Learning from blessings & woes

 Jesus looked up at his disciples and said:
“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.
“Blessed are you when people hate you, and when they exclude you, revile you, and defame you on account of the Son of Man. Rejoice in that day and leap for joy, for surely your reward is great in heaven; for that is what their ancestors did to the prophets."
"But woe to you who are rich,
for you have received your consolation.
"Woe to you who are full now,
for you will be hungry.
"Woe to you who are laughing now,
for you will mourn and weep.
"Woe to you when all speak well of you, for that is what their ancestors did to the false prophets.

But I say to you that listen, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you. If anyone strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also; and from anyone who takes away your coat do not withhold even your shirt. Give to everyone who begs from you; and if anyone takes away your goods, do not ask for them again. Do to others as you would have them do to you. — Luke 6:20-31

Dear St. Augustine's 'ohana,
As we gather to celebrate All Saints Sunday, we'll hear the Beatitudes from the Gospel of Luke. When we hear this passage, our first impulse might be to sort ourselves into categories: Which one am I? Am I among the poor or the rich? Am I one who weeps or one who laughs? Have I known hunger or fullness? To which group do I belong: "blessed are you" or "woe to you"? In the context of a competitive society, we spend so much time identifying the winners and losers.

But perhaps that’s not the point of Jesus' words in this passage. Perhaps we are invited to hear the Beatitudes as a list of human experiences rather than identity-defining characteristics. Each of us experience both blessings and woes because we are human.

What may first appear to be a list dividing the blessed from the cursed is actually a portrait of the whole human condition. We are at once full and hungry, joyful and grieving, honored and rejected. The blessings and the woes belong together. They are not opposites—they are facets of our shared humanity.

The Beatitudes are not a checklist for worthiness. They remind us that in every circumstance—joy or sorrow, gain or loss—God is present. The Divine current moves through all of it. The list does not divide us into good people and bad people. The Beatitudes unify us, helping us consider the vast range of human experiences and hold compassion and love for all.

Jesus makes this clear in what he says next: “But I say to you that listen, love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you.” The heart of the passage lives in these simple instructions, which invite us into compassion.

So as we celebrate the saints this weekend, we can ask God to guide us as God guides the saints who have gone before us, those living among us, and those yet to come. It's good to remember that "saints" are not perfect people. They are ordinary human beings who choose, again and again, to return to love. They practice kindness when it is difficult. They forgive when it seems impossible. They treat others not as judged by human standards, but as God sees them through the lens of divine love.

We can follow in the saints' footsteps! It’s simple but requires mindful attention and lots of practice. Treat people with kindness. Share love freely. Focus on what really matters for the good of the whole. This is where transformation begins: in meeting judgment with compassion; in meeting hatred with mercy; in meeting fear with love.

The realm of God is not a faraway reward for the worthy. It is what we step into when we live as though love is the truest thing about us—because it is.
Blessings,
Vicar Jennifer

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