THE FOUR BLESSINGS AND FOUR WOES OF JESUS

HOMILY FOR THE 6TH SUNDAY IN THE ORDINARY TIME OF THE YEAR C

R1: Jeremiah 17:5-8

R2: 1 Corinthians 15:12, 16-20

Gospel: Luke 6:17, 20-26

THEME: THE FOUR BLESSINGS AND FOUR WOES OF JESUS (for those who trust and those who distrust in God respectively)

Our homily of today will centre on the gospel reading. In today’s gospel reading, what is entitled the Sermon on the Mount in the Gospel of Mathew has become the Sermon on the Plain in the gospel of Luke. St. Luke reaches to all the followers of Christ. 

Today, Jesus is addressing all of us as he once addressed his first disciples. The sermon is known as the Magna Carta, a kind of manifesto or mission statement. The summary of this manifesto is TRUST. Without trust in God we cannot be worthy of the name Christian. It is this trust in God that attracts the blessings of God while distrust brings us woes.

Prophet Jeremiah in the first reading describes those who put their trust in God as a tree planted by the water, that sends out its roots by the stream and does not fear when heat comes, for its leaves remain green. It is not anxious in the year of drought, for it does not cease to bear fruit.

In the second reading St. Paul encourages us to put all our trust in the resurrected Christ. If Christ has not been raised, our faith would have been futile and we would have remained in our sins.

Meanwhile, in the gospel periscope Jesus presents four blessings and four woes. Those who put their trust in God will merit the blessings and those do not trust God will merit for themselves woes.

In the pronouncement of the four blessings, Jesus tells us that God must be the most important person, entity and reality in our lives and this is the new law, the source of authentic and reliable happiness for any follower of him. 

The blessings are as follows:

1. Blessed are the poor in heart for theirs is the kingdom of God.

2. Blessed are the hungry for they shall be satisfied.

3. Blessed are those who mourn now for they shall be happy.

4. Blessed are those who are hated for the sake of the Gospel for theirs is the kingdom of God.

On the other hand, woe to those who do not put their trust in God but in riches, food, earthly pleasure, worldly recognitions;

1. The rich have received their consolation

2. The full now shall be hungry

3. Those who are happy now shall weep  

4. Those that are spoken well of by everyone now, will be treated like the false prophets.

Dear friends in Christ, cursed are they who put their trust in man, money, power, juju (Marabo) or anything created. These things cannot save us. Only God alone can save us. Our power and money can never save us.

Before we leave this church today, let us ask ourselves some basic questions. Where does my strength lie? Is it in money, in my power, or in God? Is my life barren simply because I focus mainly on material things, status, security, personal appearance, properties and fat bank accounts?

Let us always remember  that what defines and enhances our lives is not what we have but the quality of life. Every strength, every power, all sustenance come from God. If we are aware of this truth and live according to it, we shall be like that tree planted beside a river, that does not fear the period of drought rather remains ever green and bears fruits in season and out of season.

TRUST AND OBEY FOR THERE IS NO OTHER WAY TO BE HAPPY...

Reflection by:

Rev. Fr. Remigius Okonkwo,SMMM