Weekly Reflections

CCAS Administrative Assistant 2/9/26 CCAS Administrative Assistant 2/9/26

6th Sunday in Ordinary Time

February 15, 2026

Jesus’ interpretation of the law and what that means for us

Matthew 5:17-37

Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets. I have come not to abolish but to fulfill. Amen, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or the smallest part of a letter will pass from the law, until all things have taken place. Therefore, whoever breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do so will be called least in the kingdom of heaven. But whoever obeys and teaches these commandments will be called greatest in the kingdom of heaven. I tell you, unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter into the kingdom of heaven. You have heard that it was said to your ancestors, “You shall not kill; and whoever kills will be liable to judgment.” But I say to you, whoever is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment, and whoever says to his brother, “Raqa,” will be answerable to the Sanhedrin, and whoever says, “You fool,” will be liable to fiery Gehenna. Therefore, if you bring your gift to the altar, and there recall that your brother has anything against you, leave your gift there at the altar, go first and be reconciled with your brother, and then come and offer your gift. Settle with your opponent quickly while on the way to court with him. Otherwise your opponent will hand you over to the judge, and the judge will hand you over to the guard, and you will be thrown into prison. Amen, I say to you, you will not be released until you have paid the last penny. You have heard that it was said, “You shall not commit adultery.” But I say to you, everyone who looks at a woman with lust has already committed adultery with her in his heart. If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one of your members than to have your whole body thrown into Gehenna. And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one of your members than to have your whole body go into Gehenna. It was also said, “Whoever divorces his wife must give her a bill of divorce.” But I say to you, whoever divorces his wife (unless the marriage is unlawful) causes her to commit adultery, and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery.

REFLECTIONS ON THE GOSPEL

First Impressions by Jude Siciliano, OP

Sirach 15: 15-20; 1 Corinthians 2: 6-10; Matthew 5: 17-37

Those of us gathered for worship today are truly diverse: from different cultural backgrounds, countries of origins, races, etc. But what binds us together is our baptism in Jesus. Whatever our differences and whatever language we speak, we all say together, “We believe in Jesus Christ and so his way is our way.” Our basic identity is that we are a community of Jesus’ followers and we love him. Therefore, our love for him urges us to live like him. But does not hearing the Sermon on the Mount these Sundays leave you weak in the knees? How can we ever live these teachings? How will we even know how to live them? Because of his miracles and teachings Jesus had attracted great crowds. In order to teach those closest to him, he took them up a mountain. Two Sundays ago, we heard the Beatitudes, the introduction to a collection of his teachings which we call the Sermon on the Mount. The Beatitudes called for the profound inner change necessary for anyone wanting to follow Jesus. That kind of change is spelled out in his subsequent teachings. When we hear Jesus’ sermon, what Paul says in 1 Corinthians today is true: we are called to live, not according to the wisdom of this age, but according to God’s wisdom. That wisdom, Paul reminds us, has been revealed to us in the life of Jesus made known to us, “through the Spirit.” Through the gift of the Spirit, we have come to accept Jesus Christ as God’s full revelation in the flesh. We need to remind ourselves today that the same Spirit makes it possible for us to live according to Jesus’ teaching. After all, Jesus is not just giving us a stricter, higher code of ethics. That is not what makes his teachings special. Rather, through our baptism and the gift of his Spirit, we have the desire and divine power to live what we are being taught again today. That new Spirit in us is what enables us to live, as Jesus tells us, with a “holiness that surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees. I am choosing the short form of the gospel today. The longer offering (5:17–37) just seems like a lot. I do not want to overwhelm the congregation with a long list of “do’s and don’ts.” But even in the shorter version we hear Jesus calling us, not to a superficial, exterior performance of commandments, but to a far more profound response – deeper, interior change that will enable us to do as he instructs. How discouraged his followers must have been when Jesus taught in this way! After all, the Pharisees were considered the righteous and holy ones. Jesus’ challenge though was not only to his followers, but to the Pharisees and scribes as well. Their religion was to go deeper than exterior works – the right motives had to support right behavior. His demands are high indeed! They seem impossible to achieve. The Pharisees spent a lot of time and energy fulfilling the Law. They were of the middle class and, unlike the desperately poor, who comprised most of Jesus’s followers, the Pharisees had the education and leisure to pursue purity of observance. What chance did the illiterate, overworked and burdened poor followers of Jesus have? For that matter, what chance do we have in fulfilling these teachings? And yet, Jesus calls for a holiness that surpasses those scribes and Pharisees! From today’s gospel selection, we hear that Jesus wants to cut short, at its inception, a path that might lead to murder. So, he says to his disciples they are to control their anger. In cases of adultery, families would seek retaliation on the couple because of the shame brought down on those families, especially on the husband. To prevent adultery and the subsequent blood feud that would erupt, Jesus tells his disciples not even to think such a thing – no lusting after another. In addition, good community relations, especially among believers, would be possible if people behaved honestly with one another; if they could trust each other’s words. So, no lying. Jesus called his disciples to exemplary behavior. Such ways of being with one another, besides forming loving relationships in the community, would also draw attention to that community and to the teachings of the one they followed –Jesus. Today he is giving concrete examples of what we heard him say to his disciples last week. They are to be “salt of the earth,” “light of the world” and a “city set on a mountain.” Note the structure for the sayings. Each begins: “You have heard of the commandment….” Then Jesus presents his unique teaching, “But I say to you….” He credits the former teaching and by giving specific examples, calls his disciples to a greater righteousness, a more exacting “law.” A “new law.” We Christians are called to a different way of living, in our relations to each other and then to the world. We seek reconciliation where there is anger and alienation. We take our desires despite the license of the world around us. We are faithful to one another and so, when we make promises, we keep them. What will help us live the challenges Jesus places before us? Certainly, we cannot do it merely by gritting our teeth and putting our nose to the grindstone. Instead, we fix our eyes on Jesus, and we turn to each other in mutual love and support. Sound idealistic? Yes it does, but Jesus would not ask us to fulfill something he would not help us accomplish. It is no wonder that our Sirach reading was chosen today. It is part of the Wisdom tradition in the Hebrew Scriptures. According to that tradition human actions have specific consequences. We are free to conform our lives to God’s ordered ways, or not. In today’s reading, though short, the word “choose(s)” is mentioned three times. This Wisdom reading underlines our freedom and so encourages us to use it to make choices in accord with God’s wisdom. As difficult as these choices may be at times, the believer hears Sirach’s words of encouragement: “trust in God, you too will live.” We are assured that making these choices will be life-giving, for God’s eyes rest on the faithful. (“The eyes of God are on those who fear God....”) Jesus’ life showed us what the Sermon looks like when enfleshed. He is now our wise teacher who shows us the way to life and gives us his Spirit to help us to choose those life-giving ways. His disciples are to continue putting flesh on the Sermon in their lives. Whatever our circumstances, people who may never read the Sermon on the Mount should be able to learn its content by examining our lives.

Quotable

“The Sermon on the Mount fills me with bliss even today. Its sweet verses have even today the power to quench my agony of soul.” —Mahatma Gandhi

Justice Bulletin Board by Barbara Molinari Quinby, MPS, Director Office of Human Life, Dignity, and Justice Ministries Holy Name of Jesus Cathedral, Raleigh, NC

Blessed are they who observe God’s decrees, who seek the Lord with all their heart. —Psalm 119: 2

As we just celebrated St. Valentine’s Day, thoughts of the heart are still fresh on our minds. For many of us, it is a day of showering our dear ones with visible signs of our love. I wonder how many of us Christian adults took this day to shower God, hidden in the guise of a stranger, with love? What would our children learn from loving encounters with the disadvantaged and the poor? Beginning in 1843, The Missionary Childhood Association (MCA) is one of the four Pontifical Mission Societies active in over 130 countries throughout the world. The Missionary Childhood Association seeks to: inspire children to be open-hearted in their communities; help children experience the joy of being part of a global family where everyone is important and helps one another; and educate children in a missionary outlook, expanding their awareness of the needs of children worldwide. It serves as a vital tool for children to grow in faith and develop a sense of universal solidarity, the sensitivity to others that is an essential dimension of Christianity. MCA’s motto is “Children Helping Children” through prayer, evangelization, and action. To learn more: The Missionary Childhood Association - Pontifical Mission Societies. A bit of history about MCA: Bishop Charles de Forbin-Janson was much in demand by French bishops, who were serving as missionaries in the USA – the “Missions” of his day, to visit the young U.S. churches and then return home to encourage support for their work. In 1839, Bishop Forbin-Janson did just that, sailing across the ocean and landing in New York. He also visited New Orleans and Baltimore, as well as Canada, all on horseback. When he returned to France two years later, he met an old friend – Pauline Jaricot – who had founded the Society that was helping to support the missionary efforts he had seen firsthand in the United States. During a conversation between these two friends in 1843, Bishop Forbin-Janson shared his own longtime dream – to help the children of the Missions. He was convinced that children rich in faith and love were capable of playing their own part in the Church’s mission – and of even stirring adults to the same generous missionary spirit. Sometime during the course of their talk, the Holy Childhood Association, now Missionary Childhood Association was born. It continues to be love on a mission.

Faith Book
Mini-reflections on the Sunday scripture readings designed for persons on the run. “Faith Book” is also brief enough to be posted in the Sunday parish bulletins people take home.

From today’s Gospel reading: “I tell you, unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven.”

Reflection: What will help us live the challenges Jesus places before us in the Sermon on the Mount? Certainly, we cannot fulfill them merely by gritting our teeth and putting our nose to the grindstone. Instead, realizing our limitations, we turn to Jesus and ask for a renewed gift of his Spirit. Sound idealistic? Yes it does, but Jesus would not ask us to fulfill something he would not help us accomplish.

So, we ask ourselves:

In what ways might I be tempted to practice religion outwardly, while resisting the deeper inner change of heart that Jesus calls for?
How is God inviting me – right now – to move beyond simply following rules and toward a more honest, loving, and merciful way of living?

Post Cards to Death Row Inmates

“One has to strongly affirm that condemnation to the death penalty is an inhuman measure that humiliates personal dignity, in whatever form it is carried out.” —Pope Francis

Inmates on death row are the most forgotten people in the prison system. Each week I am posting in this space several inmates’ names and locations. I invite you to write a postcard to one or more of them to let them know that: we have not forgotten them; are praying for them and their families; or whatever personal encouragement you might like to give them. If the inmate responds, you might consider becoming pen pals.

Please write to:

Edward Davis #0100579 (On death row since 3/12/1992)
Kenneth Rouse #0353186 (3/25/1992)
Michael Reeves #0339314 (5/14/1992)

—Central Prison P.O. 247 Phoenix, MD 21131

Please note: Central Prison is in Raleigh, NC., but for security purposes, mail to inmates is processed through a clearing house at the above address in Maryland. For more information on the Catholic position on the death penalty go to the Catholic Mobilizing Network: http://catholicsmobilizing.org

Donations

“First Impressions” is a service to preachers and those wishing to prepare for Sunday worship. The Dominican Friars sponsor it. If you would like to support this ministry, please send tax deductible contributions to:

Fr. Jude Siciliano, OP
St. Albert Priory
3150 Vince Hagan Drive
Irving, Texas 75062-4736

Make checks payable to: Dominican Friars. Or go to our webpage to make a secure online donation: https://www.PreacherExchange.com/donations.htm

First Impressions — Ash Wednesday by Jude Siciliano, OP

Joel 2: 12-18; 2 Corinthians 5: 20-6:2; Matthew 6: 1-6, 16-18

Dear Preachers: Ash Wednesday. The very title has an ominous ring to it. Add to that the somber reminder as ashes are imposed on our foreheads, “Remember you are dust and to dust you shall return.” The alternative formula, “Turn away from your sin and be faithful to the gospel,” sounds much better. I want to “be faithful to the gospel”. But I am too quick to skip that opening, “Turn away from your sin.” Sounds like, “Repent!” to me. There it is again, that serious note. No matter how you put it, I am dust and I must repent. No getting around the serious shift in sights and sounds the liturgy just took. Ash Wednesday is preceded by Fat Tuesday’s excesses because we all know how grim Lent can be. Let’s enjoy ourselves one last time before we enter the long dark tunnel of Lenten denial. So goes the popular notion of Lent. But suppose it isn’t such a glum note? Suppose there is something joyous and relieving about Lent? Suppose in other words, it is a time to clear away the distractions and hear again the liberating message of the Gospel? And suppose it is also a time to renew our community’s commitment to spread that message to others by our words and deeds? Still more, suppose it is a call to live as the reconciled community we claim to be, wouldn’t that be a powerful message and an invitation to others to be part of us? We really don’t need Ash Wednesday to remind us that we are dust. Reminders of dust are all around us. Dust is what we return to at the end of our lives. But long before we breathe our last, life reminds us of the corruptibility of everything. So much of what we put our confidence in ages, breaks, comes apart at the seams and wears out. All that is new, shiny and glitzy have a very short life expectancy. Mortality touches even our most noble human treasures: loved ones die; sickness limits us; age saps our energies and our noble efforts to do good feel the strain of the long haul. This day’s liturgical action puts ashes on our foreheads, dust before our eyes, but the ashes are just a reminder of what life does to us all too frequently. It comes over to us and, in one way or another, rubs ashes on our foreheads, and says, “Remember, you are dust.” It is frightening to thing about how much we forget and run away from this reality. So much of our society bases our identity and worth on what we have achieved and what we own. Today says, “Remember, it is dust.” But after we are told to repent we are invited again to “be faithful to the gospel.” We are invited today to remember that we are baptized Christians, called to be in the world in a unique way. The world we live in is guided by different standards and norms for behavior. These ashes also remind us that our old way of life is dead – turned to dust. We don’t belong to the old world any longer, so we need to stop living as if we do. We are reborn to a new life. And our lives in Christian community must reflect this new life and help others to hear the message we hear today, “Remember all else is dust” In Paul’s language, our lives are an invitation to others to, “...be reconciled to God,” for we too are “ambassadors for Christ.” Walter Brueggeman, referring to the dust statement in Gen 2: 7 (“The Lord God formed the human person of the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life and man became a living creature.” ), says that the Ash Wednesday liturgical formula reminds us that the human person is fundamentally material in origin, subject to all the realities of an “earth creature”. And since dust is no “self-starter,” the reality of the human situation is that we depend on God’s free gift of breath. We are humans totally dependent on God for each moment of our existence. This is not a curse, but what it means to be human. So, when we are told to remember we are dust today, we are also making a statement about ourselves to God. It is as if we are saying, “Remember our origins O God. We are dust without you. So much of what we touch turns to dust if not done in your name. Sustain us moment to moment in your life and through the death of your Son, deliver us from our sin.” Who are we humans? We are creatures gifted from moment to moment by our gracious God and that is not a bad thing to remember as we enter another Lent. It is important during Lent not to privatize the season. Over the generations, with the separation of adult baptism from the Vigil, we lost a sense of the communal sense of Lent. What we got instead was a highly individualized experience focusing on private spirituality with personal penances and “spiritual development.” As always, the scriptural readings give us balance and keep us on track. While we won’t be focusing on Joel, notice, in passing, the call for the assembly to gather, “Notify the congregation, assemble the elders....” The community is being gathered and reminded to turn back to God, “...Rend your hearts not your garments and return to the Lord your God.” The selection from 2 Corinthians puts our Lenten focus on the community’s renewal in mission. Paul’s letter reveals that the Corinthian community showed the same flaws as our own church communities. (The first thing we said in today’s eucharistic gathering was “Lord have mercy. Christ have mercy. Lord have mercy.”) We do tend to idealize the early church community, don’t we? It’s as if they were the perfect model of what it means to be a Christian community and we are always falling short of their mark. But they were, and we are, always in need of reconciliation. In fact, Paul speaks very boldly appealing on God’s behalf for this reconciliation. Jesus is the sign that God wants to be reconciled to us. There is an urgency to this appeal for reconciliation. “Now is the acceptable time.” Things must have been pretty hot among the Corinthian Christians! We may be resistant to God and to changing our ways (“Turn away from sin and be faithful to the Gospel.”), but God is once again taking the initiative to appeal to us to return. Throughout the first 7 chapters of this letter Paul is focusing on the gospel message of reconciliation and on the nature of Christian ministry. This community was split into bickering factions. Paul can be quite harsh in his criticism of them. Christ’ death has reconciled us to God and so, not to live as a reconciled community is to deny that gospel and to fail to be, with Paul, an “ambassador for Christ” to the world. Lent calls us back to God and to each other in community. The message we are to proclaim is a message to be preached by the witness of the whole community as we live out our joyful awareness of what God has done for us.

