The readings today bring to mind the opening and closing lines from the poem, The Road Not Taken, by Robert Frost.
Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I –
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.
The road we take in life makes all the difference is also the point of today’s readings. Are we going down the road that leads us to God or not?
Luke’s account of the Beatitudes differs from Matthew’s version. Matthew stresses a person’s spiritual profile, the poor in spirit and those who hunger for holiness. Luke describes one’s physical condition, those who are poor and hungry. Matthew gives us eight beatitudes, but as you just heard, Luke only mentions four, followed by four woes.
The first of his beatitudes would stun anybody living in relative comfort with a roof over their head. The notion of being poor to gain the kingdom of God makes little sense to anyone who isn’t poor. In fact, some of us may find the line repulsive if we aren’t poor.
In the fourth Eucharistic prayer is the line, “To the poor, he proclaimed the good news of salvation.” Years ago, a pastor shared with me an unsigned letter from an upset parishioner protesting, “Are you saying that those of us who are not poor aren’t saved?” Had the anonymous author given me a chance to respond, I would have replied, “That’s right!”
I would have then cited today’s gospel in which we heard Jesus say, “Blessed are you who are poor, for the kingdom of God is yours.” To reinforce his point, Jesus then adds, “But woe to you, who are rich, for you have received your consolation!” The woes are worth pondering if we are to better understand the beatitudes. Taken together they highlight economic, emotional and social injustices.
Jesus isn’t romanticizing poverty but he knows that wealth can be an obstacle for being in touch with God. Imagine Jesus saying to us here and now, “How lucky you are if you are not addicted to material things.” A classic substitute for God is material wealth or the accumulation of things. What we own consoles us. Like any drug, houses, property, and cars provide a joy when we first acquire them, but in due time, when the initial thrill wears off, more of the drug, whatever it is, must be acquired. Will the person who is addicted ever be satisfied with what he or she owns, much less care about those who are poor?
Jesus then continues, “Blessed are you who are weeping.” Again, that seems like such an odd claim until we consider the woe that Jesus provides, “Woe to you who laugh now, for you will grieve and weep.” In modern terms, he might say, “How lucky you are if you are not addicted to good feelings.” Face it, we live in a culture that puts a premium on good feelings and attempts to deny or medicate depression.
Feeling happy is just as much a false god as wealth or possessions or power. Feeling happy is an emotional state, a fleeting psychological condition that cannot possibly satisfy the deepest yearning of the soul, yet it is sought with as much compulsive frenzy as any other drug. We feel the rush of pleasure and then as the thrill subsides, we try to reproduce that good feeling at whatever the cost. To feel good, we pursue the addictive use of drugs, alcohol, food, or stimulants such as pornography, gambling or video games. When we hit rock bottom, we will grieve and weep, realizing that such a road will never fully satisfy us.
Jesus concludes his beatitudes with “Blessed are you when people hate you, when they exclude you and insult you and denounce you on account of the Son of Man.” This sounds like a rather dismal pronouncement, so unlike anything he would say, so what is Jesus getting at here? Is he wishing us to feel miserable for believing in him?
Like the previous beatitudes, Jesus is applauding those who find themselves living a spirit of detachment, rather than attachment. In this instance, imagine him saying, “How lucky you are if you are not addicted to the approval of others.” Status, attention, and fame are among the most powerful and cunning of the false gods who entice us. Many of us delighted in the praise that our parents and teachers offered because of our work. What motivates us now to do our best? Has your life become an unceasing quest for applause and approval in order to love yourself?
Often we find ourselves looking down two roads, deciding which one to take. The road less traveled is the one that leads us to God and lasting happiness. As we heard moments ago, blessed are they who hope in the Lord and follow not the counsel of the wicked nor the way of sinners for they are like trees planted near running water whose leaves never fade. Indeed, blessed are they who delight in the law of the Lord rather than their possessions, addictions or false gods. They know that the road they have taken has made all the difference in their lives and the lives of others whom they love.