‘Then he looked up at his disciples and said: ‘Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God.’ (Luke 6:20)’ (undefined)

Many of us reading this reflection come from a place of privilege, not all, but many of us. Still, we have to navigate our own complex responsibilities—family, work, finances, community…. We might measure ourselves and our success in terms of financial and material comfort. Jesus reminds us that true blessing lies not in worldly gain, but in our dependence on God and our solidarity with those who struggle.

The Beatitudes is not a condemnation of comfort, but a call to deeper compassion and courageous discipleship. It’s an invitation to live with open hands and open hearts and to be attentive to the poor in our midst. In society, we see a disdain and mistrust of the poor, but the scriptures and the Church teaches us there is favour on them, a ‘preferential love’ as the Catechism names it.

Luke was intentional when he wrote ‘looking up at his disciples,’ Jesus said ‘Blessed are you…’ Luke made it very clear to whom Jesus was speaking, and if we call ourselves disciples, followers of Jesus, it is to us he speaks today. In our society, where diversity and opportunity abound, we are uniquely placed to embody the Beatitudes in practical ways: through advocacy, hospitality, and a spirituality that lifts up the lowly.