Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Faceted glass window
 dedicated to
St. Therese de Lisieux

Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Recently Americans remembered the fiftieth anniversary of John Kennedy’s inaugural speech. It has been called the most important speech of the 20^th century. It is certainly one of the best.

In today’s gospel we hear Jesus’ Inaugural Address, beginning with the Beatitudes. These key statements are immediately followed by the rest of his Sermon on the Mount, which includes the Lord’s Prayer, his teaching on the love of enemies, forgiveness, prayer, fasting and almsgiving; and more. When he finishes the people will be stunned by what they have heard:

When Jesus finished these words, the crowds were astonished at his teaching, for he taught them as one having authority, and not as their scribes.

Because the Beatitudes and the Sermon are summations of Jesus’ teaching, it is impossible to comment on every aspect of them, or even to recap a part of them. So I turn to today’s first and second readings from the Prophet Zephaniah and First Corinthians for guidance.

Seek the Lord, all you humble of the earth,
who have observed his law;
seek justice, seek humility;
perhaps you may be sheltered
on the day of the Lord’s anger.

Without giving us leeway to pick and choose the parts of Jesus’ teaching we prefer, Zephaniah offers us reassurance. “You humble of the earth” can rest assured of God’s shelter on the Day of Judgment because you seek justice and humility.

The Sermon on the Mount is clearly addressed to the humble of the earth, the earthlings who have gathered on that mountaintop. Some may be rich and powerful by human standards, but as they look out over the plains beneath them and hear Jesus’ words coming down from on high, even royalty must realize how shabby their pretensions are. Perhaps, as they look down on the turrets of Jerusalem, they will remember God’s double descent to Babel to examine their ridiculous tower. (Genesis 11:1-9) In the presence of God, every human aspiration to greatness is absurd, if not downright comical.

In our time, having seen the Earth from airplanes and Outer Space; after contemplating the thin sheath of air that protects us from the frigid emptiness of Space; and having felt the grip of terror in the most secure nation on Earth: perhaps we’re ready to acknowledge our absolute dependence on God. Neither weaponry nor wealth -- not even adherence to the law -- protects us from chaos.

In his First Letter to the Corinthians, Saint Paul also reminds us of our humble state:

Not many of you were wise by human standards,
not many were powerful,
not many were of noble birth.
Rather, God chose the foolish of the world to shame the wise,
and God chose the weak of the world to shame the strong,
and God chose the lowly and despised of the world,
those who count for nothing,
to reduce to nothing those who are something,
so that no human being might boast before God.

The Beatitudes teach us how to seek and stay with our humility. We have no need of power and pretension for they afford us no security. Rather, security is an inner gift that comes only with fidelity to Jesus. We are no more safe behind armies, navies, nuclear weapons, electronic fences and mine fields than we are in front of them, but we do find refuge in the Heart of Jesus. That must be the first lesson we learn from the Beatitudes.

Soul of Christ, sanctify me;

Body of Christ, save me;

Blood of Christ, inebriate me;

Water from the side of Christ, wash me;

Passion of Christ, strengthen me;

O good Jesus, hear me;

Within your wounds, hide me;

From the wicked foe, defend me;

At the hour of my death, call me;

And bid me come to thee

That with thy saints I may praise thee

Forever and ever, Amen.

       Anima Christi