Homily for Sunday, February 16, 2025

[Father Paul]

I came across a report from Oxfam, a well-known and respected development organization. The report is titled "Survival of the Richest" and was released on January 16th. You can view it here. Below are some interesting insights from the report:

"The richest 1 percent grabbed nearly two-thirds of all new wealth worth $42 trillion created since 2020, almost twice as much money as the bottom 99 percent of the world’s population," reveals a new Oxfam report today.

Billionaire fortunes are increasing by $2.7 billion a day, even as at least 1.7 billion workers now live in countries where inflation is outpacing wages.

Elon Musk, one of the world’s richest men, paid a “true tax rate” of about 3 percent between 2014 and 2018. In contrast, Christine, a flour vendor in Uganda, makes $80 a month and pays a tax rate of 40 percent.

A tax of up to 5 percent on the world’s multi-millionaires and billionaires could raise $1.7 trillion a year, enough to lift 2 billion people out of poverty.

As with all such reports, they should not be taken as dogmatic truths coming from on high, but they do encourage us to reflect on our world in some eye-opening ways.

One of my favourite homilies on the Beatitudes was written by a priest, Fr. John Bluett, who was also responding to the conditions and circumstances of the world about 15 years ago, just after the financial crisis and the collapse of Enron. He challenges us to consider the extent to which our financial world has somehow gone off the rails, allowing greed and corruption to inflict serious damage. To this end, he begins his homily by quoting Joan Demarchant, a Catholic writer for the National Catholic Reporter:

"Let's face it," she wrote, "if the Beatitudes were written to accurately reflect the predominant values of 21st-century America, they might read:

Blessed are the powerful, for they shall control others.

Blessed are the movers and shakers, for they shall make things happen.

Blessed are the strong, the young, and the beautiful, for they shall be greatly admired.

Blessed are those of white, European descent, for they shall inherit the earth.

Blessed are the winners, for they shall be praised and applauded.

Blessed are the affluent, for they shall have what they need (and also everything that they want).

Blessed are the Americans, for they shall live in God's one and only beloved country.

Blessed are those in authority, for they shall possess all power and truth."

These values are being questioned today. In Jesus' day, He also faced a values crisis of sorts, with the Roman occupation of Israel and the corruption of the religious leaders of His time. Yet Jesus' response in the Beatitudes is so encouraging, especially to those striving to live honest, wholesome lives. Fr. Bluett has rewritten the Beatitudes of Jesus to reflect His encouragement for those living today and facing the trials and tribulations of a world that does not always adhere to wholesome, biblical values. I quote his recasting of the Beatitudes in its entirety:

"Everyone can try to put themselves into this picture: Jesus pulls up a metal folding chair in the parish hall or takes a seat on the couch in the living room and begins to teach:

If you are struggling to pay the bills, but insist on making time to be with your children whenever they need you, blessed are you -- you may never own the big vacation home and the fanciest car, but heaven will be yours.

If you are overwhelmed by the care of a dying spouse, a sick child, or an elderly parent, but you are determined to spend precious time easing their journey for them, blessed are you -- one day your sorrow will be transformed into joy.

If you willingly give your time to cook at a soup kitchen, vacuum the church, or help in a classroom, if you befriend the uncool, the unpopular, the perpetually lost, blessed are you -- count God among your friends and biggest boosters.

If you refuse to take shortcuts when it comes to doing what is right, if you refuse to compromise your integrity and ethics, if you refuse to take refuge in the rationalization that 'everybody does it,' blessed are you -- you will triumph.

If you try to understand things from the perspective of the other person, and you always manage to find a way to make things work for the good, if you're feeling discouraged and frustrated because you are always worrying, always waiting, always bending over backward, always paying the price for loving the unlovable and forgiving the undeserving, blessed are you -- God will welcome, forgive and love you.

If you struggle to discover what God asks of you in all things; if you seek God's presence in every facet of your life and every decision you make; if your constant prayer is not 'give me' but rather 'help me,' blessed are you -- God will always be there for you.

If you readily spend time listening and consoling anyone who looks to you for support, for guidance, for compassion; if you manage to heal wounds and build bridges; if others see in you graciousness, joy and serenity,; if you can see the good in everyone and seek the good for everyone, blessed are you - you are nothing less than God's own.

If you are rejected or demeaned because of the colour of your skin, or your accent, or the sound of your name; if your faith in what is holy by whatever name you call it, automatically puts you at odds with some people, if you refuse to compromise to 'get along' or 'not make waves,' blessed are you -- one day you will live with God.

'Rejoice and be glad,' Jesus tells those who had gathered, just as he tells every one of us today. 'Rejoice and be glad,' you are the blessed of God. In the end, heaven is yours."