Pastor's Message
4th Sunday in Ordinary Time
"Blessed are the Poor in Spirit for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.” Matthew 5.3
Last Sunday’s Gospel, opened with John the Baptist exiting the scene; his role having been accomplished; We read, “he was arrested;” The full story of his death is told in Mathew 14: 1-12 by way of the flashback!
We read, Jesus, hearing of the arrest of John, withdrew into Capernaum, the city that would be the home-base of his evangelization, and began his public ministry.
Jesus begun the Mission of his Father with the Words “Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand.”
He then, set out to lay the foundation of the new Israel, with the call of the first four Apostles; Peter, Andrew, John and James.
In today’s Gospel Reading, Jesus, gives the guiding principles that were to govern the new Israel: in other words, he gave them the constitution; the new law.
Matthew, himself a Jew, knew the significance of the mountain; this is where the old Israel received the demands of God through Moses, their leader, on Mt. Sinai!
God and the People of Israel made a Covenant, in which Israel in unison promised to accept and be faithful; “What the Lord our God has asked us we shall do!”
In today’s Gospel, Matthew present Jesus as the New Moses. Just as Moses did “Jesus seeing the crowds, went up on the mountain, and when he sat down … He opened his mouth and taught them saying …”
Jesus addressed not only his disciples but all Israel (the crowd) gathered to hear him! He placed before them his teaching and challenged them to accept and to act upon it. However, unlike Moses who had received God’s Commandments and hence became just a Messager, Jesus has the authority of the Father; In His Person, he revealed the Will of God.
“Blessed are the Poor in Spirit for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.”
Blessed are you; Blessed by God! Blessing is an act of the Divine!
Blessed are Poor in Spirit; Mathew qualifies the poor with the words “in Spirit,” to include all those who recognized God’s Kingdom as a gift and responded to its demand. Those who accepts the reign of God in their heart, despite all that they possess.
The realization that God has a special bias for the poor, must have turned the belief of the day, up side down; for wealth was a sign of being in terms with God. The wealthy were considered the blessed! Jesus put this understanding upside down.
Jesus, too, unlocked the mysteries of other situations considered before then, signs of unfaithfulness to God or signs of weakness;
Blessed are those who mourn; Blessed are the meek; Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, Blessed are the merciful; Blessed are the Pure of Heart; Blessed are the peacemakers; Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake; for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs!
As we listen to this reading today, which of Christ’s Beatitudes, truly speaks to our hearts? Do we hunger and thirst for righteousness, for something more soul-satisfying than material wealth or injustice? Do we not yearn for mercy, forgiveness, and compassion? Would we welcome the chance to make Peace with a neighbor who we truly know deeply hates us?
The Beatitudes promise fullness of Life in God. Jesus came so that we, humans may have life. His only Gift is Life. Fullness of Life, in God, results in True Happiness.
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