know what it
takes to be true followers, especially to know that suffering is inherent to
discipleship. Through Jesus’ Beatitude teaching, Luke addresses people’s real
economic and social conditions, mainly among the Gentiles. He first strengthens
the faith of the people who are poor and mistreated because of his name,
reassuring them that their present unfortunate condition will be reversed to
blessings in the future. Then, he calls out to the wicked to repent lest they
will be “woe” in the future.
B.
Pastoral Implications
1. Liturgical Context
The
scripture readings of last Sunday talked about the stories of the callings of
Isaiah (first reading), Paul (second reading), and Simon Peter (the Gospel).
Through those stories, the focus was on God and Jesus, who called them and continues
to call each of us today regardless of our weaknesses and sins. In today’s
scripture readings, the focus is now on us, who are called to be with Jesus and
be sent out on missions. All of today’s readings divide the believers into two
groups: “The blessed are you:” those who do not abandon their discipleship amid
the suffering they may encounter (Gospel). Jeremiah compares this category of
people to a tree planted beside the waters that stretches out its roots to the
stream (first reading). For Saint Paul, this category of people is those who believe
in the resurrection of the dead (second reading). The second group of believers
are those who choose the happiness of this world over discipleship. Jesus says
it will be woeful for them (Gospel). Jeremiah compares them to a barren bush in
the wasteland that enjoys no change of season (first reading). For Saint Paul, they
are those who do not believe in the forgiveness of sins and salvation (second
reading). The Church invites us to join today’s Psalmist and sing, “Blessed are
they who hope in the Lord.”
2.
What the Church Teaches us Today
In
the collection of the “Blessed are you,” Jesus calls blessed those who weep,
are poor, hungry, and outcast. Note that Jesus is not saying that to be
blessed, we must necessarily be poor and hungry, or we must weep and mourn, or
the people must hate us. The context is that Jesus here addresses his Twelve
apostles and all his followers, including us, who accept to be his witnesses
amid all trials we may encounter in our mission and Christian lives. He
strengthens us so that we might not give up our faith no matter what we go
through because of his name and mission. When we do so, he calls us “blessed”
and reassures us that our present suffering will be reversed into a blessing,
if not now in this world, in eternal salvation since we believe in the resurrection
of the dead, as Saint Paul exhorts us in the second reading. In our
Responsorial Psalm, we sang with the Psalmist: “Blessed are they who hope in
the Lord.” In our first reading, the prophet Jeremiah compares us to a tree
planted beside the water that stretches out its roots to the stream, fears not
the heat when it comes, its leaves stay green, and bears fruits.
In
the collection of “Woe to You,” note that Jesus is not against the rich and the
people who are happy and laugh. Instead, he delivers a series of warnings of
extreme caution to those who prefer denying their faith in exchange for the
pleasure of this world. The world we live in today presents us with the wrong
meaning of happiness. The devil deceives us by offering us the option of a
supposed “good life” but without a relationship with God. Many people,
unfortunately, are choosing this option. Jesus woes and reassures them that
their present fake fortunate condition will reverse into a “cry,” if not in
this world, in the life to come because the resurrection of the dead for either
eternal condemnation or eternal salvation is not an illusion, as Saint Paul
exhorts us in our second reading. In our first reading, the prophet Jeremiah
calls them “cursed” and compares them to a barren bush in the desert that
enjoys no change of season but stands in a lava waste. There is no good life
without a deep relationship with God. True happiness is found in God only.
May
the liturgy of this Mass strengthen our faith and commitment to continue
following Jesus and serving him wherever we live, even amid suffering. Amen.
Rev.
Leon Ngandu, SVD
Pastor at Holy Family Catholic Church in Jackson, MS &
SVD USS Biblical Apostolate Coordinator
Amen 🙏
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