In today’s gospel our suffering is acknowledged and comfort and recompense are promised. Life can certainly be hard. We do mourn. I know that for sure. It can be a hard world. But we are told that this suffering will not last forever. Those who are suffering now will not suffer forever. We are told that we will have reward. And we are told that we who suffer are already blessed.

In the Gospel Jesus says that the poor are blessed, and they will have their reward in heaven. But woe to the rich who have their consolation here already. But I guess poor people can be selfish or angry or untruthful as much as the rich can. I think the point is in the choice of spiritual path. Those who have chosen to be poor, perhaps by being generous and charitable will have their reward in heaven for those choices. Those who choose hunger by sharing their food are blessed. Those who suffer because they follow Jesus, those who are persecuted because of their spiritual path, will get their reward in heaven. But those who are selfish and greedy – who are rich but do not share their wealth with those in need, those who eat and drink in excess while others starve at their door, who indulge with no compassion, woe to them. They laugh at others’ misfortunes, but they will not have salvation who have no compassion.

It’s not necessarily about circumstances. Being born poor or being born rich will not determine whether you get to heaven or not. A poor person could still end up in Hell or a rich one in heaven based on choices. The rich person who is greedy, selfish and ruthless is not going to find salvation, but the charitable one might. Whoever puts away what is evil, angry, and selfish and chooses to live a charitable compassionate life will find salvation in the next.