Reflection for September 9 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 we be willing to be poor, to be hungry, to weep, and even to be insulted because of our steadfast faith in Jesus?

These are difficult questions that invite us to look deeply into our hearts. It is not easy to embrace poverty, hunger, tears, rejection, or persecution for the sake of our faith and discipleship. Yet Jesus reminds us that the path of discipleship is not always a path of comfort; sometimes, it is a path of sacrifice, surrender, and unwavering trust in God.

If these difficult experiences can bring us closer to Jesus, then perhaps we have no other choice but to embrace them with faith and courage. But how many of us are truly willing to embrace such a life? Are we willing to follow Jesus even when doing so becomes painful, inconvenient, or costly? When our faith is tested, will we continue to hold on to Him even when the world offers us easier and more comfortable choices?

The truth is, these things are difficult when we try to face them on our own. But when Jesus is with us, when He walks beside us through every trial, and when we allow Him to strengthen our hearts, even our suffering can take on a deeper meaning. Our tears can become prayers, our sacrifices can become offerings, and our hardships can become opportunities to grow closer to Him. What appears to be a burden in the eyes of the world can become a blessing when carried with Jesus.

What would it benefit us to be rich and powerful, to have everything we desire, and to receive the praise and admiration of others if these things eventually lead us away from God? What good would worldly success be if Jesus were no longer at the center of our lives? What would it profit us if we gained the whole world but slowly lost our relationship with Him?

Let us therefore choose Jesus above everything else. Let us choose a life with Him even when it demands sacrifice, patience, humility, courage, and perseverance. For whatever hardships we may encounter, we do not walk alone. Jesus walks with us, strengthens us, and reminds us that our earthly struggles are not the end of our story. If we remain faithful to Him, our sacrifices and sufferings can lead us toward the fullness of life He has promised.

May we never allow comfort, wealth, power, success, or the praise of others to become more important than our relationship with Jesus. May we always have the courage to choose Him—not only when following Him is easy, but especially when following Him requires us to carry our crosses. 

When the choice is between the comfort of this world and the costly path of following Jesus, what will we choose—and are we truly ready to choose Jesus, whatever the cost?— Marino J. Dasmarinas