e are a Roman Catholic community of believers in Jesus Christ in Lincoln Park and surrounding areas, located in the Diocese of Paterson, New Jersey. Our Bishop is Bishop Arthur Serratelli. Please feel free to visit the pages of our Parish site, learn about who we are as a community of faith and the services our parish provides. If you are thinking about moving to the Lincoln Park area, we cordially invite you to make St. Joseph's your parish.
February 17, 2019: The Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time
In today’s gospel, Lk 6:17, 20-26, we take different look at the Beatitudes, those famous sayings by Jesus. In Matthews gospel, we heard that Jesus pronounced the Beatitudes on the top of a mountain, and it is called the Sermon on the Mount.
In today’s gospel Luke tells us that Jesus came down from the mountain and stood on level ground. This text then gets the name the Sermon on the Plain. Together, they give us different aspects Jesus’ teachings in the concise forms that each gives us.
Luke’s version of the Beatitudes is much more basic than Matthew’s which was given up on the mountain top and may seem or feel more spiritual.
In Luke’s version, Jesus speaks directly to the poor; You who are hungry, weeping, hated, insulted, or denounced by others. You are blessed, he says. The reality of this is much harder than Matthews poor in spirit and hunger for Justice.
Luke is saying you are blessed when your stomach is growling, when you are on welfare or homeless. What is up with that? This is a hard thing to say. It is certainly not saying that these things are good to live in poverty or homelessness and want to remain there. Jesus goes on to list woes on those who are rich now, well fed, and popular. What is he getting at? He is not saying that all the rich will go to hell, and all the poor will go to heaven. Rather, he is saying that hunger, poverty, and suffering all lead us to God. The growling stomach reminds us of where the bread comes from in the first place. Having good things, blessings, should also lead us to God in gratitude. In the end, to be a part of the kingdom proclaimed by Jesus is rooted deeply in the words of Jeremiah in the first reading Jer 17:5-8, . “Blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, whose hope is the Lord. He is like a tree planted beside the waters that stretches out its roots to the stream” remaining connected to God. The relationship that Jesus offers us is the way to true satisfaction, true wealth, and true joy.
