Good morning good people,
May the Lord give you peace, health, and happiness.
It is 11th September 2024.
We reflect on 1 Corinthians 7:25-31, and Luke 6:20-26.
Is the ideal unrealistic or achievable?
St. Paul invites us to be chaste in whichever state of life we have chosen whether marriage or celibacy.
What is required is to be faithful to the way of life we have chosen.
As we move on to read about the second part of the letter with mild and encouraging words from Paul. He attempted to answer the question of whether marriage and celibacy are a Christian institution?
He confesses that he does not have any mandate regarding celibacy yet keeping the second coming of Christ in mind was imminent, he encouraged people to be contented with the vocation they are in.
He wants to clarify that marriage is not a sin and yet it does not solve the problems of loneliness, sexual temptations, and emotional needs.
Marriage alone does not hold people together rather it is the commitment and faithfulness to Christ that does.
The contentment and fulfilment come through our dedication to Christ. And so let us try to be satisfied with the life God has given.
Life is indeed short, and we need to give more time for Christ. Paul reminds us that marriage, home, and financial security are not the ultimate goal of life. Our life must be a life of simplicity and of moderation. We need to manage our lives within the means not to be pompous and extravagant.
The responsorial Psalm prays, “Listen, O daughter, give ear to my words.” (Ps.44:11).
The Gospel presents the sermon on the plains. Lukan version of the Beatitude is more direct than Mathew’s generalised vision. Luke’s version might be closer to the original words of Jesus. St. Luke hails the poor and points out the privileges to be the poor in order to be friends of God.
Beatitude is the realistic version of life in the ideal.
There is happiness in poverty which the riches of the world will never give. There is satisfaction with a little when it is hard-earned.
In order to be an authentic disciple, we need to be radically become poor. The attachments, attractions, lust, luxurious living always makes us long for more and make us remain hungry and anxious.
It is indeed a blessing to be poor by choice. It is not either a curse to be rich. What we do with our riches makes us blessed or cursed people.
May you have a good day. God bless you.