Sacred Space—Your daily prayer online

Matthew 5:17-19

The Word of God—Matthew 5:17-19
Jesus said to the crowds, “Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets; I have come not to abolish but to fulfill. For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth pass away, not one letter, not one stroke of a letter, will pass from the law until all is accomplished. Therefore, whoever breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches others to do the same, will be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.” Some thoughts on today’s scripture. When I read these words I am troubled, Lord. Some scholars deny the authenticity of these verses. After all, Jesus nowhere insists on observance of all 613 precepts of Old Testament law, much of it ceremonial. What sense have these words for me? That the meaning of the law is love of God and of my neighbour. Jesus is no destroyer of people’s devotions and faith. He does not abolish the faith practice of a people or a person. All the goodness of our religion and our faith is precious to him. His grace is given to each personally; each of prays differently, or with a variety of times, places and moods. ‘Pray as you can, not as you can’t” is one of the oldest and wisest recommendations for prayer. Prayer is entering and relaxing into the mystery of God’s love, each in our own way. Jesus teaches by word and action, by saying and doing. His example of life is our guide and our encouragement. There is a link between what we say and what we do, and when this link is strong, we are strong in the kingdom of God. We are ‘to walk it as we talk it.” Sincerity and integrity of life is what we are called to. I consider how it is that my way of living and my world’s influence on others. I pray in thanksgiving for those places in my life in which I can imagine that I have a good influence. I ask God’s help in the areas for my example and inspiration might be better. But Jesus lived in such a way that the words of the scriptures came to life. I think of how the scriptures come to life in me by what I do and what I say. I think of all those who have taught me, calling to mind the people who have helped me to understand God’s ways. I give thanks for them and ask for blessing. I pray that I may be such a person for those around me. Jesus pointed to the continuity in God’s work and action. I think of the traditions and teachings that have brought me to where I am and I ask God to continue to draw me to life. Jesus saw a continuity of God’s message as he spoke as had the prophets of old. I realise that I too have a history and tradition - some of which is known to me. I thank God for all of those whose insight builds me up. I ask God to continue to bless me and to lead me into the wisdom that Jesus had. I pray in respect for all who teach the faith that has come to us from the apostles. All the law and the prophets is summed up in the law of love? St. Paul speaks of “giving my body to be burned, but without love, it is as nothing”. How is it that we constantly put so many demands and ‘laws’ before the law of love? Is it because it is so challenging, so without limit. I am called to give nothing less than my all! What is it like to read this? Can I dare to ask for this gift? To give my all? As the poet said “lest having thee I might have naught beside” Talk to Jesus about this? Do I want this gift? Or maybe I am at the stage where I am only able to want, to want it? The scripture scholars have difficulty reconciling Jesus' words here with his freedom of spirit in many matters concerning the Sabbath. Jesus did not reject the Old Testament of the Jews, but brought it back to its basics: love God and love your neighbour; and he stresses here as elsewhere, that our life should be of one piece, so that people should be able to read our principles from our behaviour – that is more important than being able to instruct people in the law of God. It is harder to live one sermon than to preach a dozen. The fulfilment of the old religion would be a person, Jesus Christ. The law is good only because it leads to Christ. All of religion is good only insofar as it leads us to God and through Christ. Our prayer in the company of Jesus leads us to God our Father in the fullest way possible, the way of Jesus. Oddly enough, Jesus seemed to break significant rules of the Jewish faith as it was practiced in his time: his disciples gathered food from the fields on the Sabbath; he didn’t observe the rules of purification of cooking and drinking vessels beloved of the Pharisees; he allowed the “unclean” to approach him and was rendered ritually “unclean” by such contact; and he associated with sinners. “Now all the tax-collectors and sinners were coming near to listen to him. And the Pharisees and the scribes were grumbling and saying, ‘This fellow welcomes sinners and eats with them.’” (Luke 15:1-2) How is Jesus not “abolishing” but “fulfilling” the law in this way? Could it be his profound union with people, his loving engagement with people, especially people in difficulty or people being excluded? Is this what being “great in the kingdom of heaven” means? Jesus did not come on earth to abolish what had already been revealed. The law and the prophets indicate the mind of God. The Son of God just added a divine dimension to them. Such teaching should hold sway for us, while heaven and earth endure. It is bad enough to break one of these commandments, but to teach someone else to do the same is terrible. It is useful for us to ask ourselves, do we proclaim such teaching, or following our own opinions do we oppose his law? We need to see the sacredness of all God’s teaching. Jesus was a Jew: he lived out the Torah (the Law), which expressed the love-relationship between God and the Chosen People. He did this by revealing in his life and death the love of God in a dramatic new way. We too are called to fulfil that sacred relationship in our lives. By looking at my life and listening to me would anyone know that God is at the centre of my heart, and that I try like Jesus ‘always to do what pleases him’ (John 8:29)? Not so easy to pray this gospel! “Do not imagine that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets...” The heart of the Law was and is: “You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind... and your neighbour as yourself” (Matthew 22:37-39). Jesus came “to fulfill” the law. Observing external laws is not enough. Jesus wants listening hearts, courageous, generous and discerning. Hearts like his. Are you ever called to be prophetic by rising above peer pressure and speaking the truth in your heart? End your prayer with the writer of the Psalms: “Make me to know your ways, O Lord; teach me your paths. Lead me in your truth, and teach me, for you are the God of my salvation. (Psalm 25:4-5). The relationship between the Old Testament and the novelty brought by Jesus was one of the main issues the Gospel had to face. Here Jesus insists on the continuity between the Law and himself. Yet, by affirming that he is bringing the Law to its perfection he is claiming special powers for himself, divine powers. This is the real difference: Jesus is God himself. The perfection that Jesus brings to the Law is in its spirit and not in the individual observances: the Law is fulfilled by love, which becomes the greatest commandment of all, and in the spirit of freedom, the freedom of the children of God. I ask myself what is my manner of fulfilling the law and teaching it to others, I ask the Father for his pardon. I also ask him to give me his spirit of universal love and filial freedom. What role do the law and the prophets play in the new covenant instituted by Jesus? This issue was critical for Jewish converts in the early church, as Matthew realised. It is still relevant for us today. Jesus speaks of “fulfilling” rather than “abolishing” the law and the prophets. How do you understand the word “fulfil” in this context? This reading may spark off other questions also such as: How well do I know the Hebrew Scriptures (or Old Testament)? Do I notice how frequently they are quoted or are echoed in the New Testament? Where do I stand in discussions about the “letter” and the “spirit” of Scripture, etc.? Jesus underlines the continuing relevance of the teaching of the law and the prophets. Whenever he is critical of one or other aspect of this teaching he claims to be “fulfilling” the law and not abolishing it. Christians continue to reverence the Old Testament as a source of revelation. We acknowledge our Jewish heritage. In particular we pray the psalms every day. Am I familiar with the psalms? Do I appreciate how such prayer brings me into harmony with my Jewish brothers and sisters today? It may sometimes be that life seems to be made up of random events, disconnected encounters and fragmented experiences. Looking at our lives, God sees them as whole and is able to recognise the continuity of our discipleship in a way that is often hidden from us. I let God survey my life so that I may see how I have kept the commandments and helped others to do the same. I don’t claim to be great in the kingdom of heaven, but I allow God to tell me who I am. This is a tribute to the teacher! All who teach the goodness and truth of God, by word or example, are sharing in the teaching ministry of Jesus. We learn of God in the mind by reflection, courses, reading, and in a community of faith; we learn of the God of the heart in prayer. The historical words of the prophets are endorsed by Jesus. The word of God endures forever and salvation is for all who heed the prophetic warnings. Jesus fulfils the law and the prophets by living as God would wish. He crowns the law by putting love above all. We may forget law, but we must never forget love, because God is love and wants love to dominate human living. The commandments of which Jesus speaks are those given to Moses on Mount Sinai. They were valid when Jesus spoke, 1,400 years after Moses. They are still valid today. If we all kept them, we would experience something of the kingdom of heaven on earth. Can I list the Ten Commandments? To which do I need to attend right now? The account of the Transfiguration shows that Jesus respects the Law and the great history of Israel. He sets out to bring the Law to its intended purpose, to fulfil it, showing it was a law of love. He built on the past, transforming it and bringing it to completion. The primary role of a prophet was to teach, reminding people of God’s message and calling them back when they strayed. Foretelling the future was not their main function. Jesus is the great Prophet, bringing meaning and direction to life. When I pray the Gospels, Jesus is present, helping me to see my best way forward. Jesus loves his Jewish religion. Also he understands the heart of it. He wants to fulfil it by loving his Father perfectly, and by loving all God’s people, even as far as dying for them. I pray to be a good disciple by living like that. Have I grasped the heart of my religion? Do I concentrate on loving God and my neighbour? Is there more love in the world because of my being around? In the evening of life I will be examined in love, not in the outer aspects of religion!

PREPARATION FOR THE SESSION

Presence of God: Jesus, As I come to you today, fill my heart, my whole being, with the wonder of your sacred presence. Help me to become more aware of your presence in my life, and more receptive to that presence. I desire to love you as you love me. May nothing ever separate me from you. ( 1-2 minutes of silence)

Freedom: Jesus, Grant me the grace to have freedom of spirit. Keep me from being bound by desires and actions that are not good for me or others. Cleanse my heart and soul that I may live joyously in your love. ( 1-2 minutes of silence)

Consciousness: Where am I with God? With others in my life? What am I grateful for? Is there something I am sorry for, words or actions that have hurt others, and which I now regret? I take a moment to ask forgiveness of God and of those whom I have hurt. God, I give you thanks for your constant love and care for me. Keep me always aware of your presence in my life. (2-3 minutes of silence)

OPENING PRAYER

Lord, we have been made by you and for you. Give us openness to your words, honesty in facing our failures, hope in your understanding and forgiveness, asd the courage to live out your teachings.

COMPANIONS FOR THE JOURNEY

From “First Impressions” 2023, a service of the Southern Dominican Province.

Those of us gathered for worship in our churches are very diverse people, from different cultural backgrounds, countries of origins, races, etc. But what binds us together is our baptism in Jesus. Whatever our differences and in whatever language we speak, we all say together, “We believe in Jesus Christ and so his way is our way.” Our basic identity is that we are a community of Jesus’ followers and we love him. Therefore, our love for him urges us to live like him. But doesn’t hearing the Sermon on the Mount these Sundays leave you weak in the knees? How can we ever live these teachings? How will we even know how to live them? Because of his miracles and teachings Jesus had attracted great crowds. In order to teach those closest to him. he took them up a mountain. Two Sundays ago we heard the Beatitudes, the introduction to a collection of his teachings which we call the Sermon on the Mount. The Beatitudes called for profound inner change necessary for anyone wanting to follow Jesus. That kind of change is spelled out in his subsequent teachings. When we hear Jesus’ sermon, what Paul says in 1 Corinthians today is true: we are called to live, not according to the wisdom of this age, but according to God’s wisdom. That wisdom, Paul reminds us, has been revealed to us in the life of Jesus made known to us, “Through the Spirit.” Through the gift of the Spirit we have come to accept Jesus Christ as God’s full revelation in the flesh. We need to remind ourselves today that the same Spirit makes it possible for us to live according to Jesus’ teaching. After all, Jesus isn’t just giving us a stricter, higher code of ethics. That’s not what makes his teachings special. Rather, through our baptism and the gift of his Spirit, we have the desire and divine power to live what we are being taught again today. That new Spirit in us is what enables us to live, as Jesus tells us, with a “holiness that surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees. In this gospel passage, we can hear that Jesus is calling us, not to a superficial, exterior, performance of commandments, but to a far more profound response--a deeper, interior change that will enable us to do as he instructs. How discouraged his followers must have been when Jesus taught in this way! After all, the Pharisees were considered the righteous and holy ones. Jesus’ challenge though was not only to his followers, but to the Pharisees and scribes as well. Their religion was to go deeper than exterior works--the right motives had to support right behavior. His demands are high indeed! They seem impossible to achieve. The Pharisee spent a lot of time and energy fulfilling the Law. They were of the middle class and unlike the desperately poor, who comprised most of Jesus’ followers, the Pharisees had the education and leisure to pursue purity of observance. What chance did the illiterate, overworked and burdened poor followers of Jesus have? For that matter, what chance do we have in fulfilling these teachings? And yet, Jesus calls for a holiness that surpasses those scribes and Pharisees! From today’s gospel selection, we hear that Jesus wants to cut short, at its inception, a path that might lead to murder. So, he says to his disciples they are to control their anger. In cases of adultery, families would seek retaliation on the couple because of the shame brought down on those families, especially on the husband. To prevent adultery and the subsequent blood feud that would erupt, Jesus tells his disciples not even to think such a thing--no lusting after another. In addition, good community relations, especially among believers, would be possible if people behaved honestly with one another; if they could trust each other’s words. So, no lying. Jesus called his disciples to exemplary behavior. Such ways of being with one another, besides forming loving relationships in the community, would also draw attention to that community and to the teachings of the one they followed--Jesus. Today Jesus is giving concrete examples of what we heard him say to his disciples last week. They are to be “salt of the earth,” “light of the world” and a “city set on a mountain.” Note the structure for the sayings. Each begins: “You have heard of the commandment….” Then Jesus presents his unique teaching, “But I say to you….” He credits the former teaching and by giving specific examples, calls his disciples to a greater righteousness, a more exacting “law.” A “new law.” We Christians are called to a different way of living, in our relations to each other and then to the world. We seek reconciliation where there is anger and alienation. We tame our desires despite the license of the world around us. We are faithful to one another and so when we make promises, we keep them. What will help us live the challenges Jesus places before us? Certainly we can’t do it merely by gritting our teeth and putting our nose to the grindstone. Instead, we fix our eyes on Jesus and we turn to each other in mutual love and support. Sound idealistic? Yes it does, but Jesus wouldn’t ask us to fulfill something he wouldn’t help us accomplish. It is no wonder that our Sirach reading was chosen today. It’s part of the Wisdom tradition in the Hebrew Scriptures. According to that tradition human actions have specific consequences. We are free to conform our lives to God’s ordered ways, or not. In today’s reading, though short, the word “choose(s)” is mentioned three times. This Wisdom reading underlines our freedom and so encourages us to use it to make choices in accord with God’s wisdom. As difficult as these choices may be at times, the believer hears Sirach’s words of encouragement: “trust in God, you too will live.” We are assured that making these choices will be life-giving, for God’s eyes rest on the faithful “The eyes of God are on those who fear God....” Jesus’ life showed us what the Sermon looks like when enfleshed. He is now our wise teacher who shows us the way to life and gives us his Spirit to help us to choose those life-giving ways. He teaches us about the ways that will help us choose life not death. His disciples are to continue putting flesh on the Sermon in their lives. Whatever our circumstances, people who may never read the Sermon on the Mount, should be able to learn its content by examining our lives.

LIVING THE GOOD NEWS

What action can you take in the next week as a response to today’s reading and discussion? Keep a private journal of your prayer/actions responses this week. Feel free to use the personal reflection questions which follow.

Reflection questions:

This teaching of Jesus seems extreme to some. Do you agree?
How hard is it to live what Jesus is saying here?

Jesus seems to be rejecting some of the more petty regulations that governed the society and religion he was part of. Are there any “rules” in our Church or society that seem petty to you?
How would you rewrite them?

Some very important rules of the Jewish law, which Jesus said he did not come to abolish, were, in fact, deleted as early as Apostolic times on behalf of gentiles who wanted to become followers. How to we reconcile this?

Do I see echoes of the Jewish law in our Christian rules/laws?
Has this passage aver been used as a “put-down” of Jewish customs, rules, and observances?

Have there been rules you observed in childhood which no longer seem to be followed?
How do you feel about that?

Can someone “keep” the rules and still be unchristian in some way?

Jesus may be talking about interior vs exterior observance of the law, or He may be talking of the letter of the vs the spirit of the law.
Can you think of some examples of such differences in your own lifetime?

How do the directives mentioned in this section of the gospel strengthen society?

How much of our life is the result of circumstances outside ourselves?
How much of our life is the result of our behavior or choices?
How much of our life is the result of our attitude?

Which is harder, a law to love under all circumstances or a law made up of specific rules?

Can you list the 10 commandments?
What of the 10 commandments are easy?
Hard?
Irrelevant to you?
To which should you turn my attention right now?

Did Jesus ever break ”the law”?

The law is only good insofar as it leads to Christ. Religion is only good insofar as it leads us to God. Comment.

Define “letter of the law.”
Define “spirit of the law.”

Did I ever “break a law” or “bend a rule”, either civil or religious, that I felt was a more moral thing to do than obeying a law or rule? (Take for example telling the truth. Is there a time when someone or some entity is not entitled to the whole truth? How about telling the truth when it might hurt someone (do I look fat in this dress?)?

How do I define ‘Primacy of Conscience”?
When can this teaching be abused or used to rationalize really bad behavior?
What are some very positive things about this teaching?

What are some “laws” of my own culture, my own family, my workplace?
Are they different from Jesus’ “laws?

Did the Church ever have, or does it now have, some “laws” or customs that, strictly speaking, are not strict moral imperatives, but require Catholics to follow them?

How can we live our lives holistically and with integrity? What are the rules for that?

How and where do we teach goodness, honesty, kindness, fairness, compassion, forgiveness, generosity? How and where do we teach the opposite?

What would I say, in one phrase, is the heart /main law of my religion?
Do I live it?
Perfectly?
How does what I do or what I say as a religious person reflect the message of Jesus?

As a parent, or advisor, if you had to narrow down your choice of “rules” to follow or “sins” to talk about to three that you consider the most important, what would they be?

CLOSING PRAYER

Don’t forget to provide some prayer time at the beginning and at the end of the session (or both), allowing time to offer prayers for anyone you wish to pray for.

Dear Lord, help me to discern the rules by which you want me to live. I thank you for all those who have helped me understand your ways. Help me to realize that your scriptures come to life in me by what I do and what I say. I pray for all of us who are sometimes lost and discouraged. May I, personally, be an instrument of your mercy.

FOR THE WEEK AHEAD

Weekly Memorization: Taken from the gospel for today’s session….Do not think I have come to abolish the law or the prophets. I have come not to abolish but to fulfill.

Meditations:

A Meditation in the Dominican Style/Asking Questions: Is there are hierarchy of moral laws? Are some laws non-negotiable? Are all laws equally important? Is there a difference between laws made by God and those made by humans? What do you consider the three non-negotiable? Or is every rule of law equally important? If so, what are the consequences of breaking a rule others consider minor? If you were God, what commands would you give to your people? How would your commands differ from what you perceive God has already set in place? Would you have more or fewer? Which of God’s laws are hardest for you for you to obey? And finally, are all laws an either/or proposition, or are they ideals that we strive to attain and often fail? How does this rigidity lead to over scrupulosity or despair? Pick one precept of Jesus that you find particularly difficult to deal with and pray to God for the gift of courage and forgiveness.

A Meditation in the Ignatian Style/Discernment: Instruct me, O Lord, in the way of your statutes, that I may exactly observe them. Give me discernment, that I may observe your law and keep it with all my heart. Discernment means that we form our conscience and use our heart and our brain to sort through the decisions we make each day. It is harder than simply following a set of “rules”. According to Joseph Tetlow S.J., in his commentary on the Ignatian Exercise, “we regularly have to fight out of fearful confusions and conflicts to form a right conscience. We have to wrestle out of self- centeredness and selfishness in order to give our love to each other. We try to feel our way through the prejudices and inequitable dealings we take from our own culture to think clearly and to do justly. We know that living water wells up within ourselves into eternal life; we also know that we are like the apostle Paul, who did what he meant not to do and did not do what he meant to do.” Now, how do we make sense of the tension within our humanness? This is hard. For example, we look at the “rules” and “laws” our culture and religion have imposed—some are in conflict with each other, and some are in conflict with our need to love God and one another? scrupulosity on one hand seems safer, but can lead to being too judgmental of ourselves and others. On the other hand, rationalization is the “get-out-of-jail-free technique we employ to excuse our bad behavior to ourselves or others. So our lifelong task is to find a balance, and a way of discerning how we should behave. So we pray for discernment:

for the honesty to examine what our desires are and evaluate them in terms of God’s will for us.
for the wisdom to understand the difference between actions that are culturally promoted or forbidden and those that come from a primal desire to please God.
For the courage to face the resistance to change, to get out of our comfort zone when necessary for our own good and that of others.

Are there any issues in my life that I am conflicted about? Are there any ways of behavior that are not healthy for me or for my relationships with others? How does guilt play out in my decision -making? Do I really examine and understand my motivations? I pray for honesty, for wisdom, and for courage as I strive to align my life with what I understand to be God’s desires for me..

A Meditation in the Ignation Style/Prayer of Consideration (from “Sacred Space”, a service of the Irish Jesuits): Jesus is no destroyer of people’s devotions and faith. He does not abolish the faith practice of a people or a person. All the goodness of our religion and our faith is precious to him. His grace is given to each personally; each of prays differently, or with a variety of times, places and moods. “Pray as you can, not as you can’t” is one of the oldest and wisest recommendations for prayer. Prayer is entering and relaxing into the mystery of God’s love, each in our own way.Jesus teaches by word and action, by saying and doing. His example of life is our guide and our encouragement. There is a link between what we say and what we do, and when this link is strong, we are strong in the kingdom of God. We are “to walk it as we talk it” Sincerity and integrity of life is what we are called to. I make an “examen” of my life and actions of the last two days, looking at what I said and did in some detail. I consider how it is that my way of living and my world’s influence on others. I pray in thanksgiving for those places in my life in which I can imagine that I have a good influence. I ask God’s help in the areas for my example and inspiration might be better. But Jesus lived in such a way that the words of the scriptures came to life. I think of how the scriptures come to life in me by what I do and what I say. I think of all those who have taught me, calling to mind the people who have helped me to understand God’s ways. I give thanks for them and ask for blessing. I pray that I may be such a person for those around me. Jesus pointed to the continuity in God’s work and action. I think of the traditions and teachings that have brought me to where I am and I ask God to continue to draw me to life. Jesus saw a continuity of God’s message as he spoke as had the prophets of old. I realize that I too have a history and tradition - some of which is known to me. I thank God for all of those whose insight builds me up. I ask God to continue to bless me and to lead me into the wisdom that Jesus had. I pray in respect for all who teach the faith that has come to us from the apostles.

Literary Reflection: Several novels by Graham Green explore the difficulties which arise for a person who feels he has forfeited redemption or happiness because he broke some big rules and therefore was unworthy of God’s love and understanding, and is tormented by sin, guilt and fear. Try reading the Power and the Glory, the story of a “Whiskey Priest” set in Mexico during the time when religion was outlawed, or The End of the Affair, which explores guilt over an illicit relationship.

POETIC REFLECTIONS

It is worth taking yet another loook at one of my favorite poems written by a Stegner fellow. Imagine that he is speaking of the Stanford Campus life, and The Dish is the “hill” he is referring to. It illustrates what Jesus was teaching.

