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.

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: 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

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: 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

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

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

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:

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

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

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:

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

--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.

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

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:

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.

2nd Sunday in Ordinary Time

January 18, 2026

We are each called to testify to the importance of Jesus in our lives

John 1:29-34

The next day, he saw Jesus coming towards him and said, “Look, there is the lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world. It was of him that I said, ‘Behind me comes one who has passed ahead of me because he existed before me.’ I did not know him myself, and yet my purpose in coming to baptize with water was so that he might be revealed to Israel.” And John declared, “I saw the Spirit come down on him like a dove from heaven and rest on him. I did not know him myself, but he who sent me to baptize with water had said to me, ‘The man on whom you see the Spirit come down and rest is the one who is to baptize with the Holy Spirit.’ I have seen and I testify that he is the Chosen One of God.”

REFLECTIONS

Commentary on John 1:29-34 from Living Space, a service of the Irish Jesuits

Yesterday we saw John the Baptist denying that he was the Messiah or any of the great prophets. Today he gives testimony to Jesus as the one he had been talking about. The passage begins with “The next day…” We mentioned already that the opening section of John up to the wedding at Cana represents a week, echoing the seven days of creation in Genesis. We will see that phrase occurring three more times in the first chapter, and that brings us to the fourth day of the week. There is then a gap, but the wedding at Cana is introduced as taking place “on the third day”, that is, after the previous four, and hence is the seventh day. As John saw Jesus approaching he said to those around him, “Look, there is the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world.” Another feature of this first chapter is that the author introduces the various titles of Jesus which he uses later on. Why the Lamb? The central feature of the Jewish Passover feast was the lamb, which was eaten during the Passover meal. It recalled the lamb which the families of the Israelites ate on the eve of their escape from Egypt, and whose blood was painted on the doorposts of their houses. When the angel of God came to destroy all the firstborn, it “passed over” the houses of the Israelites, which had been marked with the lamb’s blood. This became then a symbol of liberation, and one of the most important celebrations in the Jewish calendar. For us, however, there is now a new symbol of liberation, a new Lamb. Jesus is both the offerer of the sacrifice and its victim, and his death and resurrection inaugurate a New Covenant between God and his people. It is perhaps significant that in all the gospel accounts of the Last Supper, there is no mention of a lamb being eaten during the meal. Because there was, of course, a new Lamb, who told his companions to take and eat, take and drink the bread and wine “handed over for you”. And it is through the blood of this Lamb that we find salvation and liberation. The title Lamb of God also recalls the suffering servant led like a lamb to the slaughter, which we read about in Isaiah (53:7,10). In Revelation, too, we read of the victorious apocalyptic lamb who will destroy the evil in the world (5:5-7;17:14). The Baptist then indicates the superiority of Jesus over himself. “He is the one of whom I said, ‘A man existed before me’.” In the context of the Prologue we read earlier, this is an intimation of Jesus’ pre-existence as the Word with God (remember, chronologically, John was slightly older than Jesus). John also explains why he was baptising; it was to make Jesus known to the people of Israel. His baptism did not have the power to forgive sin; this would be the prerogative of Jesus and his disciples (John also says that up to this, he had not known Jesus, which conflicts with the other gospels, where he is presented as a close relative.) John then continues to talk about the baptism of Jesus, whereas the event itself is described in Matthew and Luke. He says that he personally saw the Spirit of God come down on Jesus like a dove, and it stayed with him, indicating the enduring relationship between God and his Father. The dove is a symbol of new life, recalling the dove which brought the olive branch back to Noah’s ark and indicated that the Flood was over. At the same time, the One who told John to baptise with water, also said that the One on whom the Spirit came down would, in turn, baptise with the Holy Spirit. And the Baptist concludes: “Now I have seen and given witness that he is the Son of God.” Here we have another title of Jesus. Each one of us has also received the same Spirit in our baptism. It was that Spirit which inspired Jesus in all his Messianic work, climaxing in his death on the cross. May the same Spirit inspire us to follow in Jesus’ footsteps and join with him in his work to build the Kingdom.

“First Impressions” by Jude Siciliano, O.P.

