Mother Suzanne explores how Jesus's Beatitudes from Luke's "Sermon on the Plain" provide challenging yet practical instructions for disciples then and now. She illustrates how her church, Grace, embodies these teachings through their extensive food ministry that has distributed 3.75 million pounds of food to 77,000 people, partnering with local businesses and other churches to feed their hungry neighbors as a living example of the kingdom of God on earth.

THE GOSPEL                                                                                                                                                          Luke 6:17-26         

Jesus came down with the twelve apostles and stood on a level place, with a great crowd of his disciples and a great multitude of people from all Judea, Jerusalem, and the coast of Tyre and Sidon. They had come to hear him and to be healed of their diseases; and those who were troubled with unclean spirits were cured. And all in the crowd were trying to touch him, for power came out from him and healed all of them.

Then he 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."

Artwork: Jesus teaching crowds on a high plain, by William Brassey Hole (1846-1917)