In the Evening We Shall Be Examined on Love
And it won’t be multiple choice,
though some of us would prefer it that way.
Neither will it be essay, which tempts us to run on
when we should be sticking to the point, if not together.
In the evening there shall be implications
our fear will turn to complications. No cheating,
we’ll be told and we’ll try to figure the cost of being true
to ourselves. In the evening when the sky has turned
that certain blue, blue of exam books, blue of no more
daily evasions, we shall climb the hill as the light empties
and park our tired bodies on a bench above the city
and try to fill in the blanks. And we won’t be tested
like defendants on trial, cross-examined
till one of us breaks down, guilty as charged. No,
in the evening, after the day has refused to testify,
we shall be examined on love like students
who don’t even recall signing up for the course
and now must take their orals, forced to speak for once
from the heart and not off the top of their heads.
And when the evening is over and it’s late,
the student body asleep, even the great teachers
retired for the night, we shall stay up
and run back over the questions, each in our own way:
what’s true, what’s false, what unknown quantity
will balance the equation, what it would mean years from now
to look back and know
we did not fail.

—from Lights & Mysteries, by Thomas Centollela

Often humans often lose sight of the laws of the universe, and our obligation to treat the universe with love and care. We need to remember that the laws of the universe speak God’s will. The sun “rises” and “sets”, morning and evening, day after day, year after year. Think of the delicate balance of the ecosystem and reflect on all the ways human hands have disrupted God’s order, have broken god’s laws. We have not been very good stewards of the world we were given. While it is easy to blame the mega-polluters and the corporate giants for our precarious planet, but the truth is, most of us in the developed countries do not want to trade either convenience or money to save the rain forest or endangered species, our oceans and marine life… What sacrifices or changes are you willing to make to help deal with climate change? Denise Levertov, a late Professor of English at Stanford, and a renowned poet, has this to say:

Tragic Error
The earth is the Lord’s, we gabbled,
and the fullness thereof–
while we looted and pillaged, claiming indemnity:
the fullness thereof
given over to us, to our use–
while we preened ourselves, sure of our power,
willful or ignorant, through the centuries.
Miswritten, misread, that charge:
subdue was the false, the misplaced word in the story.
Surely we were to have been
earth’s mind, mirror, reflective source.
Surely our task
was to have been
to love the earth,
to dress and keep it like Eden’s garden.
That would have been our dominion:
to be those cells of earth’s body that could
perceive and imagine, could bring the planet
into the haven it is to be known,
(as the eye blesses the hand, perceiving
it form and the work it can do).

—from Evening Train

CCAS Administrative Assistant 2/2/26 CCAS Administrative Assistant 2/2/26

5th Sunday in Ordinary Time

February 8, 2026

Your contribution to the kingdom is important.

Matthew 5:13-16 (Jerusalem Bible)

You are salt for the earth. But if salt loses its taste, what can make it salty again? It is good for nothing, and can only be thrown out to be trampled under people’s feet. You are light for the world. A city built on a hill-top cannot be hidden. No one lights a lamp to put it under a tub; they put it on the lamp-stand where it shines for everyone in the house. In the same way your light must shine in people’s sight, so that, seeing your good works, they may give praise to your Father in heaven.

REFLECTIONS
February 8, 2026

First Impressions by Jude Siciliano, OP

Isaiah 58: 7-10; Psalm 112; I Corinthians 2: 1-5; Matthew 5: 13-16

If we were to ask the prophet Isaiah to describe what religion in the modern world should look like, he would tell us what he told the post-exilic Jewish community in Jerusalem: share bread with the hungry, shelter the homeless, clothe the naked, do not turn your back on your own, and remove oppression, accusation, and malicious speech. When we do these things, the prophet tells us, our “light shall break forth like the dawn.” These days there is much darkness and many shadows that cannot be overcome simply by switching on a wall light. We religious folk do not always confront the darkness around us: economic inequality, racism, mass incarceration (for example, our downtown Dallas jail has almost 7,000 inmates), migration crises, and environmental degradation. Our neighbors can be suspicious of religion when we talk about justice, but do not practice it. Do we “talk the talk and walk the walk”? Authentic faith must be embodied – at our dinner tables, in shelters, clinics, classrooms, neighborhoods, and even in the halls of government. The prophet is not just addressing personal sin. He anticipates modern discussions of what we now call “structural sin.” He calls us to examine systems that benefit some while burdening others. He personalizes our response to the needs of others. The poor are not problems to be solved, but flesh-and-blood neighbors to be embraced. Isaiah is not only addressing individual responsibility; he is issuing a call to nations and to the religious community. When we unite to act justly and kindly toward all, communities become places where light returns and wounds are healed – emotionally, spiritually, and socially. Our world remains in shadows and darkness. Isaiah promises that “the gloom shall become for you like midday.” This comes about not merely by speaking words. As I write this, we are celebrating Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday. His words remain powerful and illuminating because they were backed by prophetic witness. The world was brightened by his words because his life made God visible. Isaiah reminds us that God rejects a religion confined to ritual alone. He calls his hearers to feed the hungry, shelter the homeless, free the oppressed, and heal broken lives. Jesus echoes Isaiah’s teaching in the Sermon on the Mount, from which today’s Gospel is taken. We are “the salt of the earth” and “the light of the world.” These are not automatic badges of membership for his followers, nor are they abstract beliefs or private holiness. They are a call to action. Our light must “shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your heavenly Father.” These “good deeds” are the visible signs Isaiah describes. Salt has developed a negative reputation. How many of us have been told by our doctors, “Cut down on your salt intake”? But Jesus focuses on salt’s ability to preserve and to give flavor. Isaiah warns that when a society neglects the poor and vulnerable, it rots from within. When disciples feed, shelter, and defend the weak, they act as salt – agents of resistance to moral and social decay. Where would we be without light to guide and reveal our way? Jesus promises that darkness will be dispelled, that it will be like noonday. In our world of shadows, people weighed down by fear, inequality, and indifference can shine when our works of mercy illuminate God’s presence. Our world is hungry for hope. When believers feed the hungry, welcome the homeless, lift burdens, and speak without malice, we become salt that preserves what is human and light that makes God believable. In our Church, we treasure our sacramental life, doctrine, and tradition. Yet Isaiah and Jesus insist that belonging to a religious community is not enough. Jesus is not complimenting us when he says, “You are the light of the world”; he is challenging us. Our responsibility as his followers is to be light in the dark places of our world. Our parishes, schools, and ministries must not be known first for what we oppose, but for whom we feed, welcome, defend, and heal through our service. We do not lack teaching, but we must ask ourselves: do we embody what we teach? We risk becoming cultural Catholics if we are not in solidarity with the poor, migrants, the imprisoned, the sick, and the forgotten. Catholic Charities, parish food pantries, prison and hospital ministries, immigration services, and shelters are not “extra works.” They are who we are – “salt of the earth” and “light of the world.” We Catholics need to be brighter, not just louder. This has become for our Church an era of scandal, polarization, and mistrust. It is not a matter of “image repair,” but of turning again toward the poor and vulnerable. This is what the prophets Isaiah and Jesus guide us to do. We cannot keep our faith behind church walls; our lives must illuminate the lives of those most in need. When we live mercy, our Church becomes salt and light that cannot be ignored.

Quotable

“We must not withhold [the light of faith] as if we were our property. Instead, we are called to make it shine throughout the world, to offer to others through good works….” —Pope Francis (on Matthew 5:13-16)

Justice Bulletin Board by Barbara Molinari Quinby, MPS, Director Office of Human Life, Dignity, and Justice Ministries Holy Name of Jesus Cathedral, Raleigh, NC

Share your bread with the hungry. --Isaiah 58: 7

The advocacy group, Bread for the World, writes: “It is commonly known that the cause of hunger in the world is not a shortage of food but rather access to food. Some people are hungry because food is in short supply in their area and for a specific reason. It may be because they can’t afford to buy enough food. It may be both. Some countries have a ‘hunger season’ every year. It’s when the previous harvest is gone and the next harvest is not yet ready. It can last as long as three or four months. “The U.S. doesn’t have that kind of a hunger season, but for many families, some weeks are hungrier than others. These usually come toward the end of the month, as families run short of food before they have money to buy more. People can’t simply decide to spend less on rent, but if necessary, they can spend less on food. For many low-wage workers, retirees, people with disabilities, and their families, even careful planning cannot stretch the grocery budget throughout the month. Less expensive — and less nutritious — filler foods can keep children’s stomachs from growling, but they can’t provide what children need to grow and learn. Adults who are missing meals because they can’t afford to buy food can’t concentrate as well at work.” Catholic social teaching tells us that after charity comes solidarity, relationship. Relationship leads to advocacy for just changes because bonds with those on the margins help us become the “light of the world.” You can begin today to effect change by participating in any of the following food ministries here at Holy Name of Jesus Cathedral: Catholic Parish Outreach Food Pantry, Helen Wright Shelter for Women dinners, Oak City Cares weekend meals for homeless and hungry, and/or Women’s Center lunches for homeless women. More detailed information can be found on the HNOJ Cathedral website (Holy Name of Jesus Cathedral | Corporal Works of Mercy). To join, contact: socialconcern@hnojnc.org To begin helping with advocacy, take action at the Bread for the World website, http://www.bread.org/about-hunger, as they write: “We can virtually end hunger in our time. Each person who takes action with Bread for the World helps us get closer to that goal.” The one who becomes a light to the world brings forth a new day of grace and justice and it begins by sharing your bread.

From today’s Gospel reading: Jesus said to his disciples: “You are the salt of the earth. But if salt loses its taste, with what can it be seasoned? It is no longer good for anything but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot. You are the light of the world. A city set on a mountain cannot be hidden.”

Reflection: Jesus reminds us that faith is not meant to be hidden or kept private. Like salt, our discipleship is meant to bring flavor, preserve what is good, and make a difference where we live and work. Like light, our lives are meant to reflect God’s goodness so others can find their way. When we live the Gospel with integrity, kindness, and courage, our ordinary actions become signs of God’s presence in the world.

So, we ask ourselves:

Where in my daily life is God calling me to be more visible in faith and love?
How do my words and actions help preserve what is good in my family, parish, or community?
What might be causing my faith to lose its “saltiness,” and how can I renew it today?

A LOOK BACK AT THIS SUNDAY FIFTEEN YEARS AGO.
February 6, 2011

First Impressions by Jude Siciliano, OP

Isaiah 58: 7-10 Psalm 112 I Corinthians 2: 1-5 Matthew 5: 13-16

Salt has gotten a bad rap in recent years. It’s linked to high blood pressure, a life-threatening condition. Doctors suggest those with high blood pressure reduce their intake of salt. With the increased consumption of prepared foods and snacks, nutritionists warn all of us that we consume too much salt and that we should cut down on our intake--especially as we age. So, for us moderns, it doesn’t sound like a compliment, or an encouraging word, when Jesus calls his disciples “the salt of the earth.” No one eats salt plain, by itself. Still, even these days, with all the cautions we hear, most people prefer a little salt in their food. I was speaking with a friend who is a nurse and has high blood pressure. She said, with a mischievous wink of our eye, “I’m not supposed to eat salt, but I still put a tiny bit on my food. It enhances the flavor.” But those disciples didn’t have to worry about over consuming potato chips and frozen dinners. Their experience with salt was entirely different from ours. Salt was a luxury item and was used as a preservative for foods. It was also a sign of friendship and community, and so people shared salt at banquets to express their bonds of family and friendship. In the Hebrew Scriptures it was a symbol of permanence and purification. Salt symbolized the people’s relationship with God, which Numbers (18:19) described as an “inviolable covenant to last forever before the Lord, for you and for your descendants.” That “inviolable covenant” was described as a “covenant made in salt”(2 Chronicles 13:5). Thus, when Jesus called his disciples “the salt of the earth”that title would resonate deeply in their daily experience and religious heritage. He was suggesting first of all, that they were friends of his and were in a permanent and stable relationship with God. Early Christians took up the image of salt and connected it to baptism and their covenant with God. Because of this covenant they were protected and preserved from evil. The world could corrupt Christians, but baptism and the gospel would preserve and keep them in their relationship to Jesus and one another. They, like their Jewish ancestors, were in a “covenant of salt.” Until most recently, salt was still used in baptismal liturgies. It was placed on the tongue of the one being baptized. (Salt is often sprinkled in water to be blessed.) We bless ourselves with that water as a reminder of our baptism and its healing and preserving qualities for our faith. Those baptismal waters continue to preserve us from evil, for God has not broken the new “covenant of salt” we have in Jesus. Through the ongoing life of the Holy Spirit in each of the baptized, we are able to fulfill our calling to be “salt of the earth.” We Christians are in a “salt covenant” with each other. We may not be the best of friends. We may not invite each other over for a special occasion or dinner in our homes on the holidays. Nevertheless, we are covenanted to one another through our baptism. In Christ we are also in a lasting communion with God, empowered and nursed by the Holy Spirit. We are in a “covenant of salt.” Today’s gospel reminds us that we are called into the service of Jesus Christ. He is not only calling us the “salt of the earth,” he is telling us to be that salt of the earth. It’s an awesome responsibility Jesus entrusts to us. We are to be witnesses who point the way to Jesus. We may feel as small and insignificant as salt, such a tiny ingredient, but like salt we are to mix in, not avoid, life in the world. Like salt, we may not call attention to ourselves, nevertheless people will recognize the flavor we bring into the world — it is the quiet, but effective presence of Christ — the one with whom we have a lasting covenant of salt. But sometimes Jesus’ disciples are not supposed to be just a quiet presence in everyday life. Some circumstances require that we make more of an impact on our surroundings. Or, as the second part of today’s gospel reminds us, we are to be “the light of the world.” In a large, dark gymnasium or arena, one match ignited on the court can be seen by even someone up in the last, upper row of the stands. In the dark, no one can miss the light. We are to be Christ’s light in a dark world. Jesus wasn’t saying anything new for religious Jews. The prophet Isaiah gives some examples how believers can be light in the world. “Share your bread with the hungry, shelter the oppressed and the homeless, clothe the naked when you see them... etc.” Jesus takes up that message later in a parable in which he identifies himself with the neediest, “For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty, etc.” Today Paul advises us that human wisdom, on its own, will not provide light for our world. There are lots of flash and bright lights that lure us from all sides, but do not truly illumine our lives the way the light of Christ, displayed throughout his life and on the cross, can. Of course a city built on a hill cannot be hidden. We didn’t need Jesus to tell us the obvious. But for a Jewish audience that image of the city on a hill would remind them of Jerusalem--not just the physical city, but all it meant to the Jews--a sign of God’s righteousness and presence in their midst. The ideal Jerusalem was to be a place where things were done right, according to God’s light. It was to be a city of the people of God. The prophets had anticipated that this ideal and perfect Jerusalem would attract all the nations and God would teach and protect them. The prophet Micah proclaimed: “Many nations shall come and say, ‘Let us climb the mountain of the Lord,...That God may instruct us in God’s ways, that we may walk in God’s paths. For from Zion shall go forth instruction, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.’” (Micah 4:2) We, the church, are supposed to be that kind of city set on a mountain. We are called to be the community that draws people of all nations to Christ. The good we do in the world should identify us — a city on a mountain — for all to see. Well, we are set on a mountain and the scandals of these recent years, at all levels of our church, have not drawn, but turned some people away. Our identity as light has been darkened; and as salt, we have lost our flavor for many. Therefore, as a response to Jesus' teaching and call today we pray, not only for ourselves, but for our church. We pray for a cleansing, renewing influx of the light only the Spirit can give. “Help us, O Spirit of light, to be faithful servants in the world, lights in the darkness and salt to flavor the world with the gospel of Jesus Christ.”

Justice Bulletin Board by Barbara Molinari Quinby M.P.S. Coordinator of Social Justice Ministries, Sacred Heart Cathedral, Raleigh, N. C.

You are the salt of the earth…You are the light of the world... —Matthew 5: 13-14

I am an “okay” cook but I do understand how salt can flavor a dish and I find it interesting how little salt it takes to do so. I can readily identify with the phrase, “You are the salt of the earth,” because it is such a basic seasoning. Works of justice are “salt” in its most ancient use to preserve and prevent decay thereby insuring good health. “You are the light of the world,” however, invokes quite a different “Who ME?” feeling. Yet, look how the US Catholic Bishops, in both Called and Gifted for the Third Millennium and Our Hearts Were Burning Within Us, envision “a laity who are living witnesses to Christ: well-formed in faith, enthusiastic, capable of leadership in the Church and society, filled with compassion, and working for justice.” These are the ingredients for being a light to the world and it begins with continuing adult faith formation. Author Thomas R. Hawkins calls it, “the learning congregation,” in a book by the same name. Learning challenges our mental models of how we perceive things to be and opens us up to the possibility of seeing from God’s perspective how things could really be. Learning ignites our interior lamp. You and I are on a mission to be salt and light to the temporal world. As the U.S. Bishops affirm, “The church and its adult faithful have a mission in and to the world to share the message of Christ to renew and to transform the social and temporal order. This dual calling to evangelization and justice is integral to the identity of the lay faithful; all are called to it in baptism.” “We need to build local communities of faith where our social teaching is central, not fringe; where social ministry is integral, not optional; where it is the work of every believer, not just the mission of a few committed people and committees.” Choose to accept the mission and we can get cooking and learning together. Contact socialconcern@sacredheartcathedral.org to express your interests in works of justice and in becoming part of a study group.

Faith Book
Mini-reflections on the Sunday scripture readings designed for persons on the run. "Faith Book" is also brief enough to be posted in the Sunday parish bulletins people take home.

From today’s Gospel reading: Jesus said to his disciples: “You are the salt of the earth. But if salt loses its taste, with what can it be seasoned? It is no longer good for anything.”

Reflection: Jesus Christ is not only calling us the “salt of the earth,” he is telling us to be that salt. It’s an awesome responsibility for we are to be witnesses who point the way to Jesus. We may feel as small and insignificant as salt, such a tiny ingredient, but like salt we are to mix in, not avoid, life in the world. People will recognize the flavor we bring into the world--it is the quiet, but effective presence of Christ--the one with whom we have a lasting covenant of salt.

So we ask ourselves:

How and where am I a “salty” witness to the living Christ?
What daily practices do I follow to sustain myself as “salt of the earth?”

PREPARATION FOR THE SESSION

Adapted from Sacred Space: The Prayer Book 2025

OPENING PRAYER

Lord, it is through engagement with others that our light will shine. I need to see how important I am to the mission, even though my contribution may be small. Help me to persevere in personal time of blandness and darkness so that I can reflect and amplify the beauty of your Kingdom.

COMPANIONS FOR THE JOURNEY

Adapted from “Living Space”, a Service of the Irish Jesuits

Today’s gospel is part of the famous “Sermon on the Mount” in which Jesus outlines his entire teaching. It begins with the beatitudes; with which we are also very familiar. We may be totally filled with the spirit of the Beatitudes but it will not do very much good unless their effects are clearly seen in our lives. To be a Christian, it is not enough to be good; we must be seen to be so. It is not enough to ‘have a spirituality’ that fills us with a feeling of peace and tranquility. The spirituality of the Gospel is essentially outreaching. We have not only to be disciples of Christ but also need to proclaim him. So Jesus, immediately following the Beatitudes, presents us with a number of images expressing this. “You are the salt of the earth.” Salt is an essential ingredient in almost all cooked food (even sweet food) to provide taste. We all know what it is like to have soup that contains no salt; we know how much part salt plays in flavoring mass-produced fast foods. We are to be like salt; we are to give taste, zest to our environment. We do that through the specific outlook on life which we have and which we invite others to share. At their best, Christians have been very effective in doing this and have had a great impact on the values of many societies and in bringing about great changes. To be tasteless salt is to be next to useless. Salt that has lost its taste is only fit to be thrown out. At the same time, in the West we sometimes, too, put some salt on the side of our plate. That salt, however, tasty it may be, is still not doing any good unless it is put into the food. And this is an interesting feature of salt, namely, that it blends completely with food and disappears. It cannot be seen, but it can be tasted. That reminds us that we as Christians, if we are to have the effect of giving taste, must be totally inserted in our societies. We have to resist any temptation, as Christians, to withdraw and separate ourselves from the world. It is a temptation we can easily fall into and there are many places in our cities where the Church is absent nowadays. There is no salt there. In our commercial districts, in our industrial areas, in our entertainment and media centers, where is the visible Christian presence? Other images used by Jesus today include being the “light of the world” or being a city built on top of a hill. There is no way it can be hidden; it sticks out like a sore thumb. And what is the point of lighting a candle and then covering it over with a tub? You light a candle to give light so that people can see their way and will not fall. To be baptized and to go into virtual hiding is like lighting and then covering up a candle. Finally, Jesus gives us the reason for making ourselves so visible. It is so that people may see our good works? In order that we can bask in their admiration and wonder? No, but so that they will be led through us to the God who made them, who loves them and wants to lead them to himself. It is for us today to reflect on how visible our Christian faith is to others both as individuals, as families, as members of a Christian group, as parishioners, as a diocese.

