48. Blessings and Woes

Jesus stood on a level place, with a crowd of his disciples, and a great number of people from all Judea and Jerusalem, and the sea coast of Tyre and Sidon, who came to hear him and to be healed of their diseases; as well as those who were troubled by unclean spirits. The multitude sought to touch him, for power came from him and healed them all.

He lifted up his eyes to his disciples, and said,

“Blessed are you who are poor;
    God’s Kingdom is yours.
But woe to you who are rich!
    For you have received your consolation.
Blessed are you who hunger now,
    for you will be filled.
But woe to you, you who are full now,
    for you will be hungry.
Blessed are you who weep now,
    for you will laugh.
But woe to you who laugh now,
    for you will mourn and weep.

“Blessed are you when, for the Son of Man’s sake, people hate you, and exclude you, and mock you, and throw out your name as evil. Rejoice in that day, and leap for joy: your reward is great in heaven, for their fathers did the same thing to the prophets. But woe to you when everyone speaks well of you, for their fathers did the same thing to the false prophets.”

The Kingdom of God as explained by Jesus is an upside-down version of the world: those who are powerful and corrupt now will be humbled and those who are oppressed now will be lifted up. Such a message, not surprisingly, was wildly popular with some and hated by others. How do you react to this list of blessings and woes? Where do you fit in?

Prayer: Help me be excited, Lord, not for the world as it is, but for the world as you would have it be.