Monday, June 10, 2024

Monday of the Tenth Week in Ordinary Time

(I Kings 17:1-5; Matthew 5:1-12)

Jesus, as successful teachers usually do, first presents the goals of the course he is about to give.  In this case, they are the beatitudes or blessings of the Kingdom.  Those who follow his course will experience the glory of God.  They will have to exert themselves, but he promises that they won’t regret the effort.

The beatitudes prescribe basic attitudes or dispositions more than specific acts.  One must be “poor in spirit” by looking to the Lord first and foremost to provide one’s needs.  Similarly, one must live ready to forgive and reconcile differences to be considered a “peacemaker.”

Sometimes the beatitudes are considered the exclusive property of saints.  They certainly require the gifts of the Holy Spirit.  But he is given in the sacraments so that we might become saints.

Monday, June 7, 2021

 Monday of the Tenth Week in Ordinary Time

(II Corinthians 1:1-7; Matthew 5:1-12)

In the Gospel of Matthew Jesus regularly speaks as a teacher.  Scholars find the body of the gospel composed of five thematic discourses, each followed by hands-on ministry.  By contrast, Luke portrays Jesus primarily as a charismatic prophet capable of moving his listeners with dramatic language.  The beatitudes, found in today’s passage, are also relayed in the sixth chapter of the Gospel of Luke.  The differences between the evangelists’ perspectives are seen by comparing the two passages.

In Matthew Jesus directs himself to his disciples.  He talks about the poor, the mournful, the hungry and thirsty dispassionately as everyone living a devout life.  He does not mean that they are literally poor or hungry.  Rather by spiritualizing some of the deprivations (“’the poor in spirit’” and “’they who hunger and thirst for righteousness’”), he includes all religiously virtuous people.  Jesus in Luke, on the other hand, speaks to his disciples as those who suffer physical want.  He tells them, “’Blessed are you who are poor’” and “’Blessed are you who are now hungry.’” After all, they follow Jesus who, again in Luke’s gospel, has “nowhere to lay his head.”  But they are also “blessed” because the Kingdom of God has arrived to meet their needs.

Most scholars recognize that Luke’s portrayal of the sermon is closer to how Jesus actually sounded.  But Matthew’s spiritual formulation is helpful to many of us.  It assures us that we are included in the kingdom even if we have an income and food in the refrigerator.  But inclusion in the kingdom does not exclude us from challenge.  Like virtuous poor people, we are to thank God for what we have and to share our largesse with the needy.

Sunday, November 1, 2020

 THE SOLEMNITY OF ALL SAINTS, November 1, 2020

(Revelation 7: 2-4.9-14; I John 3: 1-3; Matthew 5: 1-12)

Twelve years ago, an American writer published an essay about his relative, an Italian priest. The author was almost ecstatic that his grandfather's cousin was named as a saint of the Church. He said that knowing that his cousin was a saint has made him a better man. He credited Pope St. John Paul II with facilitating the canonization of many saints like his cousin. In fact, this pope canonized more people as saints than all of his predecessors combined.

Saint John Paul II believed that the people need saints as models for their lives. He recognized how the Second Vatican Council called all the faithful of the church to holiness. Therefore, he exhorted people not to think of the saints as "unusual heroes" of holiness. He said that there are many paths to holiness so that every person can achieve it.

On today’s feast we celebrate all the men and women who have passed through these roads at the same time accessible and not much taken. We take into account canonized saints like Saint Gaetano Catanoso, the Italian priest and cousin of the American author. We also remember Saints Louis and Zelie Martin, a French couple and parents of Saint Teresa of the Child Jesus. Although they are canonized, we may not find their names on our parish calendars.

We also celebrate today many saints that Rome not even knows. They are the people who have walked their paths to holiness in relative obscurity. Possibly all of us have known at least one person who if he was not helping others, was praying for them. He may be the man who stopped by the parish every day to do the maintenance without asking for anything in return. He was such a trustworthy person that everyone from the pastor to the newest parishioners saw him as a friend. Or it may be the judge who comes to the noon mass from his courtroom in which he is known as a wise and just arbiter.

