This Sunday I am back in the Collingbournes; you will be very welcome to join me at 9.30am at St Mary’s Collingbourne Kingston for Holy Communion, or at 11am at St Andrew’s Collingbourne Ducis for a Family Service.

My current ‘guilty pleasure’ is Netflix’ Rich House Poor House In this reality TV programme ‘two families ‘Two households from opposite ends of the wealth and class divide swap homes for seven days to discover whether money really does buy happiness’. I guess we are somewhere in the middle, although closer to those who count every penny than those who enjoy a champagne lifestyle. Of course, behind every family, regardless of wealth is a story to be told, and each has their own aspirations and dreams, which is what makes it all so watchable. The big reveal comes at the beginning of the programme when each family discovers how much money they have to live off for the rest of the week having swapped budgets.

This week’s gospel reading comes from the Gospel of Luke and is often referred to as ‘The Beatitudes’, originating from the Latin term ‘beatus’ meaning happy or fortunate. In his teaching Jesus turns everything on its head: blessings were believed to come from God, blessings such as wealth and happiness and healthy families, but Jesus now says that it is the poor who will be blessed.

It is a tricky passage to wrap your head around, and yet it is well known and much loved.

Blessed are you who are poor,
   for yours is the kingdom of God.
Blessed are you who are hungry now,
   for you will be filled.
Blessed are you who weep now,
   for you will laugh.

Perhaps it helps if we look at who these words are aimed at. Jesus has been surrounded by a great crowd of his disciples, not just ‘the twelve’ but all those who had been persuaded in their heart of hearts that Jesus is the teacher they want to follow both physically and spiritually. There is also a great multitude of people from near and far, from Judea, and Jerusalem, and the coast of Tyre and Sidon, and these people had come from places of poverty. Amongst the masses were people who were riddled with disease and troubled by with unclean spirits, and as they reached out to touch Jesus they were healed.

These disciples and followers of Jesus were poor, and hungry, and full of sorrow. Their infirmities plagued them with physical and mental pain and left them ostracised from family and friends. In no way would these people have been considered as blessed, these are the types of people who would have been sneered at and accused of having acted sinfully in order for God to curse them in such a way; but Jesus says ‘no’.

The religiously pure, the leaders, those who would have been considered most blessed, have kept their distance from Jesus, except to entrap him and accuse him of blasphemy. They would not recognise their own spiritual poverty and even if they did wouldn’t have been able to lower themselves to enter so subserviently into Jesus’ presence, and yet these others come to Jesus where he has been preaching on a mountainside (in other gospels this passage is referred to as the Sermon on the Mount), and Jesus comes and stands among them ‘on a level place’ (Verse 17). Jesus and his disciples and other followers are stood on equal ground, God is with the people, and from here the masses are able to get so close to Jesus that they are healed simply by touching him. Jesus stands in their way in order to bless them.

Jesus blesses the people with healing and wholeness, blesses those who have been excluded and reviled, and promises them so much more in heaven.

But if these are the people who are to be blessed by Jesus’ presence now and in the times to come, what happens to those who already hold themselves as the blessed ones? Those with status, those who are listened to and whose rules are adhered to? Jesus doesn’t quite use the word ‘curse’ which would be the natural antonym to ‘bless’, but he does call out those are rich, well fed, and able to live lives full of laughter with the warning ‘woe to you.’

Woe to you who have all you need, and more, because there is nothing left that you need or desire. Nothing that will bring you on your knees to God. You who are self-sufficient and self-satisfied will never know the joy of Jesus bringing hope and healing. How can you bless someone who has already blessed themselves?

For those who are happy, wealthy, and well, this is a challenging passage. Are there no blessings left for me? Only you can answer that. Will you seek Jesus in the obscure places? Will you praise and honour God when riches and awards come your way or will you keep the glory for yourself? John Lennon famously said of the Beatles,

We’re more popular than Jesus now.

True worship, true discipleship places Jesus first, finding humility within our faith. The Netflix show sought to discover whether money really can make you happy, according to Jesus, maybe not. If we look at the world’s richest and most powerful people, it is clear that there is much they could learn from Jesus’ teaching. But then perhaps we all could do with a little more humility, and a lot more reaching out to Jesus with our weaknesses.

You can read the gospel passage here.