Message: Like Mom's Food / Luke 6:17-26
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.
One of my favourite Korean TV shows was "Infinite Challenge," which aired from 2005 to 2018. It featured a group of seven comedians taking on different challenges, bringing both laughter and heartfelt moments. A particularly memorable episode of the show was called "Delivery Challenge." The goal was to bring meaningful food from home to someone living abroad. One request came from the family of a Korean man serving as the chief security officer for the president of Gabon in Africa. They wanted him to receive a meal prepared by his mother.
One of the show's hosts visited the man's mother, who carefully prepared several homemade dishes, thoughtfully packed for delivery. The main dish was "Mandu-Guk"—a dumpling soup. The host took the time to learn how to cook the soup using the dumplings she had made, ensuring it would be served just as she intended.
After more than 46 hours, the TV crew arrived in Gabon. They prepared a meal to serve when the man returned from work. He had no idea that his mother's cooking was being delivered. The team simply told him they were there to share a Korean meal with hardworking people living abroad. He welcomed them warmly and began eating the meal they had prepared.
The moment he took his first bite of the dumpling soup, he said it was delicious. After a few more bites, he said it reminded him of his mother. Then, the host finally revealed the truth: every dish on the table had been prepared by his mother and sent with love from Korea. The man was stunned. Then, he started to cry. This strong man, the chief bodyguard of a nation's leader, was brought to tears by the simple taste of his mother’s cooking. His tears did not stop for some time. After reading a heartfelt letter from his mother, he turned to the team and said one word in a quiet but deeply moving voice: “Thank you.”
As I share this story, I am mindful that not everyone has good memories of their mother or childhood home. Some have experienced pain and hardship in their families. I am also aware of the risk that this may appear to justify patriarchy or ignore families with only fathers. But that is not what I intended. Most of us have a “comfort food” that brings a sense of nostalgia, care, warmth, and healing. In today’s message, when I speak about “mom’s food,” I invite you to see it as a metaphor for that kind of food that reminds us of love, belonging, and hope.
Mom’s food brings us back to moments when we felt loved and cared for. It invites us to a long-forgotten table where we once sat as cherished children. It reminds us of a time when we were accepted - not for our achievements, but simply for who we were. Mom’s food gives us the strength to face life’s challenges: it is medicine when we are sick, comfort when we are sad, and energy when we are exhausted. Sometimes, Mom’s food is like a voice calling us home when we have lost our way.
In many ways, Jesus’ ministry was like a mom’s food. Our Gospel reading today shows this clearly. When Jesus began his work in Galilee, he quickly became well-known because those who had lost hope found new life in him. Most importantly, his healing ministry was a tangible reminder of God’s love.
In Jesus’ time, people who were sick in body, mind, or spirit were often pushed away by their communities. Some were even forced to live outside their towns. So when Jesus healed them, he was not just making them well: he was restoring their place in their communities. When the world shut them out, Jesus welcomed all of them - no matter who they were.
Along with healing people, Jesus also shared the Gospel. In today's text, he spoke to the crowd about blessings and woes. First, Jesus declares that the poor, the hungry, the weeping, and the persecuted are blessed. Here, Jesus is not talking about spiritual poverty but economic poverty. This message is different from the Beatitudes in Matthew. Throughout Luke’s Gospel, God’s care for the poor is a central theme.
The Hebrew Bible uses seven different words to describe “the poor”, reflecting its complexity. The Anchor Yale Bible Dictionary classifies these as follows: the beggarly poor (ʾebyôn), the poor peasant farmer (dal), the lazy poor (maḥsôr), those for whom poverty is better (miskēn), political and economic Inferiority (rāš), the injustice of oppression (ʿānı̂), a political movement of the pious poor (ʿănāwı̂m). This variety shows that poverty is not always the result of personal failure; it can also be the result of an unjust system that continues to disadvantage the vulnerable.
Luke’s Gospel highlights poverty caused by injustice and oppression. In Jesus’ time, many were poor not because they were lazy, but because of heavy taxes and exploitation under the Roman Empire. Resisting such injustice meant choosing poverty over corruption. Wealth, on the other hand, was often gained by working for Rome or becoming a bandit—both taking advantage of others.
Jesus blessed those who remained faithful in poverty, refusing to exploit others for their gain. His words were like a mom’s food—reminding them of a truth they might have forgotten: their poverty was not a sign of failure but of faith. He invited them to remember that they were God’s beloved children and God never forgot them.
Jesus’ ministry and teaching led fishermen like Peter, James, and John to become his disciples. At that time, fishermen were among the poor, struggling under various taxes. They had to pay taxes on the fish they caught, on their boats and fishing tools, and for the fish rights: sometimes more than 50% of their income went to taxes (John S. Kloppengborg, “Jesus Fishermen and Tax Collectors: Papyrology and the Construction of the Ancient Economy of Roman Palestine,” 2018). Some scholars argue that their taxes were relatively lower than others and that their income from fishing was decent, making their situation somewhat better. However, this view comes from those who have never experienced the oppression of colonial rule. Under the empire’s control, people suffered not only from financial hardship but also from spiritual and mental burdens, which led them to spend much of their money on addictions in an attempt to escape harsh realities.
On the other hand, Jesus warned against the rich and those who spoke like false prophets, blinding people to the truth and supporting the evil systems in place. Throughout history, there have been those who claim that hard work and positive thinking will definitely lead to success. This blind optimism is often welcomed, as seen in the popularity of self-help books over books on social justice today. However, this is not the Christian hope. We know that reality is not always beautiful, and humanity is not always good. We recognize that we need to embrace different seasons in life, and sometimes, God's timing is beyond our understanding. Nevertheless, what we believe is that under any circumstances, God is with us. This is the root of Christian hope, which gives us the strength to become better.
What’s important is that Jesus’ words were also like a mother’s food to the rich and false prophets. As they heard the gospel of Christ, some turned away from sin and returned to God. Jesus’ voice helped them remember that all people are made in God’s image. No matter how wicked someone may be, there is something good within them that allows them to live as true humans. Even if they try to ignore it, they can never forget this truth. Jesus was the one who reminded people of this truth, leading to real transformation.
For this reason, tax collectors like Levi gave up everything to follow Jesus. At that time, tax collectors were notorious for getting rich by exploiting their own people. But Jesus did not abandon them. He was criticized for being friends with sinners like tax collectors, but he did not mind. What mattered to Jesus was finding the lost and bringing them back into God’s love.
Jesus calls us to do the same. We are called to share the Gospel with our words and actions, to comfort those who are suffering and to help those who are doing wrong change their ways. Like a mom’s food, our ministry needs to nourish, heal, and open people’s eyes to the truth. Wherever there is poverty, exclusion, or injustice, we are called to stand with the forgotten and speak the truth where there is silence.
So, let us begin by being there for those who are hurting. A small act of kindness—like sharing a meal, writing a letter, or simply listening—can remind someone they are not alone. Love is often shown through these simple gestures. Just like a mother’s food shows care, our compassion can bring healing and strength to those in pain and despair. Let us make our congregation and our lives a place where everyone feels embraced.
As we move forward, may we carry the spirit of Jesus’ message—the spirit of a mom’s food. May we feed those hungry for love, bring healing to the broken, and remind everyone that they are beloved by God.
Thanks be to God. Amen.
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