Lk 6:20-26
Present to be reversed: In Luke, Jesus begins the sermon on the plain (comparable to Matthew’s sermon on the mount) with a set of four beatitudes and four woes.
Each beatitude begins with the word “blessed,” which identifies a person as being favored by God. One who is blessed shares in the characteristics of God.
A woe counterbalances each beatitude, expressing profound displeasure with people who are blinded by their present, fortunate situation and are not concerned about God’s kingdom. The woe declares that the present situation will be reversed in the future.
The poor are blessed because they trust in God now, and, therefore, belong to his kingdom. Those who hunger and weep and are persecuted are blessed because they have God now and in the future they will have the fullness of the kingdom. Those persons described in the woes are to be pitied because they trust in what they have now, and, consequently, they have nothing more in which to hope.