“Cats are connoisseurs of comfort.” James Herriot

Looking at his disciples, he said: “Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God. Blessed are you who hunger now, for you will be satisfied. Blessed are you who weep now, for you will laugh. Blessed are you when people hate you, when they exclude you and insult you and reject your name as evil, because of the Son of Man. “Rejoice in that day and leap for joy, because great is your reward in heaven. For that is how their ancestors treated the prophets. “But woe to you who are rich, for you have already received your comfort. Woe to you who are well fed now, for you will go hungry. Woe to you who laugh now, for you will mourn and weep. Woe to you when everyone speaks well of you, for that is how their ancestors treated the false prophets.” Luke 6:20-26

James Herriot, aka James Alfred Wright was a British veterinary surgeon and writer, who used his many years of experiences as a veterinary surgeon to write a series of books – including All Creatures Great and Small, and If Only They Could Talk, and All Things Bright and Beautiful, just to name a few. His books were often written about animals and their humans. One commentary wrote the following about Wright and his books: “Wight was just as interested in their owners as he was in his patients and his writing is, at root, an amiable but keen comment on the human condition. The Yorkshire (England) animals provide the elements of pain and drama; the role of their owners is to feel and express joy, sadness, and, sometimes, triumph.

Animals do bring people comfort, if not joy. And when they are suffering, we often suffer with them. This is the same position that Jesus spoke from when he delivered his Sermon on the Plain in Luke’s Gospel. If you read his blessings closely, you see how they differ from the blessings in Matthew’s Gospel. Where Matthew says “Blessed are the poor in Spirit”, Luke’s Jesus pronounces blessings on “Those who are poor”. And where Matthew’s Jesus pronounces blessings on those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, Luke’s Jesus blesses “those who are hungry now.” But that is not all. Where Matthew does not proclaim any woes spoken by Jesus, Luke does. Jesus will say “But woe to you who are rich, for you have already received your comfort. Woe to you who are well fed now, for you will go hungry. Woe to you who laugh now, for you will mourn and weep.”

The juxtaposition of the Blessings against the Woes is jolting – but purposeful. In Luke’s Gospel, Jesus specifically reaches out and ministers to the last, lost, least and little of first century Palestine people. Not that Jesus does not minister to the poor and dispossessed in the other Gospels, but the emphasis for Luke is to show how deeply compassionate Jesus was — caring for the poor, the oppressed, and the marginalized of that culture, such as Samaritans, Gentiles, and women. Matthew’s Gospel traces the genealogy of Jesus back to Abraham, Luke, the historian, traces Jesus’ lineage back to Adam – the parent of all.

Again and again, Jesus ministers to women, who were seen as second-class citizens in the first century. Jesus’ ministry was for all, especially for those who were rejected or cast out of the community. We will do all we can to make sure our pets are comfortable. Jesus reminds us that we should do the same for those who are poor, outcast, and separated from their communities.

Pastor Dave