Isaiah 49: 3, 5-6; Psalm 40; 1 Corinthians 1: 1-3; John 1:29-34

The Christmas season has ended, yet we are still very much in “epiphany mode.” Today is called the Second Sunday in Ordinary Time, the beginning of what the Church names “Ordinary Time.” We will count thirty-three Sundays in Ordinary Time until November 15. The title given to these weeks can be a bit misleading. This time is not “ordinary” in the everyday sense of the word. Rather, it is a season for the ongoing revealing of who Jesus is and why he has come. To repeat: we are still in “epiphany mode.” In Isaiah 49, the Servant is chosen from the womb, named by God, and given a twofold mission: to restore Israel and to be “a light to the nations,” so that God’s salvation may reach “to the ends of the earth.” This reading helps us see beyond Bethlehem, which features so prominently during the Christmas season. The child revealed to us at Christmas is now shown to be the One sent to the whole world: “I will make you a light to the nations, that my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth.” During these early weeks of Ordinary Time, this universal horizon is emphasized. Isaiah proclaims it poetically, and John’s Gospel illuminates that same message, interpreting Isaiah’s vision for us through the person of Jesus. John the Baptist points out Jesus – but he does more than point. He interprets Jesus for us. He identifies him as “the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.” John testifies that he saw the Spirit descend and remain on Jesus and declares him to be the Son of God. In John’s Gospel, Isaiah’s Servant is revealed as both the Lamb who bears sin and the Spirit-filled Son who reveals the Father. What Isaiah announces in poetry, John proclaims explicitly: “He is the Son of God.” The Baptist’s role is to point away from himself. Isaiah reminds Israel – and us – that being chosen by God always involves being sent for others. “I will make you a light to the nations, that my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth.” This Sunday, then, prepares us for mission: first, to recognize who Jesus is, and then to bear his light to the world. We probably know people who have fulfilled, at least in part, this servant role described in Isaiah 49. One person who came close to embodying it was Dorothy Day. Like the servant depicted in Isaiah, she did not seek prominence. Her words and actions pointed to God rather than ideas, and she lived for the sake of others, especially the least and the forgotten. Dorothy Day offered a distinctly poetic witness to the modern world. She understood her work not as a career, but as a vocation. Though she was a convert, her conversion to Catholicism did not narrow her vision; it clarified her mission. Like Isaiah’s Servant, whose call extended beyond Israel “to the nations,” Dorothy’s witness reached far beyond the boundaries of the Church. Her moral authority was recognized by atheists, labor organizers, the poor, and believers alike. People of moral authority like Dorothy Day make ancient prophets such as Isaiah and Christian prophets like John the Baptist, strikingly contemporary for us. Through them, God continues to speak in our “Ordinary Time,” calling us to en-flesh the Word of God through our words and actions. We are not to call attention to ourselves, but to Christ present in our midst, especially among the suffering of the world. As Dorothy once said, “We cannot love God unless we love each other,” and “The Gospel takes away our right forever to discriminate between the deserving and the undeserving poor.” Dorothy lived this conviction concretely, insisting that Christ is revealed precisely where the world is least inclined to look. That is the sign of true discipleship; not dramatic gestures, but constant, uncompromising fidelity which makes God’s mercy visible to all. Dorothy teaches us that God’s light is meant for all nations. John the Baptist pointed to Christ without claiming rank or privilege for himself. To be a servant of God is not to seek recognition, but to make God’s mercy available. In our parishes, there are those who serve quietly by visiting, advocating for, or accompanying those in need. When we do this, we may not be solving problems, but we are revealing Christ already present among us – especially among the least. It may be Ordinary Time, but there is nothing ordinary about people in our faith communities who offer a steady, quiet witness. Like John the Baptist, they help others recognize the Lamb of God already in our midst. Finally, Paul’s words from First Corinthians today may seem modest, little more than a greeting. But they too belong to our Sunday proclamation. Isaiah speaks of God’s Servant; the Gospel reveals Christ’s identity; and Paul reminds us who receives this revelation: “To the church of God that is in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be holy.” A real community – like the one in Corinth – imperfect, divided, and deeply human, shows us how God’s saving word continues to take flesh among us each day. We do not seek holiness by withdrawing from the world, but, as Isaiah calls us, by being a faithful presence within it.

Quotable

“God is closer to us than we are to ourselves.” — Augustine of Hippo

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

I announced your justice in the vast assembly.—Psalm 40:10

Last Fall, Pope Leo offered a reflection about migrants and refugees reminding Catholics that we are all called to always be missionaries of hope. Here are some excerpts: The current global context is sadly marked by wars, violence, injustice and extreme weather events, which force millions of people to leave their homelands in search of refuge elsewhere. The widespread tendency to look after the interests of limited communities poses a serious threat to the sharing of responsibility, multilateral cooperation, the pursuit of the common good and global solidarity for the benefit of our entire human family. The prospect of a renewed arms race and the development of new armaments, including nuclear weapons, the lack of consideration for the harmful effects of the ongoing climate crisis, and the impact of profound economic inequalities make the challenges of the present and the future increasingly demanding. Faced with frightening scenarios and the possibility of global devastation, it is important that there be a growing desire in people’s hearts for a future of peace and of respect for the dignity of all. Such a future is essential to God’s plan for humanity and the rest of creation. The Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches: “The virtue of hope responds to the aspiration to happiness which God has placed in the heart of every man and woman; it takes up the hopes that inspire human activities” (N. 1818). What is more, the search for happiness, and the prospect of finding it beyond one’s place of origin, is certainly one of the main motivations for the movement of people today. In a special way, Catholic migrants and refugees can become missionaries of hope in the countries that welcome them, forging new paths of faith where the message of Jesus Christ has not yet arrived or initiating interreligious dialogue based on everyday life and the search for common values. . .At the same time, the communities that welcome them can also be a living witness to hope, one that is understood as the promise of a present and a future where the dignity of all as children of God is recognized. In this way, migrants and refugees are recognized as brothers and sisters, part of a family in which they can express their talents and participate fully in community life. Message of the Holy Father for the 111th World Day of Migrants and Refugees 2025 Are you a missionary of hope toward migrants and refugees?

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: “John the Baptist saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world.”

Reflection: By calling Jesus “the Lamb of God,” John evokes the Passover lamb and the suffering servant – images of sacrifice, deliverance, and mercy. Jesus comes toward us not in judgment, but bearing the weight of the world’s brokenness, willing to take upon himself the sin that alienates humanity from God. In this moment, faith begins by looking, by recognizing who Jesus is and trusting what he comes to do for us.

So, we ask ourselves:
—Where in my life do I most need to let Jesus take away sin, guilt, or burden I still carry?
—Like John the Baptist, how can I point others – not to myself – but to Christ at work in the world today?

From America Magazine: Second Sunday in Ordinary Time (A), Jan. 20, 2008

Readings: Is 49:3, 5-6; Ps 40:2, 4, 7-10; 1 Cor 1:1-3; Jn 1:29-34

“Now I have seen and testified that he is the Son of God” (Jn 1:34)

