Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Today’s Gospel reveals the heart of Jesus’ message about Catholic morality. It has important implications for a responsible and respectful lifestyle.

Gospel according to Luke 6:17, 20-26

Jesus came down with the Twelve and stood on a stretch of level ground with a great crowd of his disciples and a large number of the people from all Judea and Jerusalem and the coastal region of Tyre and Sidon. And raising his eyes toward his disciples he 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. 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.”

Reflections

Today’s passage begins by describing the scene where Jesus teaches about important principles of Christian living. The moment is reminiscent of Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount, as seen in Matthew 5-7. This passage could very well be an abbreviated description of the same teaching.

A large number of people gathered around Jesus and His disciples on “a level place” (Luke 6:17), which may refer to a flat area on top of a mountain. It evokes imagery of the prophet Moses on Mount Sinai, where he received the Ten Commandments, written on two stone tablets (Exodus 20:1-17, 31:18; Deuteronomy 5:6-21). Moses was instructed to build the Tabernacle as a dwelling place for God among humanity. Descending from the mountain, he found the Israelites worshipping a golden calf, and living in revelry. Moses interceded for them, saving them from their own destruction (Exodus 32:11-14). He prayed with the words: “Remember your servants Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, to whom you swore by your own self: ‘I will make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky, and I will give your descendants all this land I promised them, and it will be their inheritance forever.’” (Exodus 32:13). With these words, Moses recalled God’s covenant through which he would lead the people to live a righteous life.

Jesus can be seen as the “new Moses” because He brings to fulfillment what was written in the Old Testament (1). According to Biblical hope, as expressed in Deuteronomy, God promised: “I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their brothers. And I will put my words in his mouth, and he shall speak to them all that I command him.” (Deuteronomy 18:15-18). Furthermore, as stated in Isaiah, “Remember not the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I am doing a new thing; Now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert.” (Isaiah 43:15-19). Through Jesus, God established the New Covenant, the successor to the Covenant of Moses. This new covenant is based on faith, rather than blind obedience to the law. Jesus reveals God’s glory in a way that surpasses Moses’ experience on Mount Sinai, fulfilling and complementing the Old Testament law. His body is the new Tabernacle, and He intercedes for all of humanity. The community of believers makes up the mystical body of Christ (2).

The people in the crowd had varied backgrounds. Many came from Judea and Jerusalem, which were Jewish cities, and others came from the gentile cities of Tyre and Sidon (3). This diversity serves to reveal the universal nature of Jesus’ message: The New Covenant is not limited to the Israelites, but is intended for all nations (Matthew 28:19-20). Regardless of a person’s ethnicity, background, or social status, Jesus invites us to let Him into our hearts and transform our lives. Jesus presents a unique way of living, opposed to the standards of the world. He explains that the smallest people, who are the most poor, will receive the most blessings. He explains that the hungry will be fed, and those who are in grief will be comforted. He contrasts this with a stern warning to the rich, who seek earthly pleasures and turn away from their Heavenly Father: This is the best their lives will get. He specifically denounces four vices: avarice, the immoderate desire of material wealth; gluttony, the overindulgence in resources to the point of waste; hedonism, the indiscriminate seeking of hollow pleasures; and flattery, the overdependence on high social standing.

Pope Francis has been very vocal about the socioeconomic consequences of these vices, noting that “... We have grabbed everything in order to become the masters of all things, while everything had been consigned to our custody.” (4). The neglectful and irresponsible use of our resources is an offense against the tabernacle of our own bodies, and those of others (2 Corinthians 5:1-4). Pope Francis referred to the needy as “abandoned tabernacles” when he remarked: “How many people lack dignified housing or food to eat! All of us know people who are lonely, troubled, and in need. They are abandoned tabernacles.” (5).

Jesus’ teachings, which can only be described as radical, are central to the Catholic faith. The Sermon on the Plain outlines the characteristics of a disciple of Christ. These teachings underscore the values in the Kingdom of God and form the foundation of Catholic lifestyle. All Catholics are called to live simply, detached from material possessions and worldly temptations. We are called to trust in God’s providence, just as the Israelites trusted in the provision of the Lord after their deliverance from Egypt (Exodus 16). We are reminded to repent for our sins, to comfort those who suffer, and to be generous with our resources..

As Catholics, we are reminded to love our enemies, forgiving those who harm us (Luke 6:27-36). We must recognize our dependence on God and live with humility. Just like God loves us unconditionally, we must not hold grudges, and never hesitate to forgive others. Jesus emphasized the need to live a virtuous, God-centered life. All Catholics are called to stand up for their faith, especially in the face of adversity. Jesus warns us that many of us will face persecution, ridicule, and social exclusion in His name: “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” (Luke 6:22). In defending our beliefs, we can grow and mature in spirit as we learn to trust and depend on the Lord.

Pope John Paul II stated that “Authentic human development has a moral character. It presumes full respect for the human person, but it must also be concerned for the world around us and take into account the nature of each being and of its mutual connection in an ordered system.” (6) Pope Benedict cautioned that “creation is harmed where we ourselves have the final word, where everything is simply our property and we use it for ourselves alone.” (7). Jesus’ words in today’s Gospel show us how to “... have life and have it more abundantly” (John 10:10).

Resources:

1. Schreiner, P. (2018). The Sermon on the Mount, and Jesus as the New Moses. Redemption and Exodus. Retrieved from: bibleproject.com. Accessed on: February 15, 2025.
2. Pope Pius XII. (1943). Mystici Corporis Christi. Encyclical on the Mystical Body of Christ. Dicastero per la Comunicazione - Libreria Editrice Vaticana. Retrieved from: vatican.va. Accessed on: February 15, 2025.
3. Associates for Biblical Research (2021). The Biblical Cities of Tyre and Sidon. Retrieved from: biblearchaeology.org. Accessed on: February 15, 2025.
4. National Catholic Register (2024). Pope Francis on Gluttony: Perhaps the Most Dangerous Vice. Retrieved from: www.ncregister.com. Accessed on: February 15, 2025.
5. Esteves, J. A. (2018). Pope: Seek Christ in ‘abandoned tabernacles’ of the poor, the lonely. National Catholic Register. Retrieved from: ncronline.org. Accessed on: February 15, 2025.
6. John Paul II (1988). Encyclical Letter Sollicitudo Rei Socialis. Dicastero per la Comunicazione - Libreria Editrice Vaticana. Retrieved from: vatican.va. Accessed on: February 15, 2025.
7. Pope Benedict XVI (2008). Meeting of the Holy Father Benedict XVI With the clergy of the diocese of Bolzano-Bressanone. Retrieved from: www.vatican.va. Accessed on: February 15, 2025.