Ordinary 6 B C
Luke 6:17, 20-26
February 11, 2007
Fr. Carl McCarthy

Traveling by air today doesn’t carry the same prestige that it did years ago. Whether for work or play, many people fly routinely today. I am even surprised at how often I fly. Some months ago, in late November, I was sitting on a runway waiting for my flight to take off. It was not a good day to fly -- a stout wind was blowing and a steady, cold rain falling. As I sat buckled in my seat, reading the newspaper, we inched our way towards take off. The longer we sat on the tarmac, the bluer I became. I prayed for a break, for some light, for warmer weather.

Finally, the captain reported that we were cleared for take off. As the plane began to speed down the runway, we lifted off the ground. Quickly we climbed and gently turned towards the east, hitting a few bumps; we continued to climb and, within minutes, broke through the clouds into bright sunshine and pure blue skies. My spirits lifted!

As we went from that dismal day to the pure beauty above the clouds, I began to think how that “tarmac” represents the junk of life through which we desire to break, where we look for a ray of light in dark times. The Beatitudes that Jesus preached provide us with that ray of light. Jesus said, “The poor will be satisfied; the hungry will be filled; the weeping will laugh; the hated will be lifted up.” When I heard the Beatitudes as a child, I didn’t understand them. To me they seemed less than uplifting. I don’t know anyone who would choose to be poor, or hungry, or sad, or hated. I don’t know anyone who wants to be threatened with woe because they are rich, or well-fed, or laughing, or better off than someone else. To understand the Beatitudes, we must consider where Jesus had been before he preached this sermon on the plain. Before this, he had been on the mountain praying for guidance as he prepared to select the 12 disciples. Throughout scripture, mountains have been places to find God; remember the location of the Ten Commandments, the Transfiguration. Throughout his life, Jesus would retreat to the mountain to pray, to make decisions, to be close to his Father. There he could raise his thoughts above the plight of the world and find light.

As he came down from the mountain, he saw the crowd that had followed him. They followed him because they wanted to be lifted up from their misery and taken to a new place. We can only surmise that they were hungry, poor, thirsty, sick and marginalized.

When he came down from the mountain, Jesus put himself on the same plane with his followers. He stood eye-to-eye with them. He came into their lives and entered their misery. He offered them all that he had -his very self.

The Beatitudes help us see that not only should we take time to raise ourselves above the plight of the world, but we should also come back down and help alleviate its plight. Doing this means that we need to spend time on the mountain with God. Wherever your mountain is – whether it is at church, in a quiet place at home, or in nature – retreat to that mountain and pray to God, talk to God, and listen to God.

When we come down from our time with God, we will return to the plain where Jesus preached and gave to those waiting for him what he had -- his love and his life. On that mountain with God, we will be strengthened for our return to the “tarmac” of life, where we will face the challenges before us and be Christ for one another.