John’s Gospel does not include a direct account of Jesus’ baptism. Instead it supplies the testimony or witness of John the Baptist and his reflections on who Jesus is. By considering what the Baptist saw in Jesus, we may see more clearly what we can hope for from Jesus. In his first chapter John the Evangelist develops an overture or prologue to his account of Jesus’ public ministry as well as his death and resurrection. He gives special attention to the various titles applied to Jesus, ranging from Word of God to the glorious Son of Man; taken together these titles highlight the decisive importance of Jesus. Today’s selection devoted to the testimony of John the Baptist focuses on Jesus as the Lamb of God, the bearer or vehicle of the Holy Spirit and the Son of God. John testified that Jesus is “the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.” This imagery evokes the Old Testament rituals of sacrificing an animal to God as a way of atoning for sins and restoring right relationship with God. For early Christians the image of Jesus as the Lamb of God expressed the conviction that Jesus died for us and for our sins and made possible a right relationship. Theologians call this justification. Through the Lamb of God we can hope for forgiveness of our sins and right relationship with God. John also testified that at the baptism the Holy Spirit descended on Jesus, and that Jesus became the primary bearer or vehicle of the Holy Spirit. This in turn qualified Jesus to baptize with both water and the Holy Spirit. In his Last Supper discourse Jesus promises to send the Holy Spirit upon the community of his followers. He calls the Holy Spirit the Paraclete, a word that combines the Spirit’s roles as consoler, guide and defender. Through the Spirit of Jesus we can hope for the gift of the Holy Spirit and the possibility of living “in the spirit.” John testified that Jesus is the Son of God, a title that evokes the figure of the Servant of God described in Isaiah 49. There the servant has the mission to proclaim God’s saving power not for Israel alone but for all nations. As the Son of God, Jesus addressed God as his loving father. And Jesus invites us to share his own unique relationship of intimacy with God. Through the Son of God we are God’s children now. We can stand alongside Jesus and call upon God as our father too. What did John see in Jesus? What can we hope for from Jesus? Through Jesus we can hope for forgiveness of sins, right relationship with God, the guidance of the Holy Spirit and permission to approach God with confidence and even boldness as befits the spiritual brothers and sisters of Jesus. This is what Paul means when he describes Christians as “sanctified in Christ Jesus” and “called to be holy.” Boston College School of Theology & Ministry: An int’l theological center preparing leaders for the church in the 21st century.

Praying with Scripture

• How do you respond to the image of Jesus as the Lamb of God?

• How is the gift of the Holy Spirit related to Jesus?

• Do you ever think of Jesus as your brother?

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

Sometimes, Lord, I am puzzled by the direction my life has taken and I do not always respond as fully as I could. Just what are you calling me to in this very moment of my life? Help me to recognize you when you show up in my daily life, unannounced, and help me to see your presence in my day to day life. Help me to see you in the needs of those around me. Help me to recognize opportunities for growth, grace, and service in the most mundane corners of my life, and in the ordinary people I meet.

COMPANIONS FOR THE JOURNEY

From “First Impressions 2013”. A service of the Southern Dominican Province

The gospel today makes a shift. Until now we have been focusing on John, Jesus’ precursor. Now the gospel, through the Baptist’s testimony, passes us from John to Jesus. But before we make that move, let’s linger a moment longer with John. Imagine what John the Baptist had to go through in his ministry. It started when he received a call to announce the one coming after him who would be greater then he; one John names today as, “the Lamb of God.” This was the one who would take away the sin of the world. At first, John didn’t know who this one coming would be. He had to wait for a further revelation, as he testifies today, “At first, I did not know him….” In fact, twice John admits, “I did not know him.” John had to wait to see the Spirit descend “Like a dove” and remain on Jesus. When that happened, then John would finally know the one he had been expecting and preparing the people to receive--the one who would “baptize with the Holy Spirit.” John had to work blind for a while. He received his initial call, then had to wait. But his waiting didn’t mean he sat down and did nothing. He got busy and acted on his call, trusting that when the moment came to see the fulfillment of his ministry God would show him what to do next. John reminds us of the Magi. They received a message when they first saw the star in the night sky. They responded, leaving home, to follow the message of the star. But they, like John, had to go a while before they arrived at their goal and recognized Jesus. As the baptized, we are all involved in ministry. Some of us have official positions within the church, others respond privately to the needs around us. Each of us has heard a call to ministry. Our lives are marked by these ministries and by the people who need us. But, in many ways, like John and the Magi, we work in the dark. Not only the in darkness of our world, but also in the darkness of our call. We invest ourselves in what we know we must do, but we have questions along the way: How much longer shall I continue to minister in this way? Am I in the right ministry for my talents? Why doesn’t what I do in service receive more official recognition? I thought after these years of ministry I would have made more of an impact. Looking back, did I receive a call at all, or was it my imagination or vanity? I don’t think some of these questions were foreign to the Baptist. He did have a keen sense of having been called. But then, he had to work until he got the next sign; the one indicating Jesus’ identity. Like the Magi, and like some of us, he journeyed without knowing the end results of his labors. But he anticipated that God would not leave him, but would be there for him, at the appropriate time, to reveal the next step to take. There is an end awaiting us; a time when we will see God face to face and there will be no more darkness. On this, we place all our hope. Until then, we continue our service in the Lord;s name. We stay committed to our faith community, especially when we gather in Eucharistic celebration. We also seek the Lord in regular times of prayer. If we are to make significant changes, like the Magi’s packing up to begin a search or, like John’s fulfilling his mission, we will need guidance in our ministry. Then, we shall place ourselves in a more intensive listening mode through quiet prayer; reflective reading and even seeking the counsel of a wise person who can help us identify the call of the Lord in our lives. I am grateful to such people who helped me notice the descent of the Spirit at important and transitional moments of my life. Thankfully someone was there to help me say, “I saw the Spirit come down like a dove….” Who are those people for you? Let us give thanks. p.s. See First Impressions for 2026 ( appended). It speaks of someone who was called to minister in a very unique way: Dorothy Day…..

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

If I had one sin that needed to be taken away, what would I choose?

What would you say is the “sin of the world”? Think of some examples of how this plays out in human behavior, personal relationships, politics, the world stage, the health of the planet….

What choices do we make as humans that emanate from this atmosphere of sin that pervades the world?
What means do we use to distract ourselves from a hopeless contemplation of the state of the world and ourselves?

John is a powerful witness to the presence and mission of Jesus the anointed of God. We are all anointed at our baptism, but have we been powerful witness of God’s presence in the world?
Do we assume this is reserved to the ordained?

Am I shy about discussing my faith with others?
Why?

What does it mean to really “see” someone?
What do you think John “saw” in Jesus?
What do you “see” in Jesus?

