First reading: Zep. 2:3,3:12–13
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.
But I will leave as a remnant in your midst a people humble and lowly, who shall take refuge in the name of the LORD: the remnant of Israel. They shall do no wrong and speak no lies; nor shall there be found in their mouths a deceitful tongue; they shall pasture and couch their flocks with none to disturb them.
Second reading: 1 Cor. 1:26–31
Consider your own calling, brothers and sisters. 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. It is due to him that you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God, as well as righteousness, sanctification, and redemption, so that, as it is written, “Whoever boasts, should boast in the Lord.”
Gospel: Mt. 5:1–12a
When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up the mountain, and after he had sat down, his disciples came to him. He began to teach them, saying: “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are they who mourn, for they will be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the land. Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be satisfied. Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. Blessed are the clean of heart, for they will see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when they insult you and persecute you and utter every kind of evil against you falsely because of me. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward will be great in heaven.”
In other words
Fr. Joey Miras, SVD (Canada)
The Beatitudes give the impression that Christians should become punching bags of bullies. They should never retaliate, never take revenge, but instead give themselves freely to be further victimized by being poor, meek, clean of heart, etc. It sounds like an extension of another saying, “he who found his life will lose it, and he who lost his life for my sake will find it” (Mt 10:39). Or it confirms another saying, “The good ones are always last” (they never aspire to be the best or be no. 1).
But don’t the Beatitudes stand for a cause? Is not the message of the Beatitudes worth integrating into one’s character? Are the causes they bring up not worth fighting or dying for?
In this age and time, there will be different responses to the invitation of the Christian message encapsulated in the Beatitudes. Because of the loss of the appeal to universal norms of rationality, wherein other methods of reasoning can be referred to, Christianity will be further challenged to justify its message. How can a Christian live a good life with the Beatitudes being one of the guiding principles?
At this point, the Beatitudes will have to appeal to the heart and imagination. It may not make sense to be poor materially and spiritually, but it can be seen as a way of opening up the person to God, for God to fill them up with God’s gifts and grace. It can be a form of self-emptying close to Phil 2:6-11.
It may not make sense to be humble, but it can also be seen as a way of dying to oneself close to the grain that does not fall, and not dying won’t bear much fruit (Jn 12:24).
It may not make sense to fight for justice and peace or have a clean and pure heart, but it could be seen as an act of renewal we all must take.
“Create a new heart in me, O Lord, and renew a firm spirit in me” (Ps 51:10).
The burden lies now in the human imagination: how to make sense of God’s life-changing command to love. It also depends on the heart’s desire and how to attune itself to God’s lead.