In Luke’s Gospel account, before any important event or decision, Jesus withdraws for a period of prayer. At the beginning of our episode today, Jesus comes down from the mountain where he had spent the night in intense communication with God before selecting his twelve special disciples.
In Matthew’s account, aware of the Jewish symbolism, Jesus is presented as going up the mountain, as Moses went up to receive the Law. Luke is writing for a Gentile audience and shows Jesus coming down the mountain with the Twelve and teaching, on “level ground”, a great crowd of disciples and others from the wider region who had come to hear him and be cured. Jesus here is more the prophet and wise teacher than the lawgiver like Moses.
Luke’s version of Jesus’ sermon contains only four Beatitudes and these are accompanied by four warnings (“alas!”) to those who do not take the message to heart. His account is very much focused on the material and practical aspects of Jesus’ teaching. Whereas Matthew talks about “the poor in spirit”, here Jesus speaks directly to “you who are poor”. This concern for people who are at the bottom level of society, in all sorts of ways, is a major theme in the Third Gospel.
The evangelist brings in the notion of being rejected, which was introduced in Simeon’s prophecy to Mary. God accepts those whom most people in society do not. To be popular may be a sign that an acknowledged prophet may not be bringing the true word of God
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REFLECT
Luke keeps the focus of Jesus’ teaching on those who are materially poor. He does not spiritualise by talking about “the poor in spirit”, but concentrates on those who are objectively badly off in financial and social terms. This theme is one which we will encounter often in our Gospel readings at the Eucharist.
The notion of being rejected is one which Luke introduced in his overture to the Gospel, the Infancy Narrative, where Simeon predicted that this would happen to Jesus. Throughout the narrative, we find that, for one reason or another, people decide not to accept the challenge of Jesus’ teachings and this finds its ultimate expression in his being crucified.
The priest and writer Michael Hollings once remarked that Catholics, and by implication Christians in general, were perhaps influenced by the idea that going to church was a sign of respectability. This has been suggested as one of the reasons for the decline in attendance at Sunday services, especially among women. Being seen in the company, or at least the presence of apparently undesirable people may be something that may make some folk uncomfortable. This can include individuals who might seem not entitled to take part in public worship for social reasons.
Today’s Gospel challenges us to examine our assumptions about other people. It also tells us that we should be concerned about those who are poor, hungry and in grief and to do what we can to help them.
learn
- Jesus’ Sermon in Luke’s account is situated on “level ground”, the plain, rather than on the mount.
- Luke has four Beatitudes, instead of Matthew’s eight: he also includes four Woes.
- Luke concentrates on people’s material situation, rather than their internal spiritual
dispositions.
do
Is there a St Vincent de Paul Society in your parish? If so, find out more about what they do. If not, think about setting one up.