Andrew and Peter come to Jesus as a result of the testimony of John. Has anyone come to Jesus through your living testimony?
Has there ever been anyone in your experience that you have recognized as “special?”
In what way were they special?
How did they influence your life, if at all?

From Daniel J Harrington, S.J.:
How do you respond to the image of Jesus as the Lamb of God?
How is the gift of the Holy Spirit related to Jesus?
Do you ever think of Jesus as your brother?

From Father Paul Gallagher, OFM:
Twice in the text John admits, “I did not know him.” Do you think John is saying that he did not know his own cousin?
What does that say to you about the kind of person Jesus was?
What does this say to you about where you might find the face of Jesus present around you?

How difficult do you think it was for the Baptist to admit and accept the fact that his cousin, Jesus, was a much more important and significant person?
Have there been times in your own journey when you had to admit that you were not as important as others, or you yourself, once thought?
What were some of the things that helped you through that transition?

How is the journey of self-discovery before God taking place in your life now?
Does this gospel shed any light on that journey?

Psalm 40 says “Here I am Lord, I come to do your will.”
What do you think God’s will for you is?
What signs do you look for to confirm that you are doing God’s will?

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: Jesus, Lamb of God, we will never exhaust our knowledge of you. Let me grow steadily in that knowledge, making my picture of you even richer. Help me find the balance between being occupied in your service without letting my occupations overwhelm me.

FOR THE WEEK AHEAD

Weekly Memorization: Taken from the gospel for today’s session….Behold the Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world.

Meditations:

A Meditation in the Ignation Style/Imagination: Read John 1: 19-28. In this section John is identified as a witness to the person, mission and real identity of Jesus. Imagine being at a religious gathering that is somewhat public--say an appearance of our Pope at the Vatican-- and Jesus shows up at the event. Would he look different than the others there? Would the Pope recognize him? Would we all see the Holy Spirit descend on him? How do you think you would react? In our actual time and space, we are still called upon to witness to Jesus. What sort of witness to the identity of Jesus are you and I called upon to make? How do we talk about Jesus as expression of God’s love for us, Jesus as our hope, and most difficult, Jesus as mystery? Pray for the grace to recognize Jesus in our world, for the courage to witness to his presence, and for the wisdom to do so in a way which draws others and does not judge.

A Meditation in the Dominican Style/Asking Questions: Let us for a moment pause and reflect on the world into which Jesus entered so many years ago. What economic, spiritual and societal challenges existed in Palestine so long ago? In his brief life, what changes did Jesus effect? Then consider the economic, spiritual and societal challenges we all face in life today. What are you called to bring to those challenges? What does Jesus’ life offer as an example for you?

A Meditation in the Augustinian Style/Relationship: Read Psalm 40 from the Sunday readings.

Psalm 40

I waited, I waited for the LORD, and he stooped down to me;
he heard my cry .He drew me from the deadly pit, from the miry clay.
He set my feet upon a rock, made my footsteps firm.
He put a new song into my mouth, praise of our God.
Many shall see and fear and shall trust in the LORD.
Blessed the man who has placed his trust in the LORD,
and has not gone over to the proud who follow false gods.
How many, O LORD my God, are the wonders and designs
that you have worked for us; you have no equal.
Should I wish to proclaim or speak of them, they would be more than I can tell!
You delight not in sacrifice and offerings, but in an open ear.
You do not ask for holocaust and victim.
Then I said, “See, I have come.” In the scroll of the book it stands written of me:
“I delight to do your will, O my God; your instruction lies deep within me.”
Your justice I have proclaimed in the great assembly. My lips I have not sealed; you know it, O LORD.
Your saving help I have not hidden in my heart; of your faithfulness and salvation I have spoken.
I made no secret of your merciful love and your faithfulness to the great assembly.
O LORD, you will not withhold your compassion from me. Your merciful love and your faithfulness 
will always guard me. For I am beset with evils too many to be counted.
My iniquities have overtaken me, till I can see no more.
They are more than the hairs of my head, and my heart is sinking.
Be pleased, O LORD, to rescue me; LORD, make haste to help me.
O let there be shame and confusion on those who seek my life.
O let them turn back in confusion who delight in my harm.
Let them be appalled because of their shame, those who jeer and mock me.
O let there be rejoicing and gladness for all who seek you.
Let them ever say, “The LORD is great,” who long for your salvation.
Wretched and poor though I am, the Lord is mindful of me.
You are my rescuer, my help;
O my God, do not delay.

Re-word the third-person verses this psalm as if you were speaking to God directly. Then spend some time examining which verses speak for you and capture your innermost feelings. Examine also those phrases of the psalm which call upon God to punish those who have wronged you. Is this how you feel sometimes? How did Jesus deal with a similar situation? How can a reflection of the life and mission of Jesus help you cope with the many issues and difficult poeple in your life? How can a reflection on the life and mission of Jesus help you to discern your own mission? Write your own psalm, being sure to include your commitment to the unique mission God has set out for you.

POETIC REFLECTION

In the following quirky poem, e.e.cummings seems to look at the experience of John the Baptist which we read about in John 29-34 in a different sort of way. How close does it come to your thoughts on Jesus and John?

no time ago
or else a life
walking in the dark
I met Christ

jesus)my heart
flopped over
and lay still
while he passed (as

close am I’m to you
yes closer
made of nothing
except loneliness.

Baptism of the Lord

January 12, 2026

Jesus, God’s beloved, was commissioned into ministry for others, as am I

Matthew 3:13-17

Then Jesus appeared: he came from Galilee to the Jordan to be baptized by John. John tried to dissuade him, with the words, “It is I who need baptism from you, and yet you come to me!” But Jesus replied, “Leave it like this for the time being; it is fitting that we should, in this way, do all that uprightness demands.” Then John gave in to him. And when Jesus had been baptized he at once came up from the water, and suddenly the heavens opened and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming down on him. And suddenly there was a voice from heaven, “This is my Son, the Beloved; my favor rests on him.”