LIVING THE GOOD NEWS

Reflection questions:

What is an “everyday saint”?
Do you feel you are one?
What does it mean to be light for the world?
What does it NOT mean?

The enemy of this gospel is the feeling that we are too insignificant to matter. In my own life, how can I counteract this self-defeating tendency to be passive rather than active?

For a lot of our religious history, we have been taught that our main mission is to avoid sin, to stay out of trouble, to perfect our interior spiritual development. Period. This gospel passage runs counter to that. How much of my life has been spent on my own personal growth and spiritual development, and how much has been spent witnessing to others?

Walter Burghardt, S.J., has described our mission in life as “Grace on Crutches”. How does work as a metaphor for our own personal brokenness and imperfection and our role in this world?

Is the career I find myself in utterly divorced from the directives contained in this gospel?
How?
Is there anything I can do to change this?

Are there people or places in our area where a Christian witness is for all intents and purposes absent?
Can we do anything about that?
What are some “non-heroic” actions people can take to make God’s kingdom more present?

When is it appropriate to be transparent with others about your faith?
When is it not appropriate?
Should we be proactive, or let others take the initiative?

Why are people in the workplace expected to leave their faith at the door, rather than integrate beliefs into everyday decisions and relationships?

Who are some of the discarded in this world for whom Christians can be salt and light?

Often criticism and judgmentalism leach all the flavor and joy out of life. Has this been my experience?
How do I counteract it?

Joy is something that can actually change the world. In what everyday ways do I radiate the joy of the gospel?

Without salt, food is tasteless and uninviting, or spoils and is discarded. Without care and concern, our world can become flat and unwelcoming, causing people’s hope and energy to wither and disappear. Despite all that we do already, many of us can do a little more.
What is one thing you can do to spice up your little corner of the world?

CLOSING PRAYER

Don’t forget to provide some prayer time at the beginning and at the end of the session (or both), allowing time to offer prayers for anyone you wish to pray for.

Adapted from Sacred Space: Lord, help us to see that we are children of the light, that our lives are illumined by you, the light of the world (John 8:12). Help us to see in your light the hidden hope of glory that is in us, so we can rejoice even in the darkness of the world. Help us to be light for others, for that is our commission.

FOR THE WEEK AHEAD

Weekly Memorization: (Taken from the gospel for today’s session) You are the salt of the earth; your light must shine before others.

Meditations:
A Meditation in the Dominican Style — Asking Questions: Very often, when we are confronted with the teaching of Jesus that we are to be the light for the world, we claim that we would love to do more, but we are just too busy. Life is crazy right now, etc., “I don’t have time”. Here are some problems with that statement:

When will you ever have more time than you do now?
Who, actually, has more time than you do?
Have you evaluated the time commitment you might have to make, or are you dismissing any time commitment at all?
Excuse #492: I am so messed up myself I cannot possible be a good resource for anyone else

Query: Were the first apostles always models of unselfishness, maturity and piety?
Query: What daily practices can I follow to sustain myself as someone for others?
Excuse #493: I have so much I am personally dealing with right now; I do not have the bandwidth to take on anyone else’s needs.
Query: Did the first apostles not have families, economic difficulties and relationship commitments as well?
Query: Can I find at least one small way I can be a light of hope and kindness to someone else?

A Meditation in the Franciscan Style — Action: Read Isaiah 58:6-10 “Is not this the sort of fast that pleases me: to break unjust fetters, to undo the thongs of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free, and to break all yokes? Is it not sharing your food with the hungry, and sheltering the homeless poor; if you see someone lacking clothes, to clothe him, and not to turn away from your own kin? Then your light will blaze out like the dawn and your wound be quickly healed over. Saving justice will go ahead of you and Yahweh’s glory come behind you. Then you will cry for help and Yahweh will answer; you will call and he will say, “I am here.” If you do away with the yoke, the clenched fist and malicious words, if you deprive yourself for the hungry and satisfy the needs of the afflicted, your light will rise in the darkness, and your darkest hour will be like noon.” Both Sunday’s gospel and the first reading fly in the face of the commonly acknowledged “truth” that it takes money and power to change the world. Instead, says Walter Burghardt, S.J. the world needs Christian disciples, not just popes or martyrs, not great orators or donors to great causes. The world needs everyday, ordinary disciples who go about their lives witnessing to the message of Jesus to forgive, to care for the lonely, the sick, the hungry , to heal those has He did. Can I say I am disciple? Why or why not? Pick one thing you can do this week to be Christ for others. And do it.

A Meditation in the Augustinian Style — Relationship: Psalm 112: 4-9 “For the honest he shines as a lamp in the dark, generous, tender-hearted, and upright. All goes well for one who lends generously, who is honest in all his dealing; for all time to come he will not stumble, for all time to come the upright will be remembered. Bad news holds no fears for him, firm is his heart, trusting in Yahweh. His heart held steady, he has no fears, till he can gloat over his enemies. To the needy he gives without stint, his uprightness stands firm for ever; his reputation is founded on strength.” Read this psalm as example of what it means to be salt and light, then write your own mini-psalm transliterating the words of the psalm into to first person ( “all goes well for me who lends generously”, etc). Pray it every day this week.

POETIC REFLECTIONS

Thomas Centolella, a former Stegner Fellow from Stanford, has written a poem about “raising ourselves to the power of ten” in order to accommodate all the needs that are out there in our world. See if it says anything to you.

At Big Rec
A few hours spent in the dry rooms of the dying.
Then the walk home, and the sudden rain
comes hard, and you want it coming hard,
you want it hitting you in the forehead
like anointment, blessing all the days
that otherwise would be dismissed
as business as usual. Now you’re ready
to lean on the rail above the empty diamonds
where, in summer, the ballplayers wait patiently
for one true moment more alive than all the rest.
Now you’re ready for the ancient religion of dogs,
that unleashed romp through the wildness, responding
To no one’s liturgy but the field’s and the rain’s.
You’ve come this far, but you need to live further in.
You need to slip into the blind man for a while,
tap along with his cane past the market stalls
and take in, as if they were abandoned,
the little blue crabs which within an hour will be eaten.
You have to become large enough to accommodate
all the small lives that otherwise would be forgotten.
You have to raise yourself to the power of ten.
Love more, require less, love without regard
For form. You have to live further in.

The next poem serves as a reminder that in order to be the light of the world, we must be grounded in the light of Christ.

Gather the People

What return can we make
for all the Lord has done in our lives?
We bring bread, wine, our clay dishes
and our clay feet
to this altar
and we pray that we may here
make a beginning--
that somehow in our days
we can begin to see the promises
the Lord has made us.
The promises do not always
glow with obvious light, or
overwhelm us by their obvious truth.
No matter what anyone says,
it is difficult to understand an invisible God
and belief is not always
the easy way out.
So we gather the people
and we tell the story again
and we break the bread
and in the memory of the one
who saves us,
we eat and drink
and we pray and we believe.
We gather, we pray, we eat.
These things are for human beings.
God has no need of them.
Yet he himself gathered the people,
prayed, broke bread
and gave it to his friends.
And so the invisible God became
visible
and lives with us.

— by Ed Ingebretzen, Psalms of the Still Country

CCAS Administrative Assistant 1/26/26 CCAS Administrative Assistant 1/26/26

4th Sunday in Ordinary Time

February 1, 2026

The values of the Kingdom are different from the values of the world.

Matthew 5:1-12a (Jerusalem Bible)

Seeing the crowds, he went onto the mountain. And when he was seated his disciples came to him. Then he began to speak. This is what he taught them: How blessed are the poor in spirit: the kingdom of Heaven is theirs. Blessed are the gentle: they shall have the earth as inheritance. Blessed are those who mourn: they shall be comforted. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for uprightness: they shall have their fill. Blessed are the merciful: they shall have mercy shown them. Blessed are the pure in heart: they shall see God. Blessed are the peacemakers: they shall be recognised as children of God. Blessed are those who are persecuted in the cause of uprightness: the kingdom of Heaven is theirs. Blessed are you when people abuse you and persecute you and speak all kinds of calumny against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward will be great in heaven; this is how they persecute the prophets before you.

REFLECTIONS

First Impressions by Jude Siciliano, O.P.

Zeph: 2:3, 3:12-13; Ps 146; 1 Corinthians 1: 26-31; Matthew 5: 1-12a

If you or I were God, wouldn’t we choose prime candidates, the best we could find, to spread the good news of Jesus Christ to the world? In our second reading from 1 Corinthians Paul takes an honest, even blunt, look at God is chosen. “Consider your own calling….” Then he reminds those Corinthian Christians of their standing in the eyes of the world. They were not, “wise by human standings, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth.” Indeed, he says, God chose the “foolish… the weak… the lowly and despised of the world.” It might sound like a putdown of the Corinthians, and us moderns Christians as well. It is not a rebuke, but a revelation. In effect, God’s ways of working do not match human expectations. God chooses the weak to reveal where true strength lies. God shows the limits of worldly wisdom by offering us the saving wisdom of Christ. Our world has its own ways of ranking people’s worth. We are obsessed with what a person earns, possesses, or achieves. We tend to ask about someone’s resume, education, title, visibility and success. Paul contradicts the standards used by the world, showing us that God does not rely on our high ranking in society to save us. By choosing the “foolish,” “weak,” and “lowly,” no one can boast. We do not have to prove our worth to receive God’s gift of Jesus. We do not save ourselves, no matter how much we think we have merited before God. So, with Paul’s insights we realize that life with God is a given, not earned. Paul lays out the Christian life for us. He shows God has redefined what it means to be wise, powerful and blessed. Wisdom looks like the cross. Power is self-giving and Glory looks like humility. What then can we possibly boast about? Paul states it quite clearly, “Whoever boasts, should boast in the Lord.” This is not false humility on our part, but the truth. Our lives, service, our very faith are rooted in God’s initiative. God chooses to work through us by our availability, faithfulness and a willingness to let Christ be everything for us. God has made the first move towards us, and we are invited to respond. How? First of all, by giving thanks at this offering – our Eucharist. Paul and Matthew speak with one voice today. God’s kingdom reverses the world’s values. Paul reminds the community that God chose those who are not impressive by the world’s standards: the foolish… the weak… the lowly and despised of the world. Jesus proclaims poetically on the hillside what Paul teaches theologically. Those Paul identifies are exactly the people Jesus looks out on in his sermon, calling them blessed: the poor in spirit, the meek, the merciful, those who mourn, those who hunger for righteousness and those who are persecuted. Neither Paul nor Jesus romanticize suffering, or insignificance. Both reveal how God draws near to those who have little to claim for themselves or boast about. They are not the powerful; they do not have upper status or significance in the world. Instead, they are signs and reminders that God draws close to those who know their need and do not rely on power, status or self- sufficiency. Jesus’ Beatitudes describe people whose lives are open to God because their focus is not on themselves. These are the exact people Paul says God delights in choosing. First Corinthians and our gospel invite us to re-examine what we admire and pursue in our lives. They portray what is contrary to the world, which blesses the successful, secure and admired. The evangelists remind us: if we are to boast at all, we must boast not in ourselves, but in the God who lifts up the lowly and makes them heirs of the kingdom. In light of the message today’s Scriptures convey what might daily life in our parish look like? If we honestly believe that God works through what the world calls weak, or unimpressive, then our parish must reflect that belief. So, we should value quiet faithfulness over visibility; service over recognition; collaboration over competition. Those who faithfully visit the sick, staff the food pantry, serve as lectors, prepare the liturgy, teach the young, clean the church etc. may be living the Beatitudes more fully than the one with the loudest voice, or highest profile. What about ourselves? In light of what Jesus and Paul are teaching we need to let go of the desire for recognition, or affirmation of our contributions. Tensions arise, even in parish communities! We are invited to respond not with defensiveness or pride, but with meekness, mercy and hunger for justice. Paul reminds us: “Whoever boasts should boast in the Lord.

Quotable

“The Beatitudes are the portrait of Christ and the path of Christian life.” —Pope Francis, General Audience, January 29, 2020.

Justice Bulletin Board by Barbara Molinari Quinby, MPS, Director Office of Human Life, Dignity, and Justice Ministries Holy Name of Jesus Cathedral, Raleigh, NC

“Blessed are the…” —Matthew :1-12A

I have heard this litany so frequently that sometimes it just washes over me. So, I decided to re-read what the Church teaches about this scripture in order to have some fresh understanding from God’s perspective of justice. The Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC) provides an opening reflection in its very title about this subject, “Our Vocation to Beatitude.” That is a correct reading. The word, beatitude, is singular… and we have a vocation to it. “The Beatitudes are at the heart of Jesus’ preaching” (CCC 1716) as they “reveal the goal of human existence, the ultimate end of human acts: God calls us to his own beatitude” (CCC 1719). And what is God’s own beatitude to which we are called? To be “blessed” (from the Latin beatus) means to be happy, not in a self-serving way but, in a joyful contentedness knowing that we are loved. Here in lies the challenge and this scripture tells us how we are to respond in order to be blessed, to be happy… right here… right now. Back in the Jubilee Year 2000, the U.S. Catholic Bishops wrote eloquently in their message titled, Because God Loves You “Because God loves you, you can care for the weak, remove injustices, alleviate poverty, annihilate oppression, and restore righteousness in our world. The love of God in you gives you strength to defend the unborn, support the elderly, and lift the hearts of those without hope. God’s grace in you helps you to see that in every person beats a heart yearning to be loved. Because God loves you, you have the power to touch hearts with compassion, heal wounds in those around you, and act selflessly.” “The beatitude we are promised, confronts us with decisive moral choices” (CCC 1723). Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness sake. The Beatitudes constitute a countercultural truth. But when this truth has been followed, it has changed our world. Commitments to elevate the lowly, protect the vulnerable, include the excluded, and provide for those in need lifts everyone and changes the course of history as the arc bends toward justice.

From today’s Gospel reading: Blessed are you when they insult you and persecute you and utter every kind of evil against you falsely because of me.

Reflection: People of faith, inspired by the Beatitudes, have a different way of looking at life. Living our “beatitude calling” is difficult, but we know God stands with us and, in our daily lives, help us put flesh on the Beatitudes. Even as we try, stumble and try again to live the Beatitudes, we hear Jesus’ reassurance, “You are already blessed.”

So, we ask ourselves: Concretely how do we experience the opposition of others because of our faith? What gives us strength to continue to live out that faith despite the obstacles we face?

Postcards to Death Row Inmates

“One has to strongly affirm that condemnation to the death penalty is an inhuman measure that humiliates personal dignity, in whatever form it is carried out.” —Pope Francis

Please write to: Women on Death Row
Blanche Moore #0288088 (On death row since 11/16/1990)
Carlette Parker #0311386 4/1/1999)
North Carolina Correctional Institution for Women
1034 Bragg St, Raleigh, NC 27610

Commentary on the Beatitudes

Matthew 5:3: Blessed are the Poor in Spirit: “Blessed (Greek: makarioi) are the poor (Greek: ptochoi) in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.” “Blessed (makarioi) are the poor (ptochoi) in spirit” (v. 3a). God began the Ten Commandments with a grace note—a reminder that God brought the Israelites out of slavery. The first commandment, “You shall have no other gods before me” (Exodus 20:2), is foundational in the sense that the person who is unfaithful to the first commandment will have little inclination to honor any commandment, but the person who is faithful to the first commandment will try to honor them all. In like manner, Jesus begins the Beatitudes with the grace note of blessings, and the first beatitude is as foundational as was the first commandment. The poor in spirit, those who stand in total dependence before God, are also disposed to mourn for a Godless world—and to approach others in a spirit of gentleness—and to hunger and thirst for righteousness—and so forth. Ptochoi means abject poverty. True poverty is a cruel thing. It breaks people. They suffer. Confronted daily with their own helplessness, they know the difference that even a small act of mercy can make. They watch eagerly for a gesture or a glance that might promise help. They long for a bit of kindness. They crave a bit of dignity. Standing before God, the poor in spirit are like that. They know that they bring nothing in their hands that God needs and nothing in their hearts that compels God to accept them. They bring their poverty, hoping for sustenance. They bring their brokenness, hoping for mending. They bring their sin, hoping to receive forgiveness. They bring their grief, hoping to be comforted. They bring their illness, hoping to be healed. They do not come bargaining, because they have nothing to offer. Their ptochoi—poverty of spirit—has broken them, making them fertile soil to receive God’s blessing. Jesus says, “a rich man will enter into the Kingdom of Heaven with difficulty” (19:23). God pulls us Godward, but wealth and power pull us inward. The greater our wealth, the more we love it—the more we trust it—the less we feel the need for God’s help—the more prideful we are as we come into God’s presence—and therefore the less likely to receive God’s salvation. And yet, when the disciples ask, “Then who can be saved?” Jesus answers, “For men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible” (19:25-26). We must take care, therefore, not to canonize the poor or to demonize the rich. There are poor people who are wicked to the bone and wealthy people who are generous to a fault. It is the heart rather than the pocketbook that matters to God. “for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven” (v. 3b). In beatitudes 2-7 (vv. 4-9), the promise is future—”will”. In beatitudes 1, 8, and 9 (vv. 3, 10 and 11), the promise is present—”is”. The poor in spirit (v. 3) and those who are persecuted (vv. 10-11) possess the blessing now.

Matthew 5:4. Blessed are those who mourn: “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted” (Greek: paraklethesontai) “Blessed are those who mourn” (v. 4a). This beatitude finds its roots in Isaiah 61:1-2 where God anoints a person “to bind up the brokenhearted… (and) to comfort all who mourn.” The setting was Jerusalem. The Jewish people had just returned from their lengthy exile. While God made it possible for them to rebuild Jerusalem, he had not made it easy. Local people opposed the rebuilding of the temple, and the project ground to a halt (Ezra 4; Nehemiah 4-5). The Jews were mourning the devastation—and the disobedience of the earlier generation that had brought about the destruction of Jerusalem and their long exile. Tom Long tells of a television commercial that shows windblown litter and cast-off garbage alongside a highway. Then the camera pans to the face of a Native American. “As he looks solemnly upon the spoiled landscape, a tear falls from his eye, his grief marking the distance between the world as it is and the world as it should be” (Long 48-49). That image captures perfectly the grief of the Godly mournful who live in a world despoiled by sin. The promise is that “they shall be comforted” (paraklethesontai) (v. 4b). This Greek word is related to the word parakletos (Holy Spirit) that is usually translated Counselor or Comforter in the Gospel of John (14:26). The Paraclete is a helper or comforter in times of need. The person of faith grieves for the world as it is now but not for the world as it shall be. The person of faith lives under the promise that the kingdom will come and that God will make things right. The person of faith will be comforted in the future when God sets things right, but is also comforted in the present by God’s promise of it.

