Fortunate are you, who are hungry now, for you will be filled. Fortunate are you, who weep now,
for you will laugh. Fortunate are you, when people hate you, when they reject you and insult you
and number you among criminals, because of the Son of Man. Rejoice in that day, and leap for
joy, for a great reward is kept for you in heaven. Remember, that is how the ancestors of the
people treated the prophets.

But alas for you, who have wealth, for you have been comforted now. Alas for you, who are full,
for you will go hungry.

Alas for you, who laugh now, for you will mourn and weep. Alas for you, when people speak well
of you, for that is how the ancestors of the people treated the false prophets.

Reflect

You’re poor, hungry, sad, hated – how lucky you are, how blessed! That’s what Jesus is saying in
the Gospel today. But there’s certainly nothing pleasant about being sad or feeling like an outcast.
Anxiety increases when you don’t know how you will be able to pay your bills or where your next
meal is coming from.

One thing I’ve noticed in every place I’ve visited in the world is that those who have the least are
often the most generous. They may not have very much, but what they have, they share.
It’s humbling to be on the receiving end of their generosity. It’s a matter of survival, helping each
other stay alive. For those who have plenty and enjoy life’s pleasures, it can be hard to open our
hands and let go instead of holding tightly to our possessions. We are afraid and disconnected,
walling ourselves away from our brothers and sisters in a fort made of our possessions. We
harden our hearts against those in need and the God who calls us to serve them. Blessed are
those who break open their hearts of stone with a flood of love and mercy.

© Copyright Bible Diary 2023