REFLECTIONS ON THE GOSPEL

Commentary on Isaiah 42:1-4,6-7; Acts 10:34-38; Matthew 3:13-17 from the Irish Jesuits

Today brings to an end our Christmas celebrations. We see the third and last of the three great manifestations by which were made known to us that our God had come among us in a very special way. As mentioned in a recent commentary, the sign that Jesus gave in Cana is also a special manifestation of God’s presence in Jesus, and may be considered a fourth manifestation. Of the three, the first of these manifestations was through the story of the birth of Jesus in the stable at Bethlehem. The first people privileged to experience this manifestation were the shepherds, representing the poor, the sinful, and the social outcasts on whom Luke’s Gospel is especially focused. The second manifestation, the Epiphany, celebrated this past week, reflects Matthew’s emphasis that Jesus was born not only for his own people, but for people of every country and every race everywhere. This third manifestation of God’s presence among us through Jesus, depicted in today’s Gospel, is found in all four Gospels. While the first two manifestations are linked with the birth of Jesus, this one comes at a much later date, at the moment when Jesus is about to begin his public life.

Why baptise Jesus?
We might very well wonder, like John the Baptist did, why Jesus needed to be baptised. John said to Jesus: I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me? All those others being baptised in the Jordan by John were doing so as a sign of repentance for their sins, and as an expression of their desire to turn around their lives. How could Jesus, the Son of God, be part of this? The first answer to this question is that Jesus, in so doing, was expressing his total solidarity with the human race, of which he was a member. He identified with them, not as a sinner, but as a fellow human being. The expression of that solidarity is a much higher priority for him than any social status he might lose by being seen in the close company of confessed sinners. It was a risk he would constantly take because the needs of the sinner were more important to him than his reputation with the self-righteous. It will have its final dramatic expression as Jesus dies on a cross, executed with, and like, two convicted criminals. For Jesus, there was never such a thing as ‘face’, i.e. being valued purely on external appearance.

A ‘missioning’ experience
However, in order to understand what is happening at the River Jordan, we have to go far beyond seeing Jesus’ baptism as a matter of dealing with sinfulness. What is being really emphasised here is the positive element of Jesus’ being totally accepted and confirmed by his Father. Jesus, as he stands there in the River Jordan, is being ‘missioned’ by his Father for the work he is just about to begin. He is here getting the total endorsement of his Father for that work. As he steps out of the water, the heavens open and the Spirit of God comes down on Jesus to fill him with all God’s fullness. This is my Son, the Beloved [Greek, agapetos—the object of God’s agape, his outpouring love], with whom I am well pleased. This, we might say, is Jesus’ Pentecost experience. It is what the baptism in the Jordan is really about. And it is something that only those with eyes of faith can see. We might also add that this is what our Baptism is really about.

Baptism and anointing
In the Second Reading, from the Acts of the Apostles, Peter in his sermon to Cornelius, the first Gentile to be baptised by the Apostles, says that: …God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power… In the case of Jesus’ baptism by John, the anointing is by water. The anointing of Jesus by God, of which Peter speaks, implies that Jesus is being made King and Lord, and Kings were typically anointed with oil. The title ‘Christ’ [Greek, Christos] which we give him, means ‘The Anointed One’, and corresponds to the Hebrew word we write as Messiah. Finally, as we said earlier, this scene is also a ‘missioning’ ceremony for Jesus as he embarks on his public life.

‘My servant’
All this is beautifully described in the passage from Isaiah which is the First Reading for today’s feast. The opening words echo Matthew’s description of the baptism scene: Here is my servant…my chosen, in whom my soul delights; I have put my spirit upon him… The mission that will be Jesus’ is then spelt out in some beautiful phrases over which we could reflect with great profit. The prophet writes: 
—He will not cry out or lift up his voice…
—a bruised reed he will not break, and a dimly burning wick he will not quench…
—he will faithfully bring forth justice. He will not grow faint or be crushed until he has established justice in the earth…
—I have called you in righteousness… [i.e. to serve the cause of right]
—I have given you as a covenant to the people, a light to the nations, to open the eyes that are blind, to bring out the prisoners from the dungeon, from the prison those who sit in darkness.
Those final phrases will be quoted by Jesus himself as the proclamation of his mission in the synagogue of his home town, Nazareth (Luke 4:18-20). All of this is contained in this simple but majestic scene with John the Baptist in the River Jordan. It is, as already said, a great manifestation of God’s presence among us through the Person of Jesus our King and Lord.

Our own baptism
As a final reflection, it would be useful for us today to reflect on the meaning of our own baptism and how it relates with that of Jesus. We often hear a very simplistic description of the effects of the Sacrament of Baptism as “taking away original sin and making us children of God”. Many, especially those baptised as infants, may see it as a one-off ceremony, imposed on them by parents to bind them to a way of life in which they have no further say. People have even been heard to say, “Oh! I wish I hadn’t been born a Catholic!” After honest reflection, some people may choose to renounce their Catholic faith in favour of a way of life which they feel is more meaningful to them. However, if one truly understands the full meaning of our baptism, this is unlikely to happen. Baptism is not, as is true of all the Sacraments, an isolated ritual. It takes place in the context of our whole life. Whether we are baptised as children or as adults, what primarily is happening is that we become incorporated, ’embodied’, into the Christian community. We become—not passively, but actively—members of the Body of Christ. It can never be something imposed on us against our will. That is why, for adults, there is now a long process of initiation leading up to Baptism and, hopefully a further process of community support after the Baptism has taken place. It is why adult baptism is now celebrated in the presence of the whole parish community and at the Easter Vigil. ‘Original sin’ is taken away, not so much by some spiritual sleight of hand or by the mumbling of some magic formula. Rather, if one becomes truly incorporated into a living Christian community, the sinful influences that pervade our world become reversed by our exposure to the vision of Jesus and the lived experience of a community based on love, justice and sharing.