Matthew 5:5. Blessed are the gentle: “Blessed are the gentle, (Greek: preis—from praus) for they shall inherit the earth.” “Blessed are the gentle” (v. 5a). The word “gentle” (“meek” in some translations) suggests a timidity that Jesus did not intend to convey. To understand this beatitude, we must look to the original Hebrew and Greek words in context. Jesus quotes Psalm 37:11. In that Psalm, the faithful have lost their land to the wicked, but the Psalmist assures them that the wicked “shall soon be cut down like the grass” (v. 2). He calls them to “Trust in Yahweh, and do good. Dwell in the land, and enjoy safe pasture” (v. 3). He promises, “For yet a little while, and the wicked will be no more…. But the humble shall inherit the land, and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace” (vv. 10-11). This Psalm promises vindication for those who are faithful in adversity. Their land will be restored, not by their own strength, but as an inheritance from God. The Hebrew word translated “humble” in Psalm 37 (translated “meek” in many translations) is anawim. Anawim is used to describe Moses: “Now the man Moses was very anawim, more so than anyone else on the face of the earth” (Numbers 12:3). Moses demonstrates his anawim at the burning bush. He is afraid to look at God (Exodus 3:6). He protests, “Who am I, that I should go to Pharaoh?” (Exodus 3:11). He says, “Behold, they will not believe me, nor listen to my voice” (Exodus 4:1). Finally, in desperation, he says, “O Lord, I am not eloquent, …for I am slow of speech, and of a slow tongue” (Exodus 4:10). BUT, humble though he might be in God’s presence, Moses is hardly timid when he appears before Pharaoh. He does not hesitate to act, even though his actions bring about plagues to devastate the Egyptians. His gentleness resurfaces when the Israelites make the golden calf and Moses pleads to God for their lives (Exodus 32:11-14). On that occasion he is not timid even in God’s presence, but argues persuasively that God should spare the people. His heart is gentle toward Israelites who face God’s wrath. But then he breaks the tablets in anger when he finds the people dancing at the foot of the mountain. He forces the Israelites to grind the golden calf to dust, mix it with water, and drink it—effectively converting gold to dung. He was anawim, but hardly weak or indecisive. The Greek in the Beatitudes is praus. Jesus describes himself as “praus and lowly in heart” (11:29). Matthew describes Jesus as a king, “praus, and mounted on a donkey” (21:5). Jesus models praus at his trial, where he refuses to defend himself. He is poised and in control, but he refuses to make claims for himself or to mount a defense. However, we can hardly call Jesus weak or timid. He upends moneychangers’ tables and uses a whip to drive animals from the temple. He lashes Pharisees with his tongue. He exercises authority over illness and demons. He teaches with authority. Hardly meek as we usually think of meek! If Moses and Jesus are models of anawim and praus, their behavior suggests the true meaning of these words. Neither Moses nor Jesus was ambitious in the pursuit of personal enrichment. Both, however, were forceful when upholding a principle or protecting the vulnerable. We might conclude, then, that anawim and praus should be translated “not self-seeking,” rather than “meek.” But more important still was the source of their strength. Both Moses and Jesus knew themselves to be working, not by human strength, but by the power of God. Such a person can work quietly—confidently—certain that they, with God’s help, will prevail. “for they shall inherit the earth” (v. 5b). The surprise is that the praus will inherit the earth. We assume that God will give them heaven, but Jesus promises them earth. The word, “inherit,” is the clue. God gives them the inheritance as a gift—a gift that they could never win for themselves.

Matthew 5:6. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst: “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be filled.” The words “hunger and thirst” mean less to affluent First World Christians today than to the people of Jesus’ time. When we are hungry, we eat. When we are thirsty, we drink. We refrigerate water to cool it and food to preserve it. We shop in supermarkets stacked high with foods flown fresh from the four corners of the world. In restaurants we order food one minute and receive it the next. We are less likely to express wonder at this abundance than to express frustration when the system fails to work perfectly. When someone asks if we are hungry, they mean only “Are you sufficiently hungry to eat now if I put food on the table?” It was very different in Jesus’ day. People seldom ate meat and were often hungry—sometimes starving. Hunger and thirst are compelling! A hungry person can think of little but food! A thirsty person can think of little but water! To hunger and thirst is to be totally focused. “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst after righteousness” (v. 6a). Blessed are those who are totally focused on righteousness! Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for personal holiness! Blessed are those who ache to live in a world where people live in right relationships! Blessed are those who long for the kingdom to come on earth as it is in heaven! “for they shall be filled” (v. 6b). God will give them that for which they long! Their dreams will come true! And when their dreams come true, the dreams will not be hollow, as realized dreams so often are. They will not find life still empty! They will not be at loose ends! They will not ache for more! “They shall be FILLED!” What a promise!

Matthew 5:7. Blessed are the merciful: “Blessed are the merciful (Greek: eleemones), for they will obtain mercy.” “Blessed are the merciful” (eleemones) (v. 7a). The word translated “mercy” is eleemones, which begins with sympathy but then moves to action. Jesus pronounces a blessing on the person who feels the other person’s pain and takes action to relieve it. Jesus promises, “for they shall obtain mercy” (v. 7b). When we examine this Gospel further, we will discover that mercy-receiving is dependent on mercy-giving. Only those who show mercy can expect God to show them mercy.

• In this Gospel, Jesus teaches us to pray, “Forgive us our debts, as we also forgive our debtors” (6:12).

• He twice quotes Hosea 6:6, which calls for mercy rather than sacrifice (9:13; 12:7).

• He gives the parable of the unforgiving servant, with its condemnation of the person who fails the mercy test (18:21-35).

• He condemns the scribes and Pharisees for scrupulous attention to tithing while neglecting the weightier matters of justice, mercy, and faith (23:23).

If it is true that the merciful will receive mercy, it is also true that those who have received mercy are more inclined to give mercy. Having needed mercy, they can sympathize with those who need mercy. In that sense, mercy is cyclical, so the question is how to jump-start the mercy-cycle. God did that by loving us when we were yet sinners (Romans 5:6-8). Having shown us mercy, Christ sends us into the world to keep mercy alive.

Matthew 5:8. Blessed are the pure in heart: “Blessed are the pure (Greek: katharoi) in heart, for they shall see God.” Jesus adapts Psalm 24:3-4: “Who shall ascend the hill of the Lord? And who shall stand in his holy place? Those who have clean hands and pure hearts.” “Blessed are the pure (katharoi) in heart” (v. 8a). Katharos, the Greek word for purity, has two meanings that are similar but different:

• It means clean—not dirty. Jesus warns, “For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, sexual sins, thefts, false testimony, and blasphemies” (15:19), and blesses the pure heart that is unsullied by these evils.

• It also means unadulterated—unalloyed—not mixed with foreign substances. The pure heart is devoted completely to God. It finds a treasure in a field and sells all that he has to buy the field. It sells all that it has to buy the one pearl of great value (13:44-46). The person with a pure heart does not just claim to have faith, but possesses the kind of unwavering faith that leads to faithful living. The opposite of the pure heart is the divided heart. A divided heart will try to serve two masters, only to end up hating the one and loving the other. Jesus warns, “You cannot serve both God and Mammon” (6:24). James says, “Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded” (James 4:8). “for they shall see God” (v. 8b). The promise that the pure in heart will see God is a fitting reward for the devoted servant of God. C. S. Lewis notes: “We are afraid that Heaven is a bribe, and that if we make it our goal we shall no longer be disinterested. It is not so. Heaven offers nothing that a mercenary soul can desire. It is safe to tell the pure in heart that they shall see God, for only the pure in heart want to” (C.S. Lewis, The Problem of Pain).

Matthew 5:9. Blessed are the peacemakers: “Blessed are the peacemakers, (Greek: eirenopoioi—from eirene) for they shall be called children (huios—sons) of God.” “Blessed are the peacemakers” (eirenopoioi—from eirene). Eirene is the Greek word for peace, and Matthew recorded the Beatitudes in Greek. Jesus, however, spoke Aramaic, a form of Hebrew. The Hebrew word is shalom, and it is to that word that we go to understand this beatitude. Shalom is more than the absence of strife; it is the presence of harmony and brotherhood. Jesus pronounces blessings, not on those who avoid confrontation, but on those who make peace. The avoidance of confrontation may simply allow evil to rampage unfettered. The making of peace, paradoxically, may involve force. Two examples:

• Hitler killed six million Jews and caused the deaths of millions more. Chamberlain’s appeasement simply whetted Hitler’s appetite. Allied soldiers carrying rifles were necessary to drive Hitler’s soldiers from countries that they had enslaved—to liberate prisoners from Hitler’s death camps—to establish peace.

• During the civil rights upheaval of the 1960s, a member of my congregation criticized Martin Luther King for causing trouble. He said that trouble followed King wherever he went, proving that King must be a troublemaker. It was difficult for him to understand that King might be a peacemaker rather than a troublemaker—and that the true evil might lie on the side of the segregationists.

“…for they shall be called children (huios—sons) of God” (v. 9b). The title, “sons of God” or “children of God,” is high praise. These peacemakers will share God’s character, because God is the ultimate peacemaker. John promises, “Beloved, now we are children of God, and it is not yet revealed what we will be. But we know that, when he is revealed, we will be like him” (1 John 3:2).

Matthew 5:10. Blessed are those who have been persecuted: “Blessed are those who have been persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.” “Blessed are those who have been persecuted for righteousness’ sake” (v. 10a). Early Christians were persecuted for a variety of reasons. Jews, Saul among them, persecuted Christians as heretics. Jews and Romans accused Christians of immoral practices. The words of the Last Supper, “This is my body…. This is my blood,” led to charges of cannibalism. The Agape (Love Feast) and the kiss of peace led to charges of sexual immorality. Apocalyptic literature led to charges of sedition. Christian refusal proclaim, “Caesar is Lord,” led to charges of treason (Barclay, 108-110). At the time that this Gospel was written, Christians were being persecuted. This Gospel helped them to put that persecution into perspective. Jesus offers a blessing, not to all who are persecuted, but for “those who have been persecuted for righteousness’ sake.” If we experience persecution, we must ask whether it is because we have been righteousness or simply obnoxious. It is wise to invite the church’s counsel in such matters, because it is difficult for us to be objective regarding our own behavior. Still, it is clear that, when opposed, evil will use every trick in the book to win the day. True righteousness invites persecution. Jesus says that such righteousness also ends in blessings. Note the parallel between “for righteousness’ sake” (v. 10) and “for my sake” (v. 11). The promise is that “theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven” (v. 10b). Again, this repeats the promise of verse 3.

Matthew 5:11-12. Blessed are you when people reproach you: “Blessed are you when people reproach you and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great (Greek: polys) is your reward (Greek: misthos) in heaven, for that is how they persecuted the prophets who were before you.” “Blessed are you” (v. 11a). Jesus changes the form of the beatitude to address his listeners directly. The “you” is plural, suggesting that Jesus is directing this blessing at the community of faith (the church) rather than an individual. “…when people reproach you and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely, for my sake” (v. 11b). The Christian can expect opponents of the Gospel to use every weapon at their disposal: Ridicule (using humor as mockery)—persecution (physical or mental torture—even murder)—and slander (false accusations). Often, these weapons appear to defeat the Christian, but God continues to work in the hearts of those who witness the faith of the Christian in adversity. For instance, there have been a number of accounts of churches springing up spontaneously in the wake of a missionary’s death. Persecution was no academic matter for the church of Matthew’s day. Here Jesus puts their suffering in context by linking it to the great prophets. The prophets’ faithful proclamation brought them persecution. A recent example was John the Baptist, beheaded for opposing Herod’s marriage to his brother’s wife. The penultimate example was Jesus. The church cannot expect to be immune from suffering if it opposes evil, but it can expect to be blessed. “Rejoice (chairo) and be exceedingly glad” (agalliao) (v. 12a). Chairo and agalliao are two words that mean rejoice. Agalliao is the stronger of the two and means “to leap for joy” or “to rejoice with song and dance.” We could translate this verse, “Rejoice and leap for joy!” “for great (polys—much or many) is your reward (misthos) in heaven” (v. 12b). The word misthos is sometimes used to refer to wages—compensation for work—quid pro quo. For instance, Paul says, “Now to one who works, wages (misthos) are not reckoned as a gift but as something due” (Romans 4:4). In 1 Timothy 5:18, he quotes Deuteronomy 25:4: “You shall not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain”—and then adds, “the worker is worthy of his reward” (misthos). But most frequently in the New Testament, misthos refers to spiritual rewards received for faithful discipleship. For instance, Jesus says, “Whoever welcomes a prophet in the name of a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward(misthos); and whoever welcomes a righteous person in the name of a righteous person will receive the reward(misthos) of the righteous” (Matthew 10:41). Paul says that our spiritual work will be tested by fire on the Day of the Lord, and then adds, “If what has been built on the foundation survives, the builder will receive a reward” (misthos) (1 Corinthians 3:14). In verse 5:12a, Jesus promises persecuted disciples a heavenly reward. Heaven is the dwelling place of God, the angels, and those who are faithful. A heavenly existence is both present and future. Those who have accepted Christ have received the Holy Spirit and have begun their heavenly citizenship—a citizenship that will continue through time and eternity. While heavenly rewards are not always apparent in life as we know it, they are nevertheless present. I have known countless Christians who have borne illness, grief, and other hardships with grace. They have relied on God for strength and comfort, and have often become pillars of strength and comfort for others who are less afflicted. These faithful Christians have already received a portion of their heavenly reward. But Jesus surely intends us to understand that our heavenly reward is not limited to this life but will extend into the life to come. Jesus doesn’t tell us exactly what the heavenly rewards will be, but says only that they will be great (polys)—many or much. “for that is how they persecuted the prophets who were before you” (v. 12c). Who did Jesus have in mind?

• King Nebuchadnezzar threatened Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego with death (Daniel 3).

• King Ahab and his wife, Jezebel, sought to kill Elijah (1 King 19).

• King Jehoiakim killed Uriah (Jeremiah 26) and beat and imprisoned Jeremiah (Jeremiah 32, 37-38).

• Antoichus IV Ephiphanes profaned the Jerusalem temple and persecuted Jews (Daniel 9:27; 11:31; 12:11; 1-2 Maccabees).

Persecution of the early church began soon after its founding at Pentecost. The high priests and Sadducees arrested apostles, imprisoned them, tried to intimidate them, and had them flogged (Acts 5:17-42). The council had Stephen stoned (Acts 754 – 8:1). Saul persecuted the church (Acts 8:1-3), and Jews plotted to kill him after he became a Christian (Acts 9:23-25). A number of Roman emperors required their subjects to worship them—and persecuted Christians who refused to do so. Persecution of Christians is widespread in the world today. John Allen, CNN’s senior Vatican analyst and a senior correspondent for the National Catholic Reporter noted that “80 percent of all acts of religious discrimination in the world today are directed at Christians. According to the Pew Forum in Washington, Christians face some form of harassment in 137 nations, two-thirds of all countries on earth.” Allen cites another study that claims that “an average of 100,000 Christians have been killed for the faith each year for the past 10 years” (John L. Allen, Jr., “The Pope’s Four Biggest Challenges,” CNN, March 17, 2013). In the past, Communists were the main offenders, but today Muslim extremists are responsible for most persecution. While Jesus promised blessings to Christians who are persecuted for his sake, we should not assume a passive posture when it comes to the persecution of our Christian brothers and sisters. We need to pray for them and keep their names before our congregations. We need to provide persecuted Christians with financial support. We need to demand that our government use its influence to stop the persecution of Christians.

Scripture quotations are from the World English Bible (WEB), a public domain (no copyright) modern English translation of the Holy Bible. The World English Bible is based on the American Standard Version (ASV) of the Bible, the Biblia Hebraica Stutgartensa Old Testament, and the Greek Majority Text New Testament. The ASV, which is also in the public domain due to expired copyrights, was a very good translation, but included many archaic words (hast, shineth, etc.), which the web has updated.

From Living Space, a Service of the Irish Jesuits

Sermon on the Mount

Today we begin reading from Matthew’s gospel and will continue to do so for several weeks to come. We begin with chapter 5 and the Sermon on the Mount. In reading Matthew’s gospel we need to remember that it was directed primarily at a readership with a Jewish background and in this it differs greatly from Mark. One of Matthew’s aims is to present Jesus as the new Moses, transcending but not putting aside the law given to the Israelites by the first Moses. And, as the law of Moses is contained in what we call the Pentateuch, the first five books of the Bible, so the law or teaching of Jesus is presented uniquely in this gospel by five long discourses. The first of these is the Sermon on the Mount and it consists mainly of the qualities which are expected of a follower of the new Law and the new Moses, Jesus. It begins with what we call the Eight Beatitudes. It could be said that these have been greatly under-rated in the life of the Christian churches, Catholic and otherwise. Most people tend to see the centre of Christian living in the Ten Commandments and yet they really belong to the Hebrew Testament, they are part of that Law which the coming of Jesus did not nullify but transcended. They are, of course, still valid as moral guidelines but, in many ways, they fall far short of what is presented by Jesus in the Beatitudes. It would seem, in fact, that Matthew is presenting the Beatitudes as taking over the role of the Commandments and this is indicated by the prominent place they have in forming the opening of the first discourse. They are, as it were, a manifesto of Jesus’ message and his call to see the world in his way. They express the necessary attitudes of those who belong to the Kingdom. Those who have these attitudes already have entered that Kingdom. Perhaps a few words about the ‘Kingdom’ are in order. In many ways, Matthew’s gospel can be called ‘a Gospel of the Kingdom’. The phrase that Matthew consistently uses, however, is ‘Kingdom of heaven’. For many people this can be misleading because it causes them to think that Jesus is talking about the next life, our life in ‘heaven’. So that the Beatitudes are interpreted as conditions to be observed by those who want to go to heaven after they die. This, I believe, would be a serious misreading of the text. Matthew uses the term ‘kingdom of heaven’ because, mindful of the Jewish background of his readers, he does not like to mention the name of God directly. He uses other circumlocutions in the course of his gospel to get around using God’s name. As when he has Jesus say, “Whose sins you shall forgive, they are forgiven them.” By using the passive in the second half of the statement, he avoids mentioning the Doer, God. The other gospels have no hesitation in talking about the ‘Kingdom of God’ and that is what Matthew also means. What is this kingdom? It is not a place. The Greek word basileia(basileia) is an abstract word which means ‘kingship’ or ‘reign’ rather than ‘kingdom’, which suggests a territory. ‘Kingship’ or ‘reign’ on the contrary suggests power. To belong to the Kingdom or Kingship of God, then, is to put oneself fully, consciously and deliberately under the power of God, to experience that power and be empowered by it. That power is above all the power of agape-love. When we say in the Lord’s Prayer, “Your Kingdom come”, we are not talking about a future life after death but praying that people everywhere put themselves under the loving power of God. That is made clear by the petition immediately following: “Your will be done on earth…” Our first call as Christians is to belong to, to enter that Kingdom and not just to be a member of the Church. The Church is, in so far as it is faithful to the call of Christ, part of the Kingdom but the Kingdom extends far beyond the membership of the Church. The Church is, as it were, the sacrament or visible sign of the Kingdom. As examples, I would suggest that people like Mahatma Gandhi and the Dalai Lama are people who are very much full of the spirit of the Kingdom, more so, I dare to say, than many of us who are baptised. It is significant, I think, that Gandhi was particularly fond of the Beatitudes and identified with them. It is time now to look at today’s text. It begins with Jesus seeing the crowds and going up a hill. Moses, too, delivered God’s law from an elevated place, Mount Sinai. In neither case can we identify the actually mountain or hill, although traditionally, of course, a hill in Palestine has been called the Mount of the Beatitudes. In the traditional way of a teacher, Jesus sits down to teach. We see him doing the same in the synagogue at Nazareth (Luke 4:20). He is joined by his disciples and it is not clear whether they were the primary object of his teaching or that the crowds were also included. The teaching, of course, is directed to followers and, in particular, to those reading the gospel. Jesus begins the discourse with the wonderful words of the Beatitudes. There are eight of them, each one beginning with the words, “Happy are those…” ‘Happy’ is a translation of the Greek adjective makarios(makarios) which includes not only the idea of happiness but also of good fortune, of being specially blessed. So we can translate it as “Blessed indeed are those…” or “Fortunate indeed are those…” It is important to realise that being a follower of Christ is intended to be a source of deep happiness and a realisation that one is truly fortunate to have discovered this vision of life. At a first reading, the Beatitudes seem to fly in the face of commonly accepted ideals of the good life. It takes a deeper reading to see their inner truth.

