6th Sunday in Ordinary Time

To All the Parishioners of the Epiphany of the Lord

Luke 6:17, 20-26
The Discourse of the Plain: A Life Program and a Catalog of Virtues

Today’s Gospel presents us Saint Luke’s passage on the Beatitudes (Luke 6:17, 20-26). The text is arranged into four beatitudes and four admonitions denoted by the expression, woe to you. With these assertive and sharp words, Jesus opens our eyes and lets us look with his gaze, beyond appearances, beyond the surface and teaches us to discern situations with faith. Jesus proclaims the poor, the hungry, the suffering and the persecuted blessed, and he admonishes those who are rich, satisfied, who laugh and are praised by the people. The reason behind this paradoxical beatitude lies in the fact that God is close to those who suffer, and intercedes to free them from their bondage. Jesus sees this; he already sees the beatitude beyond its negative reality. And likewise, the woe to you addressed to those who are doing well today, has the purpose of waking them from the dangerous deceit of egotism, and opening them up to the logic of love, while they still have the time to do so. (Pope Francis, Angelus, 2019)

Dear parishioners, Jesus’ sermon in Luke 6:1, is sometimes called the Sermon on the Plain. The content of the Sermon on the Plain or, the Sermon on the Plateau, is very much like that of the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5:1ff-7:1ff.). Jesus delivered the Sermon on the Mount after going up a mountain and sitting down (Matthew 5:1) while Jesus delivered the Sermon on the Plain after coming down from a mountain and standing on a level place (Luke 6:17).

The Sermon on the Plain begins with some beatitudes (Luke 6:20–23). Jesus pronounces a blessing on the poor; on the deprived; on the sorrowful; and on the persecuted. Immediately following the blessings, Jesus pronounces a series of woes, speaking of the tragedy of being rich, of being satisfied, of being carefree, and of being popular. In his sermon, Jesus reverses the world’s way of looking at things. Heaven’s value system is far different from earth’s value system, namely: do not get caught up in the world’s way of ranking things; it is very prone to be erroneous.

Nevertheless, throughout the Sermon on the Plain, Jesus points to eternity and commands us to be far-sighted, and to live in light of heaven. And He points to Himself as the standard of righteousness and the very foundation of our lives. The Beatitudes and Woes are not just descriptions of two groups of people; they are mirror reflections for our hearts. At times, we may find ourselves among the blessed, feeling our poverty and need. At other times, we may recognize the warnings as relevant to our own complacency.

Further, in his Sermon on the Plain, Jesus gives seven startling commands (Luke 6:27–31), namely: Love your enemies, He says: do good to those who hate you. Bless those who curse you. Pray for those who use you spitefully. Turn the other cheek to the one who strikes you. Give generously to everyone who asks you. Finally, Jesus lays down the Golden Rule: do to others as you would have them do to you. Jesus outlines a life program and a catalog of virtues.

Dear Epiphany, as Jesus continues the Sermon on the Plain, He points to four laws that affect our everyday lives: the law of reciprocity (Luke 6:37-38), the law of leadership (Luke 6:39-40), the law of perspective (Luke 6:41-42), and the law of the harvest (Luke 6:43–45).

• In teaching about reciprocity, Jesus says that, if you dish out judgment, you can expect to get judgment in return. If you give condemnation, you will get condemnation. But if you extend forgiveness, you will be forgiven.
• In speaking of leadership, Jesus teaches that it matters whom you follow, because you will go where your leader goes and you will become like him. It also matters how you lead. Blind leaders of the blind will send everyone into the ditch.
• Turning to the matter of perspective, Jesus says that we are often blind to our own faults, and we must beware of hypocrisy when trying to help others. One must avoid identifying and criticizing the small shortcomings in the lives of others, we must learn to recognize our own personal faults.
• Jesus then uses the principle of the harvest to teach the importance of personal holiness before God. The fruit matches the tree; a good heart will bring forth good deeds and good words.

Dear friends, the Gospel reading from Luke 6:17, 20-26 draws us into the heart of Jesus’ teaching, namely: the Beatitudes and the corresponding Woes. Here, Jesus speaks directly to His disciples and the great crowd gathered from all regions, offering both consolation and a sobering challenge.
In the Blessedness of the Poor, the Hungry, the Weeping, and the Persecuted, Jesus overturns worldly values. He does not romanticize poverty, hunger, or sorrow. Rather, He reveals a deeper truth: those who recognize their need, who do not rely on material wealth or personal strength, are open to the grace and provision of God. Poverty of spirit fosters dependence on God, and it is in this reliance that true blessedness is found. Hunger, both physical and spiritual, creates a longing that only God can fill. Our earthly desires often distract us from this deeper hunger for righteousness and truth. Tears shed in the face of injustice, suffering, or personal loss are not wasted. Jesus promises that God sees, acknowledges, and will one day transform our sorrow into eternal joy.

However, in the challenge of the Woes, Jesus reminds us that the Woes are not condemnations of wealth, satisfaction, or joy in themselves, but warnings against complacency and self-sufficiency. When riches become our security, we risk closing our hearts to the needs of others and to the transformative work of God. When Jesus affirms: woe to you who are well fed now, for you will go hungry, it is a caution against spiritual indifference. When we are too satisfied with the things of this world, we may neglect the nourishment of our souls. Seeking human approval can lead us away from the path of truth and integrity. Prophets and saints often faced opposition because they stood for God’s justice and righteousness, not for popular acclaim.

To sum up our meditation, dear Epiphany, Jesus launches a Clarion Call to reflection and transformation: Jesus invites us to examine our lives: Where do we place our trust? In whom or in what do we find our security? Are we open to God’s grace, or have we become self-reliant and indifferent to the needs around us? Let us embrace the paradox of the Gospel: in our weakness, we find strength; in our poverty, we find true riches; in our hunger, we discover the Bread of Life. May we live not for fleeting comforts but for the eternal joy that comes from following Christ, who blesses the brokenhearted and warns the self-satisfied.

The entire Lucan text of Luke 6:17, 20-26 contrasts earthly suffering with eternal reward, emphasizing God’s preference for the humble and His challenge to those who trust in worldly wealth. It calls for a radical shift in perspective, aligning with the values of God’s kingdom rather than human expectations.

Dear Epiphany community, Jesus calls each one of us to adopt now, by faith, a value system, a life program, and a catalog of virtues far different from this world’s. Jesus promises that one day this world’s system will be destroyed along with all who have pinned their hopes on its values. Only God’s eternal values will remain along with those who trust in them. There will be a final epitaph upon the false world system. And it will be: Alas, Babylon!

Let us pray for and bless each one in our Epiphany Parish!

Fraternally,
Fr. John Peter Lazaar SAC, Pastor