A social event
Baptism does not, and cannot, produce its effects in a social vacuum. That is why the Church will not baptise those who have no likelihood of experiencing Christian community. Then, of course, like Jesus, our baptism brings with it a serious obligation to share our faith with others both by word and example. It involves much more than simply ‘saving our souls’ and ‘leading sinless lives’. We are called to be living witnesses of the gospel, to be the salt of the earth, to be a city on a hill, a candle radiating light in the surrounding darkness. We are called, in short, to be united with the others in our Christian community in the building up of God’s Kingdom. Sadly, one wonders how often this is the reality, when one sees so many Catholics acting like total strangers to each other at a Sunday parish Eucharist! All those words of Isaiah, quoted above and applied to Jesus, are to be applied to each one of us as well. Our baptism is not simply some past event recorded in some dusty parish register. It is a living reality which is to be constantly deepened and enriched. Let God our Father be able to say of us as he said of Jesus: This is my Son, the Beloved, with whom I am well pleased.

Homily: Giving Blessings

“This is my beloved Son with whom I am well pleased.”

Fr. Ron Rolheiser, one of the great modern theologians and spiritual writers, in his book called “Sacred Fire” explains that over our lifetime, our discipleship is divided up into three stages or components. The first is Essential Disciple; the second is Radical Discipleship; and then the last one is Mature Discipleship. Each of these have their own hallmark or theme. In the first stage, we are getting our life together. We are young and we have a longing for something outside of ourselves, what he calls a “holy longing” we seek the Lord and we seek meaning for life. The second stage is Radical Discipleship. In this stage we are giving our life away. We constantly give away everything that we have. This is where most parents and grandparents are. They give their life to their children; they have already made themselves in the world and now they are giving themselves away. The third stage is Mature discipleship and this is where we give our death away. We give others the way to remember us and hold us close. At one point, he gives a wonderful metaphor about this mature discipleship and talks about how give blessings to others, something that is so desperately needed in our modern world. To illustrate he talks about the opposite, giving curses and he does not mean cursing in the sense of four-letter words. He says cursing is when we do not speak well of people. So, we bless people when we speak well of them. Actually the root word for "bless” in Latin, benedicere, actually means “to speak well of.” That is exactly what God does for his Son, Jesus in today’s gospel. The better translation is, “This is my blessed Son with whom I am well pleased.” He says that not only to Christ but for all of us as adopted sons and daughters. God blesses Jesus and offering him to the world and Jesus does the same thing for all of us. He blesses us and speaks well of us. Rolheiser gives an example of how this blessing can work in practice. An older lady goes to a younger girl or young lady and says, “You look wonderful. You sounded wonderful. That’s amazing. What a wonderful gift you are to our world.” Engaging a girl in this way will enable that young lady’s shoulders will rise up because somebody has spoken well of them. And the same is true of an older man to a younger man. An older man to a boy: “Aren’t you a fine young man the way you have done that. And how polite you are when you shook hands very well. I am really proud of the way you accomplished this or that.” Again, that young man’s shoulders will rise up and he will feel wonderful that somebody has recognized him. That somebody thinks well of him. That somebody else speaks well of him. That somebody has blessed him. It is not just man to boy or woman to girl. It goes in all directions.  But how often do we do that?How often do we speak well of somebody and lift them up? This is what God does constantly for Jesus and of course Jesus does it in turn for everyone he meets. He lifts them up; the downtrodden, the broken, the wounded. He lifts them up. He touches them. He raises them up. He says you can come to dinner. “I am going to dinner at your house tonight.” “Come. Be touched. I want to heal you.” And he is constantly lifting people up and having them feel good about themselves. Not just good but actually that they are truly blessed by being in the presence of Christ. As Fr. Rolheiser points out, we are called to model ourselves after Jesus’ discipleship; that is we are modeling ourselves after his way. If he does that then we are called to bless people by speaking well of them; by lifting them up. “How wonderful it is that you sung today. Why, your voice is beautiful.” I love the way you did this or did that; to be encouraging; to bless them; to speak well of them.Here is the challenge: We cannot give what we do not have. Right? We cannot speak well of someone else if we do not think good thoughts of people. I am not even going to notice what you do if I am not already lifting my mind and heart up to God and then I find you a blessing in my life. There lies the challenge. We have to work at this interior reality before we can give it away. Fr. Ron Rolheiser illustrates this very colorfully with a Buddhist parable and it goes something like this: “The young soldier, who was young and fit and trim was walking by and noticed the Buddha with his legs folded up and meditating on the side of the road. And he noticed how fat he was. The young soldier says to the Buddha, “You look like a pig.” And the Buddha smiled, paused gently and returned back, saying, “And you look like God.” The soldier was taken aback and asked, “Why do you think I look like God?” And the Buddha said, “Well, I sit here all day and I ponder God and so therefore, what I ponder I project out onto everything that I see and feel in the inside. And when I see you, I see God in you. I guess you, you have been pondering something else.” We generally project out what we actually have interiorly. We have all had experiences with this when somebody lashes out at us and it has nothing to do with what we have done but they are angry from something else and it all just spews out. We cannot give what we do not have. If we want to give blessing then we must allow the Lord to say to us: “You are my beloved and blessed son or daughter with whom I am well pleased.” When we feel that and allow that love, that blessing into our hearts to heal us; to give us consolation, then we can pass on that blessing to speak well of others. What an amazing world we would have if all of us would find only blessings to give away and not curses; that we would only speak well of people; and not speak ill of people. Maybe this could be one of our new ways for this new year as we head into a new ordinary time. We promise this year, we are going to allow the Lord to bless us and to say to us “You are my beloved son; you are my beloved daughter in whom I am well pleased.” Then we are ready to pass that blessing onto others and say: “You are my beloved, my blessed son and daughter with whom I am well pleased.” May we give blessings not curses to each other.. “This is my beloved Son with whom I am well pleased.”

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

Lord, as I reflect on my own baptism and my own spiritual journey thus far, help me to remember to thank your Holy Spirit for the graces I have received, the help in dark times, and the strength to do your will.

