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Blessed Are Those

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.”

All well and good, but waiting for death and heaven for rejoicing and leaping for joy seems unreasonable and a false promise for those who are poor, hungry, sad, and hated.    It appears to be a ruse by the rich telling the poor, “The Kingdom of God is yours. What’s your problem?  Think about us rich and what Jesus says to us: '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.'  You don’t want to be rich.  Look at what fate awaits us."

Luke quoting Jesus attempted to give hope to the masses of poor oppressed by the rich of his time.  This hope is good for today as well but falls far short of needed good works by all of us on behalf of the poor, hungry, sad, and hated. 

At Christ the King our ministries provide opportunities for good works.   Blessed are those who lend a helping hand and sow the seeds of love.   Blessed are those who follow Jesus’ ways.

Deacon David Pierce

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