Archbishop Thabo Makgoba - Synod of Bishops: Third Homily
9 September 2009
Luke 6:20-26
20 Then Jesus looked up at his disciples and said: ‘Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God.
21 ‘Blessed are you who are hungry now, for you will be filled. ‘Blessed are you who weep now, for you will laugh. 22 ‘Blessed are you when people hate you, and when they exclude you, revile you, and defame you on account of the Son of Man. 23 Rejoice on that day and leap for joy, for surely your reward is great in heaven; for that is what their ancestors did to the prophets. 24 ‘But woe to you who are rich, for you have received your consolation. 25 ‘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. 26 ‘Woe to you when all speak well of you, for that is what their ancestors did to the false prophets. (NRSV)
In this passage, we read that the poor are blessed ‘because theirs is the kingdom of God’.
As liberation theology puts it, ‘God is “for” everybody, but he has a special option for the poor.’
