Sunday, January 30, 2005
4th Sunday in Ordinary Time

1st Reading: Zephaniah 2:3; 3:12-13
I will live within you

Seek Yahweh, all you poor of the land who fulfill his commands, do justice and are meek, and perhaps you will find refuge on the day Yahweh comes to judge.
I will leave within you a poor and meek people who seek refuge in God. The remnant of Israel will not act unjustly nor will they speak falsely, nor will deceitful words be found in their mouths. They will eat and rest with none to threaten them.

2nd Reading: 1st Corinthians 1:26-31
God chose the weak of the world

Brothers and sisters, look and see whom God has called. Few among you can be said to be cultured or wealthy, and few belong to noble families. Yet God has chosen what the world considers foolish, to shame the wise; he has chosen what the world considers weak to shame the strong. God has chosen common and unimportant people, making use of what is nothing to nullify the things that are, so that no mortal may boast before God. But, by God's grace you are in Christ Jesus, who has become our wisdom from God, and who makes us just and holy and free. Scripture says: Let the one who boasts boast of the Lord.

Gospel: Mt 5:1-12
The Beatitudes

When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up the mountain. He sat down and his disciples gathered around him. Then he spoke and began to teach them:

Fortunate are those who have the spirit of the poor,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Fortunate are those who mourn, they shall be comforted.
Fortunate are the gentle, they shall possess the land.
Fortunate are those who hunger and thirst for justice,
for they shall be satisfied.
Fortunate are the merciful, for they shall find mercy.
Fortunate are those with a pure heart, for they shall see God.
Fortunate are those who work for peace, they shall be called children of God.
Fortunate are those who are persecuted for the cause of justice,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Fortunate are you, when people insult you and persecute you and speak all kinds of evil against you because you are my followers. Be glad and joyful, for a great reward is kept for you in God. This is how this people persecuted the prophets who lived before you.

Commentary

THIS is the sermon on the mountain, the eight blessings of what it means to believe in Jesus, to dwell in the kingdom of justice and peace here and now and what we will both experience here on earth and know later in fullness. Eight groups of people are blessed now: the poor, the mourners, the gentle (non-violent); those who hunger and thirst for justice; the merciful, the pure in heart, those who work for peace and those persecuted like the prophets who called for justice for the poor as the way to honor and obey God alone. This is Jesus' call to rejoice if we find ourselves in these groups because of our words, our associations with other people, our choices and works for justice and mercy. The first and the last are in the present tense-to find ourselves among the poor and persecuted for justice puts us in the kingdom with Jesus now. The others will know more of it as it comes to fruition in the world. Each saying is a parable in itself-seeking to startle and catch us off guard. Do we dwell in the kingdom now? Who do we need to associate ourselves with now, befriend them and dwell close to them to know this blessing here on earth now?

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