Being Poor To Be Rich

Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time C
February 11, 2007
Reading I: Jeremiah 17:5-8
Responsorial Psalm: 1:1-2, 3, 4, 6
Reading II: 1 Corinthians 15:12, 16-20
Gospel: Luke 6:17, 20-26

I’m collecting at the moment the Herald Sun magazine series called “the Greatest”. Each series features information about people who inspire us, astound us and change our lives. They are famous actors, singers, inventors, scientists, adventurers, sportsmen/women, heroes, leaders, etc. They are called ‘the Greatest’ because they are people who have journeyed through outstanding lives and great achievements. They are our source of inspiration, for others they are object of their envy.

We oftentimes associate ‘greatness’ with one’s popularity, power, influence, wealth and beauty. We think Great people are ‘fortunate’ people and sometimes we call ‘fortunate’ people as those ‘lucky’ ones. You are ‘lucky’ if people praise you. You are ‘lucky’ if you have thick bank accounts; you are ‘lucky’ if you have big house and expensive cars; you are ‘lucky’ if you have beautiful and healthy body. You are ‘lucky’ if you can afford to travel around the world.

What if you are not?

What if you don’t have any one of the world’s standards of greatness or being lucky? What if you are struggling with your mortgage, bills/credit cards? What if you are not popular? What if people hate you, misunderstand and discriminate you? What if you lack self-confidence? What if you are sick or perhaps have a cancer? Does it mean you are unfortunate? Does it mean you are not great? Does it mean you're just unlucky?

Jesus in the Gospel today makes a declaration of those people who are ‘blessed’ that seems to be a paradox, or a contradiction on itself.
· Blessed are you who are poor,
· Blessed are you who are now hungry,
· Blessed are you who are now weeping,
· Blessed are you when people hate you

The word ‘blessed’ in the Bible is translated into other words such as “fortunate,” “happy.” The word ‘blessed’ is far more than being “lucky” and even more than being “great.” The first reading speaks of a ‘blessed’ person as one who trusts in the Lord, whose hope is in the Lord. He is like tree that is planted beside the waters…its leaves stay green; in the year of drought it shows no distress, but still bears fruit.

“Jesus does not simply canonize all the poor, the hungry, those who weep, and the persecuted, just as he does not simply demonize all the rich, the satiated, those who laugh and are praised. The distinction is deeper; it has to do with knowing what we put our trust in, on what sort of foundation we are building the house of our life, whether it is on that which will pass away, or on that which will not pass away.”[1]

The Kingdom of God belongs to the poor, the hungry, those who weep, means they are the ones who have the wisdom and the courage to make the kingdom a reality in the world. Through their attitude of humility and detachment they open for themselves the way to the kingdom of God.

What it means to be poor is to be open and empty in order to let God and others come in. In order to love and be loved we need to have space at the center of who we are.

He raises his eyes towards the apostles.

Before Jesus made his speech about the beatitudes he came down to the level ground. He didn’t want to talk down to his disciples and the people. He fixes his eyes toward the twelve disciples whom he had just chosen to help him for his mission.

Likewise, Jesus raises his eyes to each one of us today so that we can get to know him well and recognise his presence among us. His loving look is also a call to conversion so that we may be more like him.

A bucket that is filled with water cannot sustain any more water.

So let us empty ourselves with things that stop the flow of his grace in our lives. Let us always thirst for Jesus, and quench our thirst through the Holy Communion and prayer and meditation on the word of God – these are fountains of God’s grace and life.

Paradoxically Jesus is inviting us not to become poor, but to become rich! "Blessed are you who are poor, for the kingdom of God is yours!" The poor possess a kingdom and they have it right now! Those who decide to enter this kingdom are from now on sons and daughters of God, free, full of hope and immortality. Who would not want to be poor in this way? To be poor in this way is not only becoming rich, we become “the Greatest.”



[1] Father Cantalamessa on the Rich-Poor Divide