Sunday, February 1, 2026

 FOURTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME

(Zephaniah 2:3, 3:12-13; 1 Corinthians 1:26-31; Matthew 5:1-12a)

Today's Gospel records the beginning of the most famous discourse in history. As a work of rhetoric and as an outline for a worthwhile life, the Sermon on the Mount is unparalleled. The opening is renowned in itself. The Beatitudes paint a portrait of the perfect disciple whose destiny is none other than the Kingdom of God. Jesus is considered wise for placing the reward first, before mentioning the associated sacrifices.

The reading begins with Jesus taking a seat on a mountain. The mountain represents the pantheon of gods among whom Jesus, the “Son of God,” has a place. His disciples stand near him, and behind them, the crowd. Jesus proclaims, “Blessed…” or “Happy,” to nine kinds of people. Each member of these groups deserves eternal life for having lived the justice of the Kingdom.

The first group mentioned is “the poor in spirit.” They live dependent on God in life and in death, not on their own resources or the help of men. They are not lazy, and much less presumptuous. They simply recognize that the goal of life lies in God, not in material things. This characteristic is often found in the economically poor, but even the rich can entrust their lives to God. Saint Bridget of Sweden and Saint Elizabeth of Hungary were queens of nations who, as soon as they could, shared their wealth with the needy.

“Those who mourn” weep for their own sins or for the way evil has taken root in the world. With tears in his eyes Saint Dominic cried out: “What will become of sinners?” Of course, those who mourn are simply imitating Jesus weeping at the entrance to Jerusalem (Luke 19:41). In fact, Jesus is the model for each of the Beatitudes.

“The meek” do not insist on their own agendas but accept God’s inscrutable designs. Bobby Jones was one of the greatest golfers in history. When he became so infirm that he could no longer compete, he was asked if he resented what had happened to him. No, he said, “…in golf as in life, you have to play the ball where it lies.” Jesus promises that the suffering “will inherit the earth.”  But he is not referring to any worldly property but to the Kingdom of God.

In its list of beatitudes, the Gospel of Luke emphasizes physical deprivation, while Matthew expands the scope of deprivation. The fourth beatitude serves as an example. Luke has Jesus saying, “Blessed are you who hunger now…!” Biblical scholars comment that Jesus probably spoke this way in the style of the Hebrew prophets. But Matthew considers the message of Jesus’ the entire life: how he ministered and how he died. This is why he has Jesus saying, “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness.” The blessed ones in Matthew have a spiritual hunger and thirst to always live in accordance with God's will. In the Gospels, Jesus never transgresses the Law. Even in death, he followed the Father's directives. Eric Liddell was an athlete from Scotland competing in the 1924 Olympics. When the 100-meter dash was scheduled for Sunday, Liddell refused to participate. He considered running on Sunday a violation of the Third Commandment. With a life oriented in this way, Liddell ultimately achieved the fulfillment of his heart's deepest desires. He died a missionary martyr in China during World War II.

In his confrontations with the Pharisees, Jesus warns them: “You tithe mint, dill, and cumin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice, mercy, and faithfulness!” (23:23). Mercy will always require more of the individual than simply fulfilling the minutia of the law. Christ's disciples do not neglect to fulfill it. These are the ones the Lord will choose when He comes on the last day. The merciful include members of other faiths. In regions of Africa affected by Boko Haram terrorists, Muslim families have hidden Christians in their homes, risking deadly reprisal.

When the prophet Samuel visited Bethlehem to anoint one of Jesse's sons as king, he didn't choose any of his seven older sons. They were handsome and strong, but the Lord told the prophet that He doesn't look at appearances like men do, but rather at the heart. When David came to Samuel, he anointed him king. God wants men and women to have hearts cleansed of animal desires. Those with hearts inclined toward kindness and compassion, He will allow to see Him face to face in eternal life.

Mr. Bill Tomes was a businessman from Chicago. In the middle of his career, he traded his suit and tie for a blue denim religious habit. He began working among the gangs in his city. When he heard about a gang fight, he went to stand between the two sides until they stopped shooting. He is the kind of person Jesus has in mind when He says, “Blessed are the peacemakers.”

The last two beatitudes are really just one. Jesus pronounces “blessed” those who suffer persecution to become holy like Him. Holiness is not achieved simply by praying in a pew. It also requires a life dedicated to others. Jesus adds that this struggle to be holy is at its root a quest for him. When we find him, our “reward will be great in heaven.”

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, 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 Tuesday, August 26, 2008

Tuesday of the Twenty-first Week in Ordinary Time

(Matthew 23:23-26)

Matthew’s gospel shows Jesus beginning his first public discourse with eight beatitudes and his last discourse with seven woes. The beatitudes, of course, indicate the rewards Jesus’ followers will receive and the woes, the punishments his enemies will undergo. There are also contrasts among the beatitudes and the woes. Today’s gospel passage relates the fourth and fifth woes which we can contrast to the fourth and sixth beatitudes.

Where Jesus considered those who hunger and thirst for righteousness “happy” or “blessed,” he now sees those who neglect judgment and mercy and fidelity as deserving “woe.” The latter are the kind of people who attend to the letter of the law or, as he puts it, “tithes on mint and dill and cumin” but avoid keeping its spirit which is that they become fair and compassionate. A number of years ago a church finance officer, whose co-workers considered him the model of trustworthiness, embezzled hundred of thousands of dollars from the diocese he worked for. This thief exemplifies the hypocrisy that Jesus criticizes here.

While the scribes and Pharisee keep up a good façade – “the outside of cup and dish,” what lies behind the scene – “the inside” -- is sheer wickedness. As much as this is the case, the perpetrators merit Jesus’ woe. His disciples, on the other hand, strive to be “pure of heart” which means to desire inwardly what is worthy of God, especially in sexual matters. It is a life-long struggle, to be sure, but worth the effort. It promises not only honest, caring relationships on earth life but the beatific vision in eternity.

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.