The Beatitudes trace eight paths to holiness. They all have the undertone of humility. The saint does not insist on having his way but always submits to the will of God. The poor in spirit do not seek wealth or fame but look to God as their reward. Those who hunger and thirst for justice do not plot to obtain their well-being but rather strive to do what God expects of them. The pure in heart have no other motive other than the desire to do God's will. To be holy is to leave the race to be admired by others in order to give glory to God through acts of love.

We like to see children in costumes on Halloween, the vigil of All Saints' Day. Some wear the clothes of a queen. Others dress like cowboys or Goldilocks. The lazy appear may come as hobos. That’s all right too. All these characters and many others besides are welcomed among the saints as long as they submit to the will of God. Saints are those who have submitted to God’s will.

Monday, June 8, 2020

Monday of the Tenth Week in Ordinary Time

(I Kings 17:1-6; Matthew 5:1-12)

Protesters are yelling in the street.  The mayor has imposed a curfew to maintain order.  Everyone feels disgusted with the police brutality of two weeks ago.  But most people do not want to have the injustice compounded by riots, burning, and looting.  How would Jesus have responded to such a situation?  Today’s gospel offers some clues.

The passage relates the beatitudes which describe the saintly life.  They promote patience and forbearance in face of persecution. However, they do not criticize the defense of human rights.  Rather they indicate the need for Christians to suffer for what they believe to be just.  They abhor violence and exhort peaceful ways to resolve problems of persecution.

We cannot expect that everyone will follow Jesus’ program for saintliness. Nevertheless, we have to follow him as are model and surest guide.  He will not fail us but make us sources of blessing in our communities.  We will also find our society improving, perhaps incrementally but surely.  There may be steps backward at times, but generally we will feel the improvement.

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Monday, June 6, 2016

Monday of the Tenth Week in Ordinary Time

(II Corinthians 1:1-7; Matthew 5:1-12)

It was said that Fr. John Powell, S.J., could keep a church basement full of people sitting on metal chairs attentive to his talk for two hours.  The marvelous communicator wrote about Jesus’ beatitudes as the “Be Attitudes” -- dispositions that promised the fullness of being human.  We hear them today as the first lesson from Matthew’s gospel which will be read on weekdays until September.

Although most enumerations give only eight beatitudes in Matthew’s Sermon on the Mount, there are actually nine.  The first four (blessed are the poor in spirit, the mournful, the meek, and those desiring righteousness) speak of passive attitudes necessary to align one with God.  The second four (the merciful, the clean of heart, peacemakers, and those who suffer persecution) indicate one’s actively carrying out the divine will.  The long ninth beatitude reiterates what is said in the previous one but gives a new motive for behaving righteously, Jesus himself.  It conveys Matthew’s belief that the Kingdom of God has arrived in Jesus.

The beatitudes are so countercultural that most people do not understand them, let alone imitate them.  They rile, for example, at the thought of being “poor in spirit.”  This does not mean that we should have a negative attitude, but that we should live first and foremost for God and not for ourselves.  Jesus is saying that when we live by such faith, we end with abundance not deprivation.

Monday, June 9, 2014

Monday of the Tenth Week in Ordinary Time

(I Kings 17:1-6; Matthew 5:1-12)

Today we return to Ordinary Time after almost a quarter of a year contemplating the Easter mystery.  We say ordinary as if we expect nothing unusual to happen except, of course, perhaps a change of venue for a while during the summer and perhaps the celebration of our birthday.  But that is not what “Ordinary Time” in the liturgical sense is all about.  Now is the time to encounter the Lord Jesus; it is the time to work out our salvation.  Ordinary is meant to signal the order of weeks – one following another – on one day of which we will find our salvation.

Today’s gospel indicates how the experience will affect us.  When we come to know the Lord, we will act like him.  We will live “poor in spirit,” that is completely at God’s disposition not calculating on securing dividends for ourselves.  We will mourn our sins and meekly confess them so to breathe freely again.  But we will show understanding, even mercy for fellow sinners.  The drive for power and pleasure will not sully our hearts.  Quite the contrary, we will pursue justice in all our dealings with others.  Our motive like St. Francis’ will be to reconcile differences so that the world may have peace.  Even if it means suffering persecution, we will not shirk from doing what God wants of us.

