Please read the passage before the homily.
Both Luke and Matthew have a set of beatitudes. Matthew situates them on a mountain and Luke puts them on a level plain. Matthew has Jesus say, “Blessed are they”, while Luke has Jesus say, “Blessed are you.” Since Matthew and Luke were writing for different audiences, they reported the Beatitudes differently.
Luke’s people were poorer than Matthew’s. Luke, therefore, was addressing poor people. Their poverty, Luke wants them to know, was enough reason to receive God’s blessing.
It is easier for you (and me) to hear third-person criticisms than to have criticism directed to you and me. When you (and I) hear people described as doing bad things, you (and I) can readily agree that they should not be doing those bad things. On the other hand, when you (and I) are accused of doing bad things, we have no wiggle room.
Half of you (and me), you know, voted for the wrong candidate in November; the other half of you voted for the other wrong candidate. Now you (and I) are not speaking to each other. You (and I) are all disciples of Jesus and Jesus says to you, that if you (and I) only talk to those who agree with you (and me), you (and I) are doing no more than the other people are doing; but if you (and I) speak to the other side, you (and I) are doing what Jesus did.
If we make a fist, we cannot shake hands. If we are filled with anger or hatred, we have no room for love and compassion. If you (and I) give up our prized gift of selfishness, then you (and I) are open to receiving mercy, peace, and love. So long as you (and I) are filled with self, you (and I) cannot receive other gifts. When we are full of self, we have locked the door to keep out God and all other things. Blessed are you (and I) the poor.