We live in a world with a great variety of individuals that often make up many different communities each and every one of us is apart of. Each and every person has been created different in God's eyes- and that in part is the beauty of his creation. But how often we allow our differences to turn us into a cruel group of people...people that judge each other, people that blame each other, people that say hurtful things about others. We are a people that often forget it could be us in that position that we criticize. I think today's reading speaks a great deal about this.

Luke 6:20-26
"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 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. 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".

While the beginning of this reading makes it very clear that those who struggle will have the day when the struggle will be over, that wasn't the part of the reading that I found hefty. The part I found to be beautiful and amazing is rejoicing on the day and leaping for joy when people are mean to you and speak lowly of you and make you feel like a lesser person. When our world is cruel, rejoice. You know, so often we hear how young students in high school have a high percentage of depression and suicide rates. Bullying has become a national issue in almost every school setting. When someone is telling you that you aren't good enough or aren't pretty enough or aren't smart enough, how do you stand up to them even more in today's society and say, "But its ok, I have the Lord God on my side." without being bullied even more for your beliefs when the belief in God has been pushed so far out of our society and from schools?

The last part of the reading, however, was where I found that answer. At first glance, it could read as a revengeful statement. But in fact, it isn't. It is speaking of how through all of our differences we are still human and will still all face similar struggles. It speaks volumes about how we judge each other. You may judge someone for being poor, but eventually that could be you. You could judge someone for being upset and chuckle at their loss and upset, but eventually at some point you too will cry and weep. The last statement is saying, be careful of how you judge others. It could be you.

We are all different- but we all experiences ups and downs, highs and lows, rough times and great times. It is our duty to each other to support each other through each of these times and uplift each other, not kick each other down. In a time of war, financial insecurity, and woe, why not try and find the positive and support each other? Because at the end of the day, that may be all we have left.