Homily Notes Fourth Sunday of Ordinary Time
Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Priest’s often get feedback on homilies. As you might imagine, not all of it is positive. A priest once was told by a listener that his homilies contained “a message of failure for a bunch of losers.”
Another critic of Christian values who had a similar idea would have been Karl Marx. He said, “Religion is the sigh of the oppressed creature, the heart of a heartless world and the soul of soulless conditions. It is the opium of the people.”
We might say that this is upsetting. We might disagree. But if we were to take a poll asking whether Jesus’ values really work in our daily living what would people say? We have probably all heard it stated that Jesus’ preaching was the ideal, that probably his way of being does not work when we are living our life outside church. Another thing that is said is that loving our neighbor might be ok at the personal level, but in international affairs such a philosophy is impractical. When we try to be compassionate toward other countries we get taken advantage of. Americans want to win.
We might simplify things saying that the winning that Jesus espouses does not take place until after the good Christian dies. Only then, will the people who follow the value system of Jesus get the reward they want. People who try to be Christian in this world will get kicked around, but in the end, they will have eternal life so Christians wait with our eyes fixed on eternal reward. Christians just learn to accept the injustice of this life… we wait with grim determination. Such religion is good for the status quo as Marx points out, but it does not transform our world. So, it is with the beatitudes we hear from the Sermon on the Mount today. At first glance, it would seem, that all the things that were just outlined come into play. When we hear this speech by Jesus it seems like he is saying that we just must accept the unfairness of life. If we learn to accept life at it is we will be a lot happier. In fact, it is even a blessing to among the persecuted.
The last beatitude could reinforce the idea that we are in a waiting game. “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.” We are to live in expectation of getting out of this unjust, wicked, unfair, world. When we die, everything will be set right. But is that what Jesus was saying? Are people who try to apply the beatitudes right now weaklings?
What do we find if we did deeper? Just take one of the beatitudes, meekness. When we think of the popular idea of meekness we usually think of a person who is quiet, who suffers in silence, who does not complain. But is that really what being meek is? Moses was said to be the meekest man on the face of the earth in Numbers chapter 12:3. But was he an anemic figure? Did he suffer in silence? No, he went down to Egypt to lead the people of Israel out of slavery. He called down plagues. He parted the Red Sea. His prayers brought water to a nation of people in the desert. All this does not denote a passive man. Meekness really means that we do not worry if we are treated unfairly. A meek person gets mad when others rights are violated. Not only that they act. The meek person is a blessing for the world.
What of the poor in spirit? When we think of people who are poor in spirit we think of people like St. Francis of Assisi, St. Vincent DePaul, Mother Cabrini, Dorthey Day… the list is endless of those in the history of the church who sought to relieve the plight of the destitute. None of these people wanted much for themselves… Nor did they sit by idly in the face of poverty…The poor in spirit have always been a blessing for the world.
What of the peace maker? Did Martin Luther King accept things as they were? No, nor did he protect himself. He was courageous in the face of danger. Were people like Mahatma Gandhi or Nelson Mandela losers. No, then won great victories for human rights. And they were a blessing for the world.
If we know our history tyrants and despots usually end up losers in the end. Most often they are remembered by most people as persons to be pitied or despised. The meek, the humble, the peacemaker are remembered with admiration. Who are the real winners? Who are the real losers in this world? As followers, of Jesus that is something to ponder. If we really want to be victorious in this life, the way is laid out for us by the beatitudes.
Rough Draft, grammar may not be perfect.