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Gospel Reading for September 11, 2024 – Luke 6: 20-26
ETERNAL BLISS
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.”
————
If there are those of us who ask, “Why do the bad people seem to live comfortable lives while a lot of good people suffer?” Perhaps, we can find our answers in our reading for today. The first part is a CONSOLATION for those who suffer – the poor who despite their hard work, do not receive the right wages, or are unable to get a better job because the chance is given to those who had better education which they could not get due to their poverty; the victims of injustices who lost the little that they had to people who put one over them simply because they were trusting; those who had/have to spend time in prison for someone else’s crime; the faithful who are made fun of because of being loyal followers and believers of Christ; and so many, many more. Jesus assures us that all these things come to an end. We do not live forever on this earth, but we can look forward to living forever in the next life with God, where there will be only ETERNAL BLISS!
The second part is a WARNING to those who cause the suffering of others. We may have everything we need and want in this life, with just a click of our fingers, but if we are the reason why others suffer, then we will be on the opposite side of eternity. Again, we do not live forever on this earth, so why opt to be in ETERNAL DAMNATION?
“Lord, to whom shall we go? You have words of eternal life. And we have already believed and have come to know that You are the Holy One of God.”(John 6: 68-69)
