Scripture Scribbles: February 13, 2022

the Gospel

Lk 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.”

the devotion

Many of us live comfortably and often do not go hungry.

We all have challenges in our lives; however, the majority of the time how easy it is to coast through life unblemished and unthinking. In today’s Gospel, Jesus prescribes a way for us to find true Joy - uniting with Him for eternity - as well as warnings for those who receive all of their rewards while here on Earth. Because I live in such comfort, I sometimes wonder if I am in the “Woe to you” group of people and then I remember God at work in my life.

When I grieve, do I bring it to Him who comforts me?
Am I detached from material things and wealth?
Am I mindful of those who go without food and serve others out of my poverty instead of my abundance?
Do I rely on Him for everything, entrusting my entire life to Him?

Sometimes I can answer these questions with an emphatic “yes!” and other times, not so much. Then God does something remarkable. He allows suffering in my life. When my health began to decline last year and many “freedoms” were lost (i.e. driving), attachments to my identity were called into question (i.e. measuring my value on my physical abilities and how well I contribute to society). I had a choice - we all have a choice when we suffer - I could blame God for my ailments and wonder “why me”, or I could let Him into my suffering. I chose to let Him in. By doing this, Christ opened my heart to rest more deeply in Him. To see my intrinsic value in Him as His beloved Daughter. Worldly attachments pail in comparison with what will be rewarded in heaven.

What choice are you going to make?

Today’s devotion was written by Diana Giard.