COMPANIONS FOR THE JOURNEY

From “First Impressions” 1/5/2026, a service of the Southern Domiican Province

The baptism of Jesus is not simply a moment in his life; it is a revelation meant to shape ours. In today’s Gospel, Jesus enters the Jordan not because he needs repentance, but to stand fully with a searching, vulnerable humanity. He steps into the water to make it holy, revealing a God who meets us where we are – not after we have tried and failed to purify ourselves in a futile effort to become “worthy.” At his baptism, Jesus reveals both who He is and who God is for us. The heavens open, the Spirit descends, and God’s voice declares, “You are my beloved Son.” The Trinity is present and active. Baptism, then, is more than membership in a community; it is a declaration of identity. Before we are called to follow Jesus or sent on mission, we are named and claimed as God’s beloved children. The baptism of Jesus marks the beginning of his mission – and, through him, ours. Immediately afterward, he goes forth to proclaim God’s kingdom, to heal the broken, and to confront injustice. So, it is with us. We are not baptized for private holiness alone, but into a shared vocation: to live the Gospel publicly through mercy, forgiveness, truth, and self-giving love. Jesus does not emerge from the waters to claim privilege or power over others. His way is humility and obedience to God’s will. Our baptism, then, is not about status but about service – service shaped by compassion and sustained by hope. The opening of the heavens at Jesus’ baptism signifies that the divide between God and humanity has been bridged. As baptized people, we are invited to trust that the heavens remain open – that God’s Spirit is at work in us even when the waters of life feel cold, uncertain, or unwelcoming. Our reading from the Acts of the Apostles helps us understand why this feast matters, both personally and as Church. Peter is in the home of Cornelius, a Gentile who had been directed by an angel to summon him. There Peter proclaims the heart of the Gospel: “God shows no partiality.” He then offers a brief summary of the kerygma: “God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power. He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him.” This proclamation reaches back directly to the baptism of the Lord, when Jesus was anointed by the Spirit and publicly revealed as God’s chosen one. Today’s feast celebrates not an isolated event, but the beginning of a Spirit-driven life of service. The Spirit is revealed not in sentiment, but in action – doing good, healing, and liberating. The Spirit is purposeful and concrete. Peter’s declaration that “God shows no partiality” deepens the meaning of this feast. Jesus’ baptism reveals a mission that is universal. Just as Jesus stands in the waters with all humanity, Peter now stands in a Gentile household announcing that God’s saving work is for everyone. Our baptism, then, calls us to dismantle barrier – racial, cultural, social, and religious – and to reflect God’s inclusive love in our lives and in the Church. This feast holds up a mirror to our own baptism. If Jesus was sent by the Spirit to “go about doing good,” then baptism is not a once-for-all initiation, but a lifelong calling. We are anointed and sent into our workplaces, parishes, families, prisons, hospitals, and streets to be instruments of healing, justice, and peace. Peter says of Jesus, “God was with him.” At Jesus’ baptism, heaven opened to proclaim God’s presence. In our baptism, that same promise is made--we are never sent alone. We are called to continue what began when Jesus stepped into the Jordan and emerged on mission for us. Jesus’ baptism assures us that we are beloved, sent, and accompanied by the Spirit. We are invited to live each day as people who have heard God’s voice spoken over our lives: “You are my beloved; with you I am well pleased.” One final word from today’s reading from Isaiah. The prophet promises that God’s servant will “bring out prisoners from confinement, and from the dungeon those who live in darkness.” We know that dungeons are not only places of concrete and iron bars. Many carry what might be called a “portable prison” – darkness inherited from anxious beginnings, broken relationships, or the accumulated weight of a troubled world. Just as Jesus entered the Jordan alongside the repentant, so he enters our places of darkness and confinement today. He is the one promised by Isaiah, who brings prisoners into freedom. He goes to the hidden places that keep us locked in, to the restricted patterns of living we excuse by saying, “That’s just the way I am.” Jesus does not remain a distant observer. He steps into the waters and into the darkness with us, helping us face what binds us and leading us out – just as God promised through the prophet Isaiah.

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 or the meditations which follow:

Reflection Questions

What do I think Jesus was experiencing at the time of his baptism?

Have I ever felt called by God for any reason?
How did I feel at the time?

Has there been a time in my life when what seemed the “right” path/action/career, was just not what God had in mind for me?

Have I ever been “surprised” by God’s actions in my life?

Do I truly believe Jesus is God-Among-Us?

What is the Spirit of God, for me?

What was Jesus’ world expecting from God?
Did they get it?
What do I expect from God?

What “new life” was Jesus re-born into?

Have God’s plans for my life been revealed to me slowly, in life’s events, or in a moment of “revelation?”
Am I still waiting to hear what my calling is?

I think of a time when I was asked to do something and was unprepared or unready. How did I respond?
How do I feel?

Can I thank God for my virtues?
What else do I need to do/ pray in this prayer of thanksgiving in order to avoid self-congratulation?

How do I understand “This is my beloved Son”?
Do I think this applies to me?

Do I ever do things because it gives a good example rather than because they are required?

How has Baptism transformed my life?

From First Impressions 2026:
Has there been a cost to me for being a Christian?
Have I experienced God’s help when being a Christian came with a price?

CLOSING PRAYER

Jesus, help me to remember that I am your beloved, always your beloved. Help me to remember that God is well pleased with me, and let me act with confidence that I am loved by you, not because I am perfect, not because I am good, but because I AM. And help me to act on that confidence, bringing your light and love to others.

FOR THE WEEK AHEAD

Weekly Memorization: Taken from the gospel for today’s session…This is my Son, my Beloved; my favor rests on him.

Meditations:

A Meditation in the Augustinian Style/Relationship (From Sacred Space, a service of the Irish Jesuits 2026): This is one of the three times the Father speaks to us in the gospel story. Here it is to acknowledge that Jesus is his beloved, the one he loves with a passion. During the first millennium this came to be the way Christians saw themselves, especially as they realized the meaning of Jesus’ words: “As the father has loved me, so I have loved you. Abide in my love. (John 15:9). If you would like to ponder this prayerfully, quieten yourself for a short while by relaxing your body. Then listen to the Father call you his beloved a few times, and when you have savored his words, tell him how you feel about this.