How happy are the poor in spirit, theirs is the kingdom of heaven. The Gospel in general shows great concern for the poor, that is, all those people who are deprived of what they rightfully need to lead a life of decent dignity. Why should the poor be particularly blessed? As people living in deprivation, obviously they are not. But in terms of the Kingdom they are blessed because in the Kingdom, where love, compassion and justice prevail there is no place for such inequality. The Kingdom is an environment of interlocking relationships where people take care of each other and where the resources of all are shared according to the needs of all. The Kingdom is a place of blessings and happiness for the poor because it spells the end of their poverty. The poor are the “little ones” that Jesus speaks about as qualification for entering the Kingdom. They are the “last” who will be first. And, while ‘poverty’ in a wider sense can be applied to all, Jesus is thinking especially of the material simplicity that he expects from his disciples, a poverty which he himself experienced with “nowhere to lay his head”. Wealth can only mean depriving the needy of what they should have. Matthew is unique in using the term ‘poor in spirit’. It is a significant addition. While the Gospel in speaking of the poor is mainly and rightly concerned with the materially poor, Matthew’s phrase can broaden the concept. Because, in reality, there are many other ways in which people can be deprived and regarded as poor. We are more sensitive to this in our own day with our deeper insights into psychological and sociological factors. People can, although materially well off, be literally poor in spirit. That is, they have little spirit, very little happiness, lives of full of stress and anxiety and anger and resentment. These are all the result of our highly competitive, each-person-for-himself society which is everything that the Kingdom is not. Taken in that sense, the Beatitude applies to a very large number of people.

Happy the gentle; they shall have the earth for their heritage. The word ‘gentle’ is variously translated as ‘meek’, ‘lowly’, ‘humble’. The Greek word comes from the noun prautes (prauths). The beatitude is reminiscent of a phrase in Psalm 37: “The humble shall have the land for their own to enjoy untroubled peace.” Probably ‘gentle’ is the better rendering. It suggests someone who is kind and caring and not particularly assertive and dominating. In our rough and tumble society such people normally get pushed aside and can thus be classed among the ‘lowly’ and the ‘humble’. But they are not necessarily ‘meek’, which suggests people who allow themselves to be trampled on. Rather they belong to those who subscribe to active non-violence. That is, they will never resort to any form of violent behaviour to achieve their goals but they are active and pro-active, not passive – or meek. We think of people like Martin Luther King and Dorothy Day. To be ‘gentle’ in this sense requires a great inner strength and, of course, in the Kingdom there is a very desirable need for such people. It is there that they will come into their own. In some texts this Beatitude is interchanged with the following and sometimes it is presented as an addition to the first about the “poor in spirit” where “gentle” is understood as “lowly” cf. Ps 37:11). In this case there would only be seven Beatitudes, a more biblical number.

Happy those who mourn; they shall be comforted. Mourning and happiness would seem to be contradictory to each other. It does not say what the mourning might be about. It could be the death of a family member or a loved one. But it could be something quite different altogether. Again we have to see the beatitude in the context of the Kingdom. There, those who mourn – for whatever reason – can be sure of experiencing the comfort and support of their brothers and sisters. That is something that they cannot be always sure of in a world where people are too busy taking care of their own immediate interests. Mourning by itself is never a happy experience but it can become a blessing when surrounded by the right people as their love and concern are poured out.

Happy those who hunger and thirst for what is right; they shall be satisfied. ‘What is right’, ‘what is just’. Justice is done when each person is accorded what belongs to them. A just world is a world of right relationships; in the Kingdom that is realised. And so, those who truly hunger and thirst to see justice done in our world for every single person will see their dreams and hopes come to fruition. It is a hunger and thirst which everyone of us should pray to have. Only when we all have that hunger and thirst will justice be achieved and the Kingdom become a reality. We have made progress over the years but we still have a long, long way to go.

Happy the merciful; they shall have mercy shown them. Mercy, compassion, the ability to forgive fully. The Kingdom is a world full of mercy and forgiveness. And just as we will be ready to forgive others we will find that others will be ready to forgive us when we fail in our responsibilities towards others. In the Lord’s Prayer, which is a prayer of the Kingdom, this is what we ask for: “Forgive us our sins because we forgive the sins of those who have offended us.” In fact, it is impossible for those who belong to the Kingdom to be offended and forgiveness comes easily to them. That does not mean, of course, that we condone every wrong. The question of justice always remains. But condemning wrong does not exclude healing wounds caused by the hurt which wrongdoing causes. And mercy understood as compassion is a particularly desirable quality in a Kingdom person. Such a person not only experiences pity for those who suffer but knows how to enter into and empathise with what they are going through. This was a quality found again and again in Jesus himself.

Happy the pure in heart; they shall see God. ‘Pure’ here is not referring primarily to sexual purity. The pure in heart are those whose vision is totally free of any distortion or prejudice. They see things exactly as they are. As a result, they have little difficulty in recognising the presence and the action of God in the people and the environment around them. This purity of heart, this ability to be able to see with perfect clarity is truly a gift. It requires a high level of integrity on our part; but the rewards are enormous.

Happy the peacemakers; they shall be called children of God. Surely one of the most beautiful of the beatitudes and the one we would all love to have applied to ourselves. In a world so full of divisions and conflicts of all kinds the role of the peacemaker is so much needed. It is something we can all do, starting in our own homes, then in our working places and the wider society. It is something we can do as individuals and in groups, as parishes and churches. And, how true that, as peacemakers, we can be called ‘children of God’! The Letter to the Ephesians speaks beautifully of Jesus as making peace, breaking down walls between people, by his death on the cross (Eph 2:14ff). Finally, Happy are those who are persecuted in the cause of right; theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Most people would hardly regard being persecuted, which could involve prison, torture and death, as a source of happiness. But it is not the persecution that triggers the happiness but the reason why it is willingly undergone. Right from the beginnings of the Church, as described in the Acts of the Apostles, Christians rejoiced to be found worthy to suffer with and like their Lord in the proclamation of his message and way of life. That way of life was so precious to them, such a source of meaning, that they were more than willing to give their lives to defend it. In prison, they sang songs and prayed as later the civil rights leaders (most of them committed Christians) in the United States would sing “We shall overcome” as they rode the paddy wagons to jail. It is a much more painful experience to compromise with our deepest convictions in order to avoid criticism or physical suffering. They are indeed, as Jesus says, the successors to the great prophets of the Hebrew Testament.

Happy are those who with integrity can stand by their convictions whatever the cost. Some people have seen in these Beatitudes a portrait of Jesus himself and certainly they should be the portrait of every Christian and of every Kingdom person. They are the charter people everywhere (and not just Christians) are called to follow. They go far beyond what is demanded of in the Ten Commandments. The Commandments are not so difficult to follow and, in so far as several of them are expressed in the negative (‘Thou shalt not…’), they can be observed by doing nothing! There is no way, however, that people can ever say they observe any Beatitude to the fullest. They always call us to a further and higher level.

Commentary on Zephaniah 2:3; 3:12-13; 1 Corinthians 1:26-31; Matthew 5:1-12

Today we begin the Sermon on the Mount. In Matthew’s gospel, Jesus is presented as the new Moses. He presents five long discourses by Jesus, which can be seen to match the Pentateuch, the five first books of the Bible, traditionally attributed to Moses as their author and which embody the Jewish Law. Just as the Pentateuch embodies the Jewish way of life, so these discourses embody Jesus’ vision of the life he proposes for us. The Sermon on Mount is the first of these five discourses. It is not a tape recording or a verbatim record of an actual sermon or address. Rather, it is a collection of sayings and teachings focusing on the personal qualities expected of a disciple of Jesus. It is given on a mountain. Mountains are traditionally seen as holy places where God is specially present and there are several instances in both the Hebrew and Christian Testaments where mountains feature in a significant way. Apart from today’s example, we have, to give just two examples, Mount Sinai where God gave the Law to Moses and the mountain of the Transfiguration where something of Jesus’ inner reality was revealed to three chosen disciples. Jesus sat down, a position of authority, e.g. when the Pope speaks officially, he does so ex cathedra, sitting on his chair or throne. Jesus’ audience consists of the Twelve, his other disciples and all those who wish to hear what he says.

The core of Christian living: Just as the Ten Commandments are the core of the Jewish way of life and a law to follow, so Beatitudes are the core of the Christian way of life. Yet, they are often not understood as such. In many ways, they are largely ignored as guides to Christian living and many Christians still regard the Ten Commandments as their life guide. (I have yet to hear anyone refer to the Beatitudes in making their ‘confession’!) However, there are major differences between the Commandments and the Beatitudes. In a literal sense at least, the Commandments are fairly easy to keep. And, what is very significant as far as the Gospel is concerned, they can be observed without love. They can be kept in a very selfish, self-centred way. This was perhaps the problem of the rich man who said he kept the Commandments since he was young but could not bring himself to share his wealth with the poor. This was surely a failure in love for the neighbour. And so he could not become a disciple of Jesus. In the society where Jesus grew up, a good person was understood as one who kept the Law perfectly. In fact, many of them can be kept by not doing anything at all e.g. not stealing, not being violent, not doing any sexual acts, not talking about other people… A highly introverted, narrow-minded Puritan might very well be observing the Commandments to the letter. And this was where the conflict arose between Jesus and the Scribes and Pharisees. Strictly speaking, the Beatitudes are not commandments. They are not so much things to be done or rules to be kept as deep-down attitudes of mind. And, in fact, their observance is only possible with a deep love of God and of other people. They can never be kept fully – they are goals that are always calling us further. They never leave any room for complacency. One can never say about the Beatitudes what the rich man said to Jesus, namely, that he had kept all the commandments since he was young.

Sources of true happiness: Each Beatitude begins with the word “Blessed”. ‘Blessed’ is a translation of the Greek makarios, and the Latin felix. The meaning of these words is a combination of happiness and good fortune. So we could translate either with “Happy are those…” or “Fortunate are those…”. ‘Blessed’ used in that sense is a good rendering also. The Beatitudes must be understood in the context of the Kingdom. The Kingdom, as we said on a previous Sunday, is not a place. It is that complex of relationships that exists between God and those who have totally accepted him as the Lord and guide of their lives and who share God’s vision of what life is about. So, in the Kingdom it is not the rich, the successful and the powerful who are really happy and fortunate but the meek and lowly. Clearly that is not the conventional way of thinking for many in our world. And that is why to enter the Kingdom requires metanoia, a radical change in the way we see life and its values. This point is made forcefully by Paul in today’s Second Reading. “God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, things that are not, to reduce to nothing things that are, so that no one might boast in the presence of God.” It is also made in the First Reading. “Seek the Lord, all you humble of the land, who do his commands; seek righteousness, seek humility… For I will leave in the midst of you a people humble and lowly… They shall do no wrong and utter no lies, nor shall a deceitful tongue be found in their mouths.”

Eight paths to happiness: Right at the beginning of Jesus’ teaching he throws down a challenge to conventional thinking. Let us now take a brief look at each one of these ways of being blessedly happy.

a. Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven. The poor in the Bible are not just the materially destitute but all those who in their need turn to God. Poor in spirit are those who clearly acknowledge that they depend totally on God. With such an attitude one has already entered the Reign of God. One acknowledges clearly that one is not self-sufficient, that one’s life always hangs by a thread and can be snuffed out at any moment. In our daily lives we are dependent on a huge number of people who provide for our needs. It is the loving power of God, accepted and experienced, that helps us to see just how dependent, how power in every respect we really are.

b. Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. Here we think not just of those grieving for a death but those also who feel a deep sorrow for the evils and injustices of this world. They mourn not just for their own pain but are in solidarity with all those who are the victims of “man’s inhumanity to man”. They face this pain with others and do not run away from it in hedonistic, escapist enjoyment. They realise that often the only way to cope with pain is not to go round it but to go through it. Such people will in turn experience comfort and a certain inner peace. They can discern the loving presence of God even in situations that seem so negative and painful.

c. Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. The Greek word here for “meek” is praus, a word only found in Matthew and then just three times. It is normally translated as “gentle and kindly”. It is the very opposite of arrogance, bullying and violent manipulation. It embodies deep respect and tenderness towards all. It learns to find and radiate goodness everywhere. It is not to be identified with wimpishness, weakness or cowardice. The truly gentle person, the one who can remain gentle and respectful of the other’s dignity in the face of provocative violence is a very strong person. It is not an attitude we normally see in the heroes of action movies, who are more likely to deal with hostility by maiming or murdering. There is a fullness of life for the gentle that the arrogant and violent and manipulative can never know. And the world is theirs in a way that is never possible for the merely rich.

d. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. For those who live in an area of abundant water and food, hunger and thirst are rarely experienced as the poor of the desert lands often experienced in Jesus’ time. The intense hunger that Jesus speaks about here is that people everywhere may have what is due to them for a life of dignity and fulfilment. There are people in our society who only hunger and thirst to have the goods of this world for themselves whatever the effects this may have on others. But there are in our society others who have a hunger and thirst to dedicate their lives and energies to work for the restoration of true justice and peace in our societies. Such people belong to the Reign of God for it is God’s will that that hunger for justice be satisfied.

e. Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy. This is not just pity or sympathy but a deep down compassion and empathy, a real entering into the pain that others are experiencing. Such people can be absolutely assured of God’s compassion for them. In another context, Jesus told his followers to imitate the mercy and compassion of God. This means we have to put aside all forms of judgmentalism and prejudice not to mention hate and contempt for others. This is part of the command to love our enemies, those who hate and curse us. Our instinct is to pay such people in kind but then we are no different from them. On the contrary, we need to pray that their bitter hearts may be softened, that they may be enabled to reach out in love to all without exception.

f. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. This is not about sexual purity. It refers to the person who sees things with a totally unprejudiced eye, with no distortion whatever. They have 20-20 vision of everything and every person around them. They are able to see things and persons as they are. This is a very rare quality. They are the complete opposite of the self-centred bigot, the racist or the narrow-minded legalist. It is not surprising that such persons can see God, not in the sense of having visions, but in being able to discern God’s loving presence all around them. Such persons are truly blessed.

g. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. Those who are active agents of unity and reconciliation wherever they are. The peace here is not simply an absence ofhostilities, an uneasy truce but a genuine healing and bringing together. We can be peacemakers in our families and homes, in our schools and workplaces, between churches, and in all the areas of our society where there is conflict. Peace is inextricably linked with justice; there cannot be peace where there is prejudice, discrimination or exploitation. It would be difficult to find a nicer thing to say of anyone than that he or she was a peacemaker. No wonder such people are called children of God.

h. Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven. How can people who suffer be called blessed? Because of the reason why they suffer: they do it for the Gospel, for the sake of justice and goodness. To suffer for bringing truth and justice into the world has a consolation and joy all its own. We remember the civil rights marchers in the 1960s, singing in the paddy wagons on their way to prison. We remember the many Christians who lost their lives striving for justice in many countries of Latin and Central America. The 20th century allegedly produced more martyrs for faith and justice than any previous century. It is something we should both be proud and ashamed of. But we pray that there will always be people who would be deeply unhappy if they did not remain true to a calling to justice and peace. We know the unease we feel when we compromise on truth or justice. There are some things which are bigger than us and we will be more ready to give up everything for their sake and experience a special joy in doing so. As a young mother said to me once soon after having her first baby: “Now I know why a mother will gladly die for her child.”

A special relationship: The Beatitudes have a quality and depth which goes far beyond the mere moral requirements of the Ten Commandments. They call for a very special relationship with God and with the people around us. They involve not merely a personal observance of some ethical rules but a deep concern to be involved in the building up of the world we live in, helping to make it a place of truth, love, compassion, justice, freedom and peace. This is what the Kingdom is all about. It is a completely different ball game. Am I ready for it?

PREPARATION FOR THE SESSION

Adapted from Sacred Space: The Prayer Book 2025

OPENING PRAYER

Dear Jesus, how hard it is to remember, that beatitudes are a call of hope for me and a challenge to see the world a you see it. GIve me the insight and the courage to look at my life, imperfect as it is, and those around me, flawed as they are, and the world we all inhabit, crazy as it seems, and try to mirror your compassion for a person on the margins, even if that person on the margins is me.

COMPANIONS FOR THE JOURNEY

From Good Enough, by Kate Bowler and Jessica Richie

We live in a culture of blessing. We live in a culture of #Blessed. Partially nude bikini shot? #Blessed. Christmas card professional photo shoot where everyone is looking directly at the camera wearing matching chambray tops? #Blessed. As Christians, we cross-stitch our blessings on pillows, hand letter them in whimsical fonts and tattoo them on our bodies, forgetting perhaps, that Jesus turned the idea of what makes us blessed upside down. His blessings would leave some people wide-eyed, and others with tears of relief running down their cheeks. (p122) That having been said, sometimes we read those gospel beatitudes in Matthew and think that most of those don’t really apply to our everyday lives. So I am attempting here, without great theological explanation, to “translate” those beatitudes into everyday language. Here are the eight Matthew refers to in everyday language:

1. Blessed are those who are dispirited, who have lost confidence in themselves, in the world, maybe even in God, and press on anyway, hoping that by simply hanging in there, they can make a difference. Theirs is the Kingdom of God.
2. Blessed are those who mourn lost friendships, lost opportunities, lost moments they will never get back and refuse to give in to despair. Theirs is the Kingdom of God.
3. Blessed are those who don’t always think of themselves first, who let others’ issues take precedence, and work for harmony and peace and do not always have to be “right”. Theirs is the kingdom of God.
4. Blessed are those whom justice and fairness and left behind, leaving them powerless in the face of the cruelty or ignorance of others, and continue to work for a better situation, a better relationship, or a better world. Theirs is the Kingdom of God.
5. Blessed are those who are merciful, even to themselves, who know that we are all imperfect and do not judge others, and rely on the justice and mercy of God for themselves and others. Theirs is the Kingdom of God.
6. Blessed are those who know their imperfections, who know their own venal, self-serving little hearts, and work against self-serving behaviors. Theirs is the Kingdom of God.
7. Blessed are those who work to heal divisions in their family, in the world, in themselves, and extend the hand of forgiveness to even the most undeserving. Theirs is the Kingdom of God.
8. Blessed are those who stick their necks out in the boardroom or the classroom, in the kitchen or in the bedroom, who are laughed at, mocked or attacked for their naivete or their fervor, and get up and stand up for what is right.

