Gospel: Sermon on the Plain

Today marks the Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time and the Gospel reading will be lifted from the account of St Luke (click here for the Mass readings from USCCB).

Last Sunday, we heard Jesus call St Peter to be his disciple. Jesus then travels with St Peter and the other disciples. St Luke reports acts of healing (a person of leprosy and a paralytic man) and the call of Levi, the tax collector. Jesus also replies to questions from the Pharisees regarding fasting and the observance of the Sabbath. In the verses immediately before today's Gospel reading, Jesus is reported to have chosen 12 men from among his disciples to be apostles. Apostle is a Greek word that means "one who is sent."

Today's Gospel is the beginning of what is often called the Sermon on the Plain. We find a parallel to this passage in Matthew 5:1-7,11 that is often called the Sermon on the Mount. As these titles suggest, there are differences and similarities between these Gospel readings.

When spoken from the mountaintop in St Matthew's Gospel, we can't miss the impression that Jesus is speaking with the authority and voice of God. The mountaintop is a symbol of closeness to God. Those who ascend the mountain see God and speak for God; recall the story of Moses and the Ten Commandments. As St Luke introduces the location of Jesus' teaching, Jesus teaches on level ground, alongside the disciples and the crowd. St Luke presents Jesus authority in a different light. He is God among us.

Another distinction found in St Luke's version is the audience. St Luke's Sermon on the Plain is addressed to Jesus' disciples, although in the presence of the crowd; St Matthew's Sermon on the Mount is addressed to the crowd. In keeping with his style, the Beatitudes in St Luke's Gospel sound more personal than those in St Matthew's Gospel -- St Luke uses the article "you" whereas St Matthew uses "they" or "those." There is also a difference in number: St Matthew describes eight Beatitudes; St Luke presents just four, each of which has a parallel warnibg.

The form of the Beatitudes found in St Matthew's and St Luke's Gospel is not unique to Jesus. Beatitudes are found in the Old Testament, such as in the Psalms and in Wisdom literature. They are a way to teach about who will find favor with God. The word blessed in this context might be translated as "happy," "fortunate," or "favored."

As we listen to this Gospel, the Beatitudes jar our sensibilities. Those who are poor, hungry, weeping, or persecuted are called blessed. This is, indeed, a Gospel of reversals. Those often thought to have been forgotten by God are called blessed. In the list of "woes," those whom we might ordinarily described as blessed by God are warned about this peril. Riches, possessions, laughter, reputation ... these are not things we can depend upon as sources of eterbal happiness. They not only fail to deliver on their promise; our misplaced trust in them will lead to our demise. The ultimate peril is in misidentifying the source of eternal happiness.

The Beatitudes are often described as a framework for Christian living. Our vocation as Christians is not to be first in this world, but rather to be first in the eyes of God. We are challenged to examine our present situation in the context of our ultimate horizon, the Kingdom of God.

x------x

The Gospel is in collaboration with Chanel Men's Bow Tie.