Monday, June 10, 2013

Monday of the Tenth Week in Ordinary Time

(II Corinthians 1:1-7; Matthew 5:1-12)

It was said that Fr. John Powell, S.J., could keep a church basement full of people sitting on metal chairs attentive to his talk for two hours.  The marvelous communicator wrote about Jesus’ beatitudes as the “Be Attitudes” -- dispositions that promised the fullness of life.  We hear them in context today as the first installment from Matthew’s gospel which will be read on weekdays for most of the summer (or winter in the Southern Hemisphere).

Although catechisms sometimes list only eight beatitudes in Matthew, there are actually nine.  The first four (blessed are the poor in spirit, the mournful, the meek, and those desiring righteousness) speak of passive attitudes necessary to align one with God.  The second four (the merciful, the clean of heart, peacemakers, and those who suffer persecution) indicate one’s actively carrying out the divine will.  The long ninth beatitude reiterates what is said in the previous one but gives it a new purpose, Jesus himself.  It conveys Matthew’s belief that the kingdom of God has arrived in Jesus.

The beatitudes are so countercultural that most people do not understand them, let alone want to imitate them.  They rile at the thought of being “poor in spirit.”  This does not mean that we should have a negative attitude, but that we should trust in God as those without resources are inclined to do.  The irony that Jesus intends to convey is that when we live by such faith, we end up rewarded and not deprived.

Monday, June 7, 2010

Monday of the Tenth Week in Ordinary Time

(I Kings 17:1-5; Matthew 5:1-12)

A recent photograph of Pope Benedict captures some of the drama in today’s gospel. The picture shows the pope looking out from a window of the Vatican over a crowd of 120,000 people. All eyes are on him just as the gathering before Jesus on the mountain give him its complete attention. He sits down not to relax but to indicate his authority as a judge today always sits in her courtroom. The words he utters are intended for his disciples standing before him, but the crowd is by no means excluded from hearing his message. Indeed, just as his words will begin to form his disciples, who have only recently been called, so they will arouse the interest of the vast assembly.

We are familiar with the content of Jesus’ address. We call the segment given today “the beatitudes,” a word meaning “blessings.” Jesus is telling the people what it is like to be his disciples. To us it does not sound like fun to be “poor in spirit,” in mourning, or “persecuted for the sake of righteousness.” But Jesus not only insists that such conditions are blessed when experienced in his company; he actually names the blessings. His followers are in possession of the kingdom and comforted by the king. In his book Jesus of Nazareth, Pope Benedict offers an example of a disciple testifying to the glory received under the duress of following Jesus. St. Paul writes the Corinthians of his hardships: “We are afflicted in every way, but not constrained; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying about in the body the dying of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our body” (II Cor 4:8-10).

Homilette for Monday, June 9, 2008

Monday of the Tenth Week in Ordinary Time

(Matthew 5:1-12)

Recently British economist Paul Collier published The Bottom Billion. The book reports that the poorest countries in the world lie almost exclusively in sub-Saharan Africa. It also says that poverty there is not hopeless. Prosperous nations only take off their sunglasses and roll up their sleeves. “Take off their sunglasses” means that people rid themselves of prejudices blinding them to the causes of poverty in government corruption and internal conflict. “Roll up their sleeves” indicates that foreign countries can lend a hand in overcoming these problems.

Jesus addresses poverty in the beatitudes. As recounted in the Gospel of Luke, he proclaims the end of poverty with the coming of the Kingdom of God. “Blessed are you who are poor,” he says, and, “Blessed are you who are now hungry.” We hear the beatitudes of Matthew in the gospel today. Like Luke’s, they announce the coming of the Kingdom. However, they are more concerned with agency of change than the end product. Jesus looks to his disciples as practitioners of righteousness, peacemakers, etc. to bring about the necessary reversals.

In his book Mr. Collier includes actions of righteousness and peacemaking. He suggests imposing international performance standards on governments to halt corruption. He also recommends military intervention when local militias persecute innocent people. Measures like these seem to compromise the Christian values of respecting local autonomy and, especially, of practicing non-violence. However, they also appear quite in line with the promise of the Kingdom.