1Reflection for September 7, Wednesday of the Twenty-third Week in Ordinary Time: Luke 6:20-26

Gospel: Luke 6:20-26

Raising his eyes toward his disciples Jesus said: “Blessed are you who are poor, for the Kingdom of God is yours. Blessed are you who are now hungry, for you will be satisfied. Blessed are you who are now weeping, for you will laugh. Blessed are you when people hate you, and when they exclude and insult you, and denounce your name as evil on account of the Son of Man. Rejoice and leap for joy on that day! Behold, your reward will be great in heaven. For their ancestors treated the prophets in the same way.  

But woe to you who are rich, for you have received your consolation. But woe to you who are filled now, for you will be hungry. Woe to you who laugh now, for you will grieve and weep. Woe to you when all speak well of you, for their ancestors treated the false prophets in this way.”

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Reflection:

Would you be willing to be poor, to be hungry, to weep and to be insulted for your steadfast faith in Jesus? Surely, these questions will drive you to think hard because it’s not easy to be poor to be insulted, to weep and be hungry for the sake of your steadfast discipleship.  

But if this is the means for us to gain intimacy with Jesus we have no other way but to embrace these hard choices. But how many of us are willing to embrace this kind of life? Come to think of it, are these choices really hard? Is it really hard to be poor, hungry, to weep and to be insulted?  

It is hard if Jesus is not with us but if Jesus is with us and if He walks with us. To be poor, hungry, to weep and be persecuted becomes a blessing for us. For the simple reason that this assures us of a life with Jesus in heaven after our life in this world is over and done with already.  

What would it benefit us if we are rich, powerful and if everyone is praising us to high heavens if it drives us to sin? If Jesus is not in our life or if Jesus is just a miniscule particle in our life? The best choice is to have a life with Jesus even if it would entail sacrifices and hardship.  

What is your choice? - Marino J. Dasmarinas