A Meditation in the Ignatian Style/Imagination (Meditation on John the Baptist, Jesus’ Baptism, and mine): As I reflect on the sacrament of Baptism, I recall the beginning of Jesus’ ministry when John the Baptist baptized him. I imagine myself there with Jesus: I see a small, wiry man, dressed in rags and tatters. His clothes are dirty and hang off his too-thin frame. They say he eats little--locusts and honey gathered from the parched land he and the other Essene inhabit in the hills. Stranger and stranger. But there is something about the man that forces me to stay and listen to what he has to say. His voice, his eyes, speak eloquently of the passion which drives him… The conviction that time is short and the kingdom of Heaven is near rings out over the crowd. He makes us feel that we and the world we inhabit are at a crossroads. Something momentous is upon us. His name is Jesus. We must repent. Repent.

Repentance-Metanoia--more than a confession of sins.
More than guilt and anxiety.
More than fear of the Lord’s wrath.
Metanoia.
A complete change of heart.
To turn one’;s very soul around.
Away from self-centeredness, selfishness and self-aggrandizement.
Away from meanness, from sniping at others to make myself more secure.
Away from greed, clutching frantically at what I have, holding it close because of anxiety that there might not be enough. Enough time, enough money, enough attention, enough love.
Away from evil.
Away From envy of what others have achieved or acquired, envy fostered by the fear that someone might just have more of something than I do.
Metanoia.
A turning around.
A turning back.
Back to goodness.
Back to kindness.
Back to loving.
Back to God.

How would I respond to John the Baptist if I were sitting by the River Jordan listening to him? Would my heart be touched by the Spirit and would I experience the deep conviction that I must, MUST realign my will to God’s a live my life accordingly? Do I realize the hardships this might entail? Or pleasures I might have to forgo ,or defenses I might have to abandon in order to be open to God’s call, to God’s living presence? I agree to be immersed in that holy river and start anew. I step toward the Baptist, my eyes fixed on his as he summons, COMPELS me with his presence and his conviction to take the risk, to let go of the past and embrace a radically different future. The water is cold; cold against the skin warmed that desert sun. It shocks me into realizing the enormity of what I am about to do. I am going to die to a lot of my old ways, to my old life. As the waters close over my head, I am suspended between life and death, between the old world and the new, between the old me and the new me. I stay under as long as I am able, pulled into the past and a little afraid of the future. What will this new life bring? As I feel the spirit of God invade my very being, touch my heart with love and strength, I emerge from the depths, gasping for breath, heart pounding, eyes wide open in wonder. John says those holy words which confirm the presence of the Lord in my heart, and in my very being, in my soul. I look around and see the world with new eyes. The brown, parched earth seems somehow touched with gold. The breeze, soft and mild, caresses my cheek. I look heavenward at a sky suddenly made bluer. I look at the faces of those around me, rendered indistinct by eyes filled with tears. I see their love and concern, their curiosity, and from some, their scorn. None of it matters. I am one with God.

POETIC REFLECTIONS

The practical prayer advice contained in The Cloud of Unknowing forms a primary basis for the contemporary practice of centering prayer, a form of Christian meditation developed by Trappist monks William Meninger, Basil Pennington and Thomas Keating in the 1970s. How is it a metaphor for ur spiritual journey?

I came into the unknown
and stayed there unknowing
rising beyond all science.

I did not know the door
but when I found the way,
unknowing where I was,
I learned enormous things,
but what I felt I cannot say,
for I remained unknowing,
rising beyond all science.

It was the perfect realm
of holiness and peace.
In deepest solitude
I found the narrow way:
a secret giving such release
that I was stunned and stammering,
rising beyond all science.

I was so far inside,
so dazed and far away
my senses were released
from feelings of my own.
My mind had found a surer way:
a knowledge of unknowing,
rising beyond all science.

And he who does arrive
collapses as in sleep,
for all he knew before
now seems a lowly thing,
and so his knowledge grows so deep
that he remains unknowing,
rising beyond all science.

The higher he ascends
the darker is the wood;
it is the shadowy cloud
that clarified the night,
and so the one who understood
remains always unknowing,
rising beyond all science.

This knowledge by unknowing
is such a soaring force
that scholars argue long
but never leave the ground.
Their knowledge always fails the source:
to understand unknowing,
rising beyond all science.

This knowledge is supreme
crossing a blazing height;
though formal reason tries
it crumbles in the dark,
but one who would control the night
by knowledge of unknowing
will rise beyond all science.

And if you wish to hear:
the highest science leads
to an ecstatic feeling
of the most holy Being;
and from his mercy comes his deed:
to let us stay unknowing,
rising beyond all science.

—John of the Cross

Has there ever been a time in your life when you felt very understood and affirmed by a parent? How do you think Jesus felt when he heard the words: “This is my beloved son, in whom I am well pleased.” Do you realize that God feels that way about you?

Thank you, Dad
It really is quite
Amazing how seldom
We praise our children
Or friends or even the
One closest to being
Our true heart mate
For it seems we are
Troubled by some
Dismaying anxiety
That if a nice word is
Even whispered the
Beneficiary will have
A head that explodes
From arrogance

But the gracious Lord
Who made us will have
None of this stupid worry
For he gives praise every
Single time he calls each
And every one of us one
Of His beloved children
And he does this every
Second of our lives
So it is like a never
Ending encore of
His pledging love
Again and again
And yet again

So perhaps
Instead of rejecting
The pledge of love
We need to seize a
Cue from this mentor
Who as he completed
Baptism by John was
Said to have heard the
Father say that he was
His beloved child and
Is it not likely that in
His heart the newly
Baptized one
Said simply
Thank you
Dad

—©2003 Rev. Michael J. Kennedy