Ok, folks, I am on a roll! Here are some extensions of those basic eight, (and there are many more you could add) which sometimes is where “Gum-chewing Christians” like myself meet our God:

1. Blessed are those who are weary, the worn out-—those at the end of their tether. They discover that God’s arms are strong enough to hold them.
2. Blessed are those who find contentment in what they have, who find joy in the ordinary, who do not covet what they cannot have. They will know that God is enough.
3. Blessed are those who struggle the best they can with the negative events in their lives. They know God sees their effort.
4. Blessed are those who do not judge or ignore those who do not seem able to cope with life, who realize that others’ problems are real, whether they exist in their minds or in reality. They have hope that God’s mercy will be theirs.
5. Blessed are those who struggle to understand that they are loveable, not because of what they do, not because of that they look like, and sometimes in spite of the kind of persons they are. They will know God’s love.
6. Blessed are those who show the wounds of living—crow’s feet from aging, lines from worry, body dysmorphia of any kind, eyes strained with fatigue, nervousness from anxiety, physical and mental disorders of any kind, those who remember we often fall short. They are beautiful in God’s eyes.
7. Blessed are those who face giving up what they love: life they have known, a family, a relationship, a career, their youth, a dream. They will know God’s comfort;
8. Blessed are the lonely. They, too, will know God’s comfort.
9. Blessed are those who try to live the here-and-now, who treasure joyous and poignant memories, and the small charms of the everyday, who look forward to living every day, even if life is imperfect. They will experience God’s true joy.
10. Blessed are they who ask for spiritual help, who are willing to trust in another. They will find help.
11. Blessed are those who are willing to start over. They will find courage.
12. Blessed are those who don’t always feel “blessed”, with curated images and postings on Instagram, who feel like they are in the back of the “favors-from-God” line, who feel like misfits, who feel afraid to speak for fear of being criticized or ridiculed, who feel forgotten and left out. They are children of God.

Matthew wrote his set of Beautitudes, and Luke wrote his own set of beatitudes—four blessings and four woes. Why don’t you get a little creative and write your own?

LIVING THE GOOD NEWS

Reflection Questions:

Do I see these beatitudes as a “warning” to behave better, or as a comfort to those who have suffered from lack of fairness?
Would that make a difference in how you interpret these sayings of Jesus in his Sermon on the Mount?

Does poverty of spirit mean feeling sympathy for those with less?
Does poverty of spirit mean feeling worthless by the world’s standards?
Does poverty of spirit mean feeling worthless before God?
Do any of these definitions reflect how I have felt at times?

Does poverty of spirit refer to loneliness, unhappiness or dissatisfaction with the way life is going?
How would I define porverty of spirit?

Does poverty of spirit have anything to do with utter reliance on God?
To what extent do I rely on myself, my friends, my financial security, luck or talent to navigate the world?
What do I hope for? Where does fullness of life with God stand on my list?

What losses in my life have I experienced, but did not fully mourn those losses?

Do I know anyone right now who is suffering from sadness due to loss of someone or something?
What can I do to reach out?

What does it mean to be meek?
When is it a good trait and when is it not a good trait in someone?
Have I ever stood up for some who was to meek to fight for themselves?

What individuals or groups of people are disadvantaged by the world/culture they live in?
Can I think of one person in my life who has been treated unfairly?
By whom or what?
Was there anything I could do to help?
Did I try to help?

I think of someone in my life who could have been vindictive or at least suggested punishment for something I did, but instead, showed me forgiveness and understanding. How did it make me feel?
Have I done the same for anyone else?
Or do I hold grudges?

What does it mean to be clean of heart?
In what areas of my life are my motives a little “dirty”, or at least a bit self-serving?
In what areas of my life have I been a victim of other’s bad intentions and actions?

Is a peacemaker, in my mind, one who gives in on principles in order to avoid conflict?
Is a peacemaker , in my mind, someone who listens carefully and tries not to exacerbate the situation?
In what ways is it counter-cultural in our society to be a peacemaker?

Have I ever suffered the consequences of speaking up for a person, or a moral value?
What were they?
Would I do so again?

Has my Catholicism ever been a liability in my workplace or in my relationships?
How did I deal with it?

How might the Beatitudes serve as a good entry point for my observance of Lent?

Which of the phrases in Matthew’s beatitudes appeals to me the most?
Which offers the greatest challenge?

How do these phrases of Matthew’s beatitudes compare with the "American Dream"?

In what way is Matthew outlining the ideal community?
Is this vision the same as mine?
How is it different?

Do I ever reflect on where I am truly blessed?

CLOSING PRAYER

Don’t forget to provide some prayer time at the beginning and at the end of the session (or both), allowing time to offer prayers for anyone you wish to pray for.

From Sacred Space, a Service of the Irish Jesuits: We have no portrait of you, Lord, but in the Beatitudes you show us your interior landscape, the source of your joy. This is not a set of regulations, but a vision of where true happiness lies. Let me taste the joy you promise through the Beatitudes.

FOR THE WEEK AHEAD

Weekly Memorization: (Taken from the gospel for today’s session) Pick your favorite beatitude and memorize it, praying it every day this week.

Meditations:
A Meditation in the Augustinian style/Relationship: Write your own set of beatitudes, using the world’s values instead of what Jesus’ were, according to Matthew. Which of the world’s beatitudes is a particular temptation for you? How do you deal with it? Which of Jesus’ beatitudes do you find the most comforting? Why? Which do you find the most annoying? Why? Which beatitude do you have the most difficulty living out? Why? Imagine Jesus saying these beatitudes to you directly and looking straight into your heart. Pray for the openness to hear what He says to you.

A Meditation in the Dominican Style/Asking Questions: (With references to “First Impressions”, a service of the Southern Dominican Province.) Many of the famous sayings of Jesus have been arranged according to topic and grouped together in what has come to us as the Sermon on the Mount in the Gospel of Matthew. The opening words of the discourse of Jesus are considered so important, so pivotal, that scholars and spiritual leaders have spent centuries discussing their meaning and their application. There are over 8000 books available on Amazon.com alone! The beatitudes comprise sort of a keynote address, and the very first lines set the tone for the entire selection. What if Jesus had taken his first lines from a business journal which is supposed to be a showing us how things are in the “real” world? Those “beatitudes” might go something like this:

Blessed are the rich and famous, for they shall have what they want.
Blessed are they who cut their losses, and get rid of the losers, they will live to win another day.
Blessed are the powerful, they will inherit the earth.
Blessed are the white and well educated, the world is theirs.
Blessed are they who cry for vengeance, they will be seen as protectors of society.
Blessed are they who cultivate the right people, they will go far.
Blessed are they who tailor their morals to meet the marketplace, they will be rewarded.
Blessed are Americans for they shall have the earth’s riches at their beck and call. (adapted from Siciliano)

These cynical ” beatitudes” may make us wince, but they are what a lot of people in the world value and call “blessings”. I would suggest that we have been encouraged to live by them, in one way or another, since we were young. These values may have passed on to us by our parents, or in school, but for sure all the sights and sounds we see on TV ads present these worldly beatitudes by showing us the successful, young and powerful who seem to lack for nothing. But these worldly beatitudes don’t speak to our faith vision; they aren’t the ones Jesus spoke to those gathered around him. (Fr. Jude Siciliano. O.P.) And they are a reminder and a comfort for those of us who live our daily lives doing our best not to be swayed by the allure of the surrounding world we meet at school, work and even at home. We are tempted to lessen our hold on our faith, to coast along, little by little adopting and living by the standards of our world:

To admire and strive after wealth and position
To value the “haves” more than the “have nots”
To seek the company of those who make us look good
To cling to “eternal youth”
To out-spend our neighbors on clothes and entertainment
To fit in with the majority opinion and be silent when a word of justice is required
To fudge truth for personal gain and convenience,

The beatitudes celebrate those who “show up” each day and put their lives on the line in many small and sometimes in very big ways, for their faith. Jesus isn’t calling us to be wimps, to lie down and let the world run over us in its pursuit to pleasure and ease. He wants us challenge by our values and ways of living what the world takes for granted and calls “blessings.” We are, according to the beatitudes, people who practice unlimited forgiveness, peacemaking and patient loving, in the ways Jesus taught us by his living and dying.(Siciliano, FI 5 th Sunday A)

So our questions are:
First: Where am I in my present relationship with God? Are my successes, my possessions, seen as gifts from God, or do they distract me from recognizing my radical dependence on God alone? What do I hunger and thirst for? Love? Power? Comfort? Justice? Peace? Which are God’s values? Which are mine?

A Meditation in the Augustinian style/Relationship: Many of the Jewish psalms, are psalms of lament, reflecting the agony and separation of an oppressed and suffering people. and also capturing their collective trust in God. Like the beatitudes of Jesus, these psalms of lament are a reflection of a firm belief in God’s care for those who have suffered at the hands of the powerful. As you read psalm 10, reflect on all the ways you have felt beleaguered in your life, and then reflect on all the ways in which Jesus has been present in your pain and sorrow. At the end, write a short 4 line psalm of your own, reflecting your hope in times of stress.

Psalm 10
O LORD, why do you stand afar off ,and hide yourself in times of distress?
The poor are devoured by the pride of the wicked; they are caught in the schemes that others have made.
For the wicked boasts of his soulʼs desires; the covetous blasphemes and spurns the LORD.
The wicked says in his pride, “God will not punish. There is no God.” Such are his thoughts.
His path is ever untroubled ;your judgments are on high, far removed. All those who oppose him, he derides.
In his heart he thinks, “Never shall I falter; never shall misfortune be my lot.”
His mouth is full of cursing, guile, oppression; under his tongue are deceit and evil.
He sits in ambush in the villages ;in hidden places, he murders the innocent The eyes of the wicked keep watch for the helpless.
He lurks in hiding like a lion in his lair ;he lurks in hiding to seize the poor; he seizes the poor one and drags him away.
He crouches, preparing to spring, and the helpless fall prey to his strength. 11 He says in his heart, “God forgets, he hides his face, never will he see.”
Arise, O LORD; lift up your hand, O God! Do not forget the poor!
Why should the wicked spurn God, saying in his heart, “You will not call to account”?
But you have seen the trouble and sorrow. You note it; you take it in your hands.The helpless one relies on you, for you are the helper of the orphan.
Break the arm of the wicked and the sinner! Pursue their wickedness till nothing remains! 16 The LORD is king forever and ever. The nations shall perish from his land.
O LORD, you have heard the desire of the poor. You strengthen their hearts; you turn your ear
to give right judgment for the orphan and oppressed, so that no one on earth may strike terror again.

POETIC REFLECTION

I offer you a little poem from the writer Fr. Michael Kennedy, S.J., which reflects on the difference between passive assent and true belief:

When he calls
Disciples to be poor in
Spirit and in many other ways
On his list of things to do or to
Be the reaction from the first
Members he called and even
Our response today is likely to
Be a polite assent but no belief
For like those called many years
Ago we are convinced that we
Live in the real world not in
Some fantasy one
However pious

And yes once again
We have forgotten our
Experience of the Lord in
A spouse or a child or a truly
Welcoming community or in the
Simple and uncluttered wisdom
Which fills an old friend or even
When we help others mourn
Then finally when we do
Remember our Jesus

CCAS Administrative Assistant 1/20/26 CCAS Administrative Assistant 1/20/26

3rd Sunday in Ordinary Time

January 25, 2026

We are each called to be a disciple.

Matthew 4:12-23 (Jerusalem Bible)

Hearing that John had been arrested he withdrew to Galilee, 13.and leaving Nazareth he went and settled in Capernaum, beside the lake, on the borders of Zebulun and Naphtali. This was to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah: Land of Zebulun! Land of Naphtali! Way of the sea beyond Jordan. Galilee of the nations! 16.The people that lived in darkness have seen a great light; on those who lived in a country of shadow dark as death a light has dawned. From then onwards Jesus began his proclamation with the message, “Repent, for the kingdom of Heaven is close at hand.” As he was walking by the Lake of Galilee he saw two brothers, Simon, who was called Peter, and his brother Andrew; they were making a cast into the lake with their net, for they were fishermen. And he said to them, “Come after me and I will make you fishers of people.” And at once they left their nets and followed him. Going on from there he saw another pair of brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John; they were in their boat with their father Zebedee, mending their nets, and he called them. And at once, leaving the boat and their father, they followed him. He went round the whole of Galilee teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and curing all kinds of disease and illness among the people.

(Zebulun and Napthali were the territories of the northernmost tribes of Israel, which the Assyrians invaded and destroyed in 721 BC, effectively wiping out the Northern Kingdom of Israel)

REFLECTIONS

First Impressions by Jude Siciliano, OP

Isaiah 8: 23-9:3; Psalm 27; I Corinthians 1: 10-13; Matthew 4: 12-23

We commonly make reference to Sunday’s three Scripture readings. But there are four. We tend to neglect the Psalm following the first reading. We call it a “Responsorial Psalm,” meaning it has been chosen as a response to the first reading – and it has. But that makes it sound like a lesser scriptural passage, i.e. just a “response.” The Psalms are not “lesser,” possessing second-class status in the Bible. Let’s look at the Psalm chosen for today’s “Response.” It’s part of Psalm 27. Psalms frequently bear titles which state their “theme.” Psalm 27 is called a “Psalm of Confidence.” It certainly does express confidence in God and is appropriate during the season between Advent/Christmas and Lent. In the Common Lectionary of our Protestant sisters and brothers these Sundays are counted as “Sundays After the Epiphany.” Epiphany means “showing.” In Advent we longed for the light of Christ. In Lent we will enter the stark wilderness longing for forgiveness. But for now, we celebrate “Epiphany” – God’s light, revelation, “showing.” What we hoped for in Advent is now at hand. As our first reading proclaims, “The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light, upon those who dwelt in the land of gloom a light has shown.” People tend to characterize the “God of the Old Testament” as angry and vengeful. They welcome Jesus’ arrival as a softening of God’s heart towards us. Psalm 27 is, just one of the many texts in the Hebrew Scriptures that give lie this caricature of God. The psalmist expresses trust and confidence in God and longs to dwell in the house of the Lord “all the days of my life.” And more. Just dwelling in God’s courts is not enough. The one praying the Psalm longs to see God face-to-face. No one wants a face-to-face experience with a cruel and judgmental God. In this prayer we can express a longing for a God of bounty. The psalmist encourages us to wait for the Lord. The expectation is that the one who longs for God will be satisfied. God does not stand far off and just observe us but satisfies our longing. The wait is well worth it. But all is not sweetness and roses. We detect real life as the background to this Psalm. It expresses confidence in God when something, or someone, is threatening that confidence, “The Lord is my light and my salvation whom should I fear?” It is a reminder that God has been present in hard times and is present now to help us face our struggles. We don’t know what fears the psalmist had. But we can certainly know the difficulties we face. Somehow, even in the face of our fears, God is already our “refuge” – a safe and secure hiding place. We name the hard times we face as we pray this Psalm today and express confidence in our trustworthy God, as well as a longing to “gaze on the loveliness of the Lord” in some real confidence-building way. Jesus hears that Herod has arrested John the Baptist. The voice that roamed the desert calling people to, “Prepare the way of the Lord,” has been silenced, locked in a prison cell. After John has been silenced Jesus’ voice is heard proclaiming, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” Jesus doesn’t run and hide despite the danger. He takes his message to Galilee, which was ruled by Herod. Matthew quotes Isaiah, “The people who sit in darkness have seen a great light.” John is in prison, but you can’t imprison the Word of God which brings light to the “land of gloom.” Jesus preaches “Repent, the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” God is present and acting in a new way through Jesus. But in order to receive the message of life Jesus offers people, they must “repent.” They must change their minds, examine how they think and act. Do we find ourselves in some way sitting in darkness; dwelling in the land of gloom? Are we stuck in old ways of thinking, our imagination closed to the new possibilities which God’s presence can bring to fulfillment? Jesus invites us to think differently, leave behind the ways of “the land of gloom.” God’s kingdom is now; new life is being offered to those who will accept it. Jesus begins his preaching and healing ministry, but he can’t do it by himself. He needs to invite others to join him. Based on their achievements the first fishers didn’t have much to offer in service to the Lord. They could bring the skills learned as fishers – patience, hope and perseverance. In a way they also had to “repent,” put aside their limited ways of thinking and with Jesus have a change of mind and heart. They will be with Jesus and what they learn from being with him they will also share with others. Symbolic of the disciples’ willingness to change is their leaving behind family and possessions. They will have a new family with Jesus, and their former possessions will not be needed to do their mission of being “fishers of people.” You have to admire their initial enthusiasm and the spontaneity of their response to Jesus. But they are human and their dedication and loyalty will falter – especially when Jesus is taken prisoner and executed. Like us, they will need to remember that Jesus’ invitation to “repent” is offered each time they falter as followers. They were disappointed in Jesus; it didn’t turn out the way they hoped. It often doesn’t. But Jesus doesn’t give up on them – or us – and always welcomes us back when we “repent.” We choose gloom and darkness even when light and life are offered to us. We don’t have to be avid and knowledgeable Scripture readers to have heard today’s gospel before. “I will make you fishers of people.” We might even think to ourselves, “This doesn’t apply to me, I’m a Christian and one of Christ’s followers.” It’s not only a Scripture passage recalling a past event in the lives of the disciples. Following Jesus is not a once-for-all decision. It has to be renewed at each stage of our lives. Even daily: We may choose today to cheat a little at work; ignore the neighbor in need; close our ears to someone asking for help; not speak or act out of our commitment to Jesus etc. It may be a familiar passage. But it is not an echo from a past age, rather it is very much for today. Do we hear Jesus saying to us today, “Come after me and I will make you fishers of people?” We repent from what is the delaying our response to get up and follow him again and again. Again, the choice is before us to put the past and its attachments aside and follow Jesus. Click here for a link to this Sunday’s readings.

Quotable

“The Psalms are a mirror in which the soul may see itself and learn how to pray.” — St. Athanasius

Justice Bulletin Board by Barbara Molinari Quinby, MPS, Director Office of Human Life, Dignity, and Justice Ministries Holy Name of Jesus Cathedral, Raleigh, NC

One thing I ask of the Lord; this I seek: to dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life.—Psalm 27: 4

Back in December 1989, I read an editorial that asked a very thought-provoking question. The letter was written to the readers of Better Homes and Gardens magazine by the editor- in-chief, David Jordan. The following is the part that moved me: I sometimes ask myself what “family values” actually means to most of us. The love and nurturing that we give and get from our families, the sacrifices family members willingly make for each other, the powerful loyalty that binds families together, all certainly come under “family values.” Goodness knows, I applaud all of the above. What bothers me are some indications that make me ask, “While we’re all for family values, do we really value families?” If we really value families, why do we, the most wealthy nation on earth, allow an increasing number of our families to become homeless? Don’t we know the benefits to children of a safe, secure family environment? Then why do we allow hundreds of thousands of children to grow up in welfare motels, abandoned buildings, back seats of cars, and other wretched circumstances? Why does one child in every five live below the poverty line? In my mind, Jordan is talking about God’s family. Let me rephrase the question, “While we’re all for God’s family values, do we really value God’s family?” Do we recognize our brother or sister as the struggling poor who are trying to keep a roof over their head; as the woman who paid for her mistakes and is now trying to re-enter society; as the hungry children whose parents cannot afford to feed them by the end of the month; as the school age kids that are embarrassed by their unkempt clothes; as the recovering addict; as the grandmother trying to keep her grandkids from joining gangs; as the migrant worker who toils in fields doing back-breaking work; as the indigent disabled man with the disfiguring disease? Do we really value this family? We should. Raising a family is the most important task that we can ever do. As we close out Poverty Awareness Month, open your hearts to our greater family; open your hearts to life in solidarity by reaching out and lifting someone up. Then, we can truly dwell in the house of the Lord.

Faith Book — Mini-reflections on the Sunday scripture readings designed for persons on the run. “Faith Book” is also brief enough to be posted in the Sunday parish bulletins people take home.

From today’s Isaiah reading: The people who have walked in darkness have seen a great light, upon those who dwelt in the land of gloom a light has shone.

Reflection: If we have turned to Jesus, as he invites us today, then we are reflectors of his light – we are light bearers. He calls us again to be part of the fulfillment of Isaiah’s promise: to bring light into the darkness, joy for those in gloom and distress.

So, we ask ourselves: As I look around my personal landscape what darkness to I perceive? What can I do to bring light into that darkness, relief to those who are in “a land of gloom?”

Postcards to Death Row Inmates

“One has to strongly affirm that condemnation to the death penalty is an inhuman measure that humiliates personal dignity, in whatever form it is carried out.” — Pope Francis

Please write to:

Wisezah Buckman #1120630 (On death row since 11/2/2023)
Jonathan Monk #1427917 (3/26/2025)

--Central Prison P.O. 247 Phoenix, MD 21131

Commentary on Matthew 4:12-17, 23-25

Jesus has been baptised in the Spirit of his Father, and he has triumphed over the temptations of the Evil One during his 40 days in the wilderness. He is now ready to begin his public ministry. When Jesus heard that John had been arrested for accusing Herod of adultery (because Herod had taken his brother’s wife as his own), Jesus withdrew from the region of the Jordan River where he had been with John, and went to the northern province of Galilee where he had grown up. The word translated as ‘arrested’ literally means ‘handed over’, and is an expression that occurs several times in the gospel. It first refers to John the Baptist being ‘handed over’, and then to Jesus being ‘handed over’, first to the leadership of the Jews, and then to the Romans. Later, it will be used of the disciples being ‘handed over’ to various authorities because of their preaching the Gospel. Finally, it is used at every Eucharist (though somewhat lost in our present translation). At the consecration of the bread the celebrant says: This is my Body which will be handed over [given up] for you. Jesus had left Nazareth and his family, and Matthew tells us he went to live in “Capernaum by the sea, in the region of Zebulon and Naphthali”. Capernaum will appear several times in Gospel stories. For Matthew, Jesus’ going there fulfils a Hebrew Testament prophecy: Zebulon and Naphthali, the way to the sea, Galilee of the Gentiles, there the people who sit in darkness have seen a great light…These two territories were the first to be laid waste by the Assyrian invasion in 733 BC. Isaiah promised them a great future that is now being realised. Matthew stretches things a little to fit the prophecy in that, Capernaum was in Naphthali, and the sea mentioned by Matthew is the Sea of Galilee, while in the prophecy it actually refers to the Mediterranean. Jesus’ preaching is summarised in one sentence: “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” It is very similar to the message that John the Baptist gave but, coming from Jesus, it is much richer in meaning. John proclaimed the coming of the Kingdom; Jesus himself is the coming of that Kingdom. ‘Repent’ means much more than the meaning we normally give to the word, namely, to regret, to be sorrowful for wrongs we have done. Here it is translated from the Greek word metanoia, which calls for a complete and radical turnaround in the way we see life. It is not concerned with the past but rather with the future. ‘The kingdom of heaven’ does not refer to the future life. It is not saying that we are all imminently about to leave this earth. ‘Heaven’, here, is a euphemism for the name of God, which Matthew writing for Jewish Christians, does not want to use. Among the Jews, God’s name was so holy that it could not be uttered by humans. Rather, the phrase ‘kingdom of heaven’ refers to the effective power of God’s presence here on earth, sometimes called God’s ‘reign’ on earth. And that kingdom is near because it is embodied in the person of Jesus himself. He represents the effective presence of God’s power, and that is seen clearly in the second part of today’s passage. It is the power of love and healing. At this point in Matthew’s gospel he also relates the calling of the first four disciples, those who would be partners with him in the proclamation and the realisation of the Kingdom. But it is omitted in our reading for today. We finish with a summary of the Kingdom work that Jesus was doing. He went all over Galilee, teaching in the Jewish synagogues. His preaching consisted of the proclamation of the nearness of the Kingdom, and that was illustrated graphically by his healing all kinds of sicknesses. Healing means restoration to wholeness, and the goal of the Kingdom is a restoration to wholeness of the whole world. Jesus’ fame even extended to the whole of the Roman Province of Syria, of which Galilee was a part. Large numbers of people came from these places in search of Jesus, and brought to him people suffering from all kinds of sicknesses. In addition to Galilee, they also came from the Decapolis (meaning ‘ten cities’), a federation of Greek cities mainly lying on the east side of the Jordan, from Judaea and its main city Jerusalem, and even from across the Jordan River. It is time now to stop looking back at the Christmas celebrations, and look forward at why Jesus was born and the mission he had to do. Jesus’ coming to Capernaum is the coming of light in darkness. Jesus’ call to repentance is really a call to radical conversion, a turning round completely to face our Lord. In him the Kingdom of Heaven is here among us. That is shown by the work that Jesus does: teaching, announcing the Good News of his coming and healing all kinds of disorders: physical, mental, emotional…May we too experience a deep desire for conversion and also experience the healing power of Jesus in our lives, so that we may also become agents to heal others.

Third Sunday in Ordinary Time (A), Jan. 27, 2008 by Daniel J. Harrington, S.J., Professor of New Testament at Weston Jesuit School of Theology in Cambridge, Mass

Readings: Is 8:23-9:3; Ps 27:1, 4, 13-14; 1 Cor 1:10-13; Mt 4:12-23

“The people who sit in darkness have seen a great light”(Mt 4:16)

Why did Peter and Andrew, James and John follow Jesus? According to Matthew’s narrative (and Mark’s), these four fishermen had no prior knowledge of Jesus. While they were at work in Capernaum one day, Jesus came along and said, “Follow me,” and they did. Answering Jesus’ call meant leaving behind their families and businesses for very uncertain futures. Why did they do it? One answer appeals to the literary skill of the Evangelists or their sources. The utter simplicity of the narrative—Jesus calls, and the disciples follow—serves to highlight Jesus’ personal attractiveness and persuasiveness. It leads the reader to imagine how wonderful Jesus must have been to inspire such an immediate and total response on the disciples’ part. While there is much to be said for this interpretation, there may be more to the disciples’ action than that. Today’s reading from Matthew 4 places Jesus’ call of his first disciples in a wider context. It suggests that the first disciples followed Jesus out of hope. Their hope was rooted in the past, looked forward to the future and was based in the present. Matthew prefaces the beginning of Jesus’ public ministry with a quotation from Isaiah: “The people who sit in darkness have seen a great light.” This prophecy was first uttered some 700 years before the time of Jesus. It expressed the hope of a people threatened by powerful political neighbors, looking for some kind of salvation. Isaiah’s prophecy also expressed well the political situation of Israel in Jesus’ time—caught between capitulation to the Romans (and their local supporters) and the promises of greatness made to God’s people. How could these be reconciled? To Jesus’ contemporaries like the four fishermen and to early Christians like Matthew, Jesus seemed to be a light shining in the darkness. They saw Isaiah’s hope being fulfilled before their eyes, a hope rooted in Israel’s past. Before recounting the call of the first disciples, Matthew provides a summary of Jesus’ preaching: “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” The kingdom of heaven refers to the future fullness of God’s rule and its acknowledgment by all creation. It is what we pray for when we say, “Hallowed be thy name; thy kingdom come; thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” This was the central theme of Jesus’ preaching and activity. The first disciples looked forward to experiencing and being part of that glorious future kingdom. Matthew follows the call of the first disciples with a summary of Jesus’ activities: teaching, preaching and healing. In the Gospels these are the ways in which Jesus manifests the presence of God’s kingdom among us. Jesus showed the first disciples how to live in their present with the hope of experiencing the future fullness of God’s kingdom. Their hope was based on the person of Jesus as their light shining in the darkness, their light of hope.

PREPARATION FOR THE SESSION

Adapted from Sacred Space: The Prayer Book 2025

Presence of God: Jesus, As I come to you today, fill my heart, my whole being, with the wonder of your sacred presence. Help me to become more aware of your presence in my life, and more receptive to that presence. I desire to love you as you love me. May nothing ever separate me from you. ( 1-2 minutes of silence)

Freedom: Jesus, Grant me the grace to have freedom of spirit. Keep me from being bound by desires and actions that are not good for me or others. Cleanse my heart and soul that I may live joyously in your love. ( 1-2 minutes of silence)

Consciousness: Where am I with God? With others in my life? What am I grateful for? Is there something I am sorry for, words or actions that have hurt others, and which I now regret? I take a moment to ask forgiveness of God and of those whom I have hurt. God, I give you thanks for your constant love and care for me. Keep me always aware of your presence in my life. (2-3 minutes of silence)

OPENING PRAYER

Jesus, you are calling me to change some aspects of my life that need changing, here and now. Please help me to see where I am in need of change, where I am in need of help, and where I need healing. Give me the openness to the needs of others, ignoring where THEY need to Change—and the openness to acknowledge that their changes are theirs to make. Help me to understand that my mission is to bring the good news of your love to others. This is my call. Give me the determination to follow through on answering that call.

COMPANIONS FOR THE JOURNEY

From a Homily given at Memorial Church in January of 1996, with a nod to Walter Burkhardt, S.J. and Thomas Merton

Picture this: It’s a sunny Saturday afternoon in spring; you’re out washing your car, singing along at the top of your lungs—and off-key, I might add—with the music from your iPod, happy it’s the weekend, maybe thinking about what your plans are for the evening. Along comes this guy on a bicycle, dressed very casually, looking none too prosperous, but respectable. When he stops, you notice that he has sort of an arresting face. His first words to you are: Drop what you are doing and follow me. I need you for my mission. So what do you do? Scenario One says you don’t even turn off the hose or the radio; you don’t say good-bye to your roommate or family; you don’t call in to work and ask for a leave of absence. You don’t write out a request for incompletes in your classes. You drop everything, everything and follow this person you never saw before in your life to God knows where or what. Scenario two says you barely glance at the bicyclist—You snarl over your shoulder without taking your eyes off your car washing: “Get lost, buddy, I gave at the office..” Scenario three says you smile apologetically without making eye contact and mutter: “Sorry fella, not this weekend. I’ve got a midterm on Wednesday. Then you snatch up your bucket and rags and scuttle inside before he can try to make you feel guilty about turning him down. Which scenario reflects my response? I used to think that if I had been there on the shore that day, and Jesus had come up to me and issued his invitation, I would have reacted the same way Peter and his brother did. After all, this was God, right? Wrong, my friends. I don’t think Jesus looked any more like God than you or I do. There was no little halo that hung over his head wherever he went, there was no hypnotic stare that mesmerized the listener, there was no band of angels crooning glorias in the background. This was not the godfather, making them an offer they couldn’t refuse. This was just a dark, dusty, little Jewish man who had a message about the kingdom, and who issued an open-ended invitation they found irresistible: Come and be fishers of people. I think for most of us, the biggest difference between our call and that of the early disciples is that the invitation, the call to be Christ is more subtle and therefore a little more easy to ignore or put on the back burner for a while. It’s all too easy to commit half our hearts. Christian living is not a part time job—there is no cutting corners in this enterprise. It is not enough merely to stay out of mortal sin, to keep our noses clean. If we are content with the minimum then we are part time Christians. A full-time Christian listens to the promptings of the Spirit who speaks within our hearts, within the events of our personal histories, inviting us to make our little world a little bit better here and now—in our families, our dorms and classes, our workplace. These promptings of the spirit inspire us to ask ourselves why we choose a certain career—is it only money or power or prestige, or why we choose a certain mate—is it only sex or dependency or control? One thing to make very clear. I am not called to be a Peter or an Andrew or a Dorothy Day or a Thomas Merton. God already has these people. I am called, however—make no mistake about it—to be uniquely Nancy Greenfield—called within my time and in my circumstances to be the best Nancy Greenfield that I can be. Called to be disciple. Nothing less. What does it mean to be disciple? Very simply, it means to live and preach the good news in my little corner of the universe, in the way that only I can, with the talents and interests that are uniquely mine; it means to risk, if need be, all that I am and all that I have to be disciple. Is this hard? You betcha. Nowhere in the gospels do I hear Jesus say it would be easy. That’s why we need to re-commit each and every day. Like Peter and the others, We really don’t know exactly what this invitation entails. We are simply invited by Christ to come and see where he lives We have some guidelines, though. Matthew tells us in chapter 25 of this gospel where Christ lives.. He lives with the hungry, the thirsty, the homeless, sick, the prisoner, the grieving, the ignorant, the sinners. Each day the call is taking me to something, but the way may not always be clear. There are no road maps, no guaranteed canonization, no sure shot at financial success. We, like those first disciples will know doubts, fears, failure and reward, despair and tremendous excitement when we join Christ in the adventure we call Christian living. And so I ask myself: What was I called to yesterday? Did I respond? What am I being called to today? Do I hear? Finally, I would like to leave you with a poem written by a classmate of mine whose name I don’t even remember, but whose words I read all the time.

In the beginning was the Word.
A Word who must be spoken.
A Word spoken into skies.
and called into hills.
Spoken into rivers and fields
A Word Spoken into life
in flowers
in birds
and in every kind of animal.
A Word spoken with love and breathed into
the heart of man and woman
that they might be ready to hear.
And when the time came that all was in readiness,
The Word was spoken into flesh,
spoken to call his own
out of the darkness and into the light.
To those who would know this Word, he beckoned
and still is beckoning--now--to you.
Come, see where I live;
spend your time with me
Be my own,
Be disciple.
Is the question of the first who followed your question still:
Teacher, where do you live in my world?
The answer they heard is the same,
which, in silence you will know:
Come, I will take you there.
I live within your heart.
Your heart that I have seen,
our heart that I have known
I live there, calling you beyond yourself
Calling you into my own life,
Calling you to the vision of my Father
Calling you to be fishers of people.
Calling you to be disciple.

LIVING THE GOOD NEWS

Reflection Questions:

Is there anybody in our time or in the history of the world whose charismatic qualities caused people immediately and unquestioningly follow him or her?
Is this good or bad?

Do I consider myself invited to work with Jesus?
Is my response immediate, or do I lollygag and offer excuses for my slow response, or do I not really respond at all?

Who, in our time, are fishers of men?

What makes Church ministry successful, effective, rewarding?
What makes it difficult, disappointing, or stressful?

Have I ever been invited to join someone in an enterprise which was not very well sketched out?
How did I respond?

Do we need a lot of details/reassurances, back-up plans, safety nets, etc., before we commit to an enterprise?
Was it different for Peter and Andrew?

What part does hope play in the decisions of the first four disciples?
What part does hope play in my decisions?

Does it help to have companions when you are completing a mission or task?

What of God’s “good news” do I bring to others?

What darkness do I perceive in this world?
In what ways has Jesus been a light in the world’s darkness?
In my personal darkness?

Do I bring the light and love of Christ to my little corner of the world?
Do I see myself as called to bring light to the darkness?

What are my gifts (teaching, hospitality, wisdom, knowledge, empathy, healing, kindness, helping, sharing, for example)?
Do I employ them very often?
Do I consider that a form of preaching the “good news”?
Why or why not?

What are some cop-outs we employ to avoid taking a risk on Jesus and the kingdom: “not good enough, not smart enough, not brave enough, not charismatic enough, just an ordinary person with no gifts, no talent for this kind of work?”
Do I employ any?

What are some obstacles in my life which keep me from following Jesus?

What does it mean: The Kingdom of God is at hand?

The command to “repent” means to change your mind, to change your attitude, to change your life, because the kingdom of God is at hand.
What do I need to change in my life to be more a part of The Kingdom?

Describe a time when I was called to change something in my life.
What was the impetus?
How did I respond?
Was it difficult?

Do I follow Jesus?
Why?

CLOSING PRAYER

Don’t forget to provide some prayer time at the beginning and at the end of the session (or both), allowing time to offer prayers for anyone you wish to pray for.

Please help me to open myself to the light of your love and your goodness. Help me, Lord to see the dark little corners of another’s life where I might bring some light and hope. Help me to be non-judgmental, not to offer unwarranted advice or slick solutions to some very complex issues that people are facing. Help me to be kind, understanding and PRESENT to the needs of this world and those around me.

FOR THE WEEK AHEAD

Weekly Memorization

Taken from the gospel for today’s session….
Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men.

Meditations

A Meditation in the Dominican Style/Asking Questions: Each of us, through our baptism, is called to announce Jesus’ presence in the world. At our baptism we were called “prophets.” What does that mean for me? Have there been experiences in my life through which the Spirit was speaking to me? Did I listen? How do you expect to hear the Lord’s voice? It is a question worth asking at this Eucharist, “How and where am I called to announce ‘the kingdom of heaven is at

hand?’” We may not do it from pulpits or at public gatherings, but in one way or another, each of us must bring light to people who “sit in gloom” and are “overshadowed by death.” We are to be signs of reassurance to people who may feel forgotten. As a person in the scripture group put it, through us, people will know that God has seen their need and come to help them. The disciples heard the call and immediately left things behind. What must we leave as we respond to Jesus’ invitation to announce the presence of God’s kingdom? ---old ways of thinking? possessions? plans? familiar surroundings? security? Even if we never pack up and take to the road, as the first disciples did, we still must make changes, if we have heard and accepted Jesus’ call. Once again, we need to ask Christ to show us what changes we must make so that, like the first disciples, we can follow him and be his instruments of proclamation. Yes, we already are his followers, nevertheless, we need to hear afresh and respond again to his call. “Speak Lord, your servant is listening.” So, how shall we preach that “the kingdom of heaven is near” this week? As co-workers and students we could be less competitive and more cooperative; as friends or family members we could be more willing to listen to what others are saying; we could respond to people’s request for help; we could treat all people, regardless of race, gender, economic status and education with acceptance and dignity. The bottom line, in light of today’s scriptures might be: In a world where there is gloom, how can I, with Jesus’ help, be “a light to the nations?”

A Meditation in the Ignatian Style/Imagination: Wouldn’t you have loved to be the fly on the wall when Peter went home and told his wife that he was going to stop fishing for fish and going to start fishing for people? “YOU’RE GOING TO WHAT?????” Imagine that you are the wife of Peter, who depends on his earnings as a fisherman to keep the household going financially. Are you afraid? Angry? Sad? Try also to imagine what was going through the minds and hearts of each of these four disciples as they considered the invitation from Jesus. Then put yourself in the actual event as each one told his loved ones that he was leaving—or did not do so. As romantic as this gospel story seems, it can't have been easy for the disciples and their loved ones to give up their old way of life embrace this new enterprise. The fact that they did so is an indication of their openness to God’s call and their willingness to change. They had the generosity of spirit to enter into this enterprise with all their hearts, with all their energy, with all their love. Christian living is not a part time job-- there is no cutting corners in this enterprise. It is not enough merely to stay out of mortal sin, to keep our noses clean. If we are content with the minimum then we are part time Christians. A full-time Christian listens to the promptings of the Spirit who speaks within our hearts, within the events of our personal histories, inviting us to make our little world a little bit better here and now--our families, our dorms and classes, our workplace. These promptings of the spirit inspire you and me to ask what God wants for our lives. Am I afraid of what the answer might be? What am I willing to give up to answer God’s call?(inspired by Walter Burghardt, S.J.)

Music Meditations:
(All are on YouTube)

The Summons-John Bell
In Christ Alone-strongbow27
Be Thou My Vision-Nathan Pacheco
Jesus-Chris Tomlin

Poetic Reflection: (Taken from the Commentary for 3 Sunday A) I Ask myself the following, then read the following poem written by an unknown woman religious. What was I called to yesterday? Did I respond? What am I being called to today? Do I hear?

In the beginning was the Word.
A Word who must be spoken.
A Word spoken into skies.
and called into hills.
Spoken into rivers and fields
A Word Spoken into life
in flowers
in birds
and in every kind of animal.
A Word spoken with love and breathed into
the heart of man and woman
that they might be ready to hear.
And when the time came that all was in readiness,
The Word was spoken into flesh,
spoken to call his own
out of the darkness and into the light.
To those who would know this Word, he beckoned
and still is beckoning—now—to you.
Come, see where I live;
spend your time with me
Be my own,
Be disciple.
Is the question of the first who followed your question still:
Teacher, where do you live in my world?
The answer they heard is the same,
which, in silence you will know:
Come, I will take you there.
I live within your heart.
Your heart that I have seen,
Your heart that I have known
I live there, calling you beyond yourself
Calling you into my own life,
Calling you to the vision of my Father
Calling you to be fishers of people.
Calling you to be disciple.