However, one thing is clear: in the Beatitudes that is, the Sermon of the Mount , Jesus is not referring to material poverty. The Beatitudes are clearly not praise for misery, starvation, or hardship. The text makes it very clear Jesus is referring to poverty in spirit and hunger and thirst for righteousness.
Being poor implies dependence. We were brought into existence by someone else our parents, that is. From the get-go, our condition is that of plurality: even from a strictly materialist standpoint, it is self-evident we are in this world with others and, more importantly, because of others. From the standpoint of the faith, the ultimate Other who brought us into existence is, of course, God.
Read Listen Watch Explore. Home Explore Read Listen Watch. Here are some characteristics of someone who is poor in spirit: Always lowly in his own eyes. Matthew Loves to occupy the lowest place, not because he desires to be more esteemed, but because he thinks that this is precisely the place that it is suitable for him.
Luke ; Philippians Reserved in his conduct — neither aggressive nor demanding. Loves to give up his advantages for the benefit of others. Ephesians Sanctifies himself so that others, by his example, can sanctify themselves in truth. John ; 1 Timothy Denies himself so that his life may not be an offense to others in any way. Matthew Satisfied with the cross God gives him to bear, and he does not complain when others bother him.
We begin to be converted to the way of Jesus. We understand that material goods are not a be-all and end-all for anyone, or should not be. We understand that we need enough to have a full human life, but we don't need excess. We understand that God made the world for all and not just for a few, and so we need to find ways to share the goods of the earth and the goods of our world so everyone has a chance for a full human life.
There's so much that will change in our thinking and in our way of acting once we have that deep sense that we need God and that our very being depends upon God's constant, infinite, unlimited, unconditional love for each one of us.
That will change our lives when we begin to have that as the foundation of the value system that Jesus lays out for us in these beatitudes that we hear proclaimed today. And as we continue to explore this Gospel of Matthew and explore further into what we call the Sermon on the Mount, we'll find all of these values spelled out even more clearly and the challenge becomes real: "Change your lives; begin to follow the way of Jesus.
When we begin to live this new reign, this new value system, well, then we will enter into the reign of God. It's at hand, and as we begin to live according to the ways of Jesus, that reign of God becomes real in our lives, and we begin to experience all those blessings that Jesus lays out for us. We begin to know the fullness of joy and love and peace that comes with the reign of God. Perhaps our kind of closing thought can be taken from what St. Paul wrote to that church of Corinth, which was our second lesson today: "By God's grace, you are in Christ Jesus, who has become our wisdom from God and who makes us just and holy and free.
We pray that each of us today will begin to take seriously the call of Jesus: "Change your lives; enter into the reign of God and receive those gifts. Be holy, just, and free. Sign up here to receive an email alert when the latest homily is posted. Send your thoughts and reactions to Letters to the Editor.
Learn more here. Join now. Blog The Peace Pulpit. Blessed are the poor - but what does that mean? Feb 6, Bishop Gumbleton's homily for Feb. Join the Conversation Send your thoughts and reactions to Letters to the Editor.
Reading from Isaiah 61 and announcing its fulfilment was just as radical. We understand it spiritually, but it was social too. For 1st century Jews, this prophecy was a declaration of the year of Jubilee Lev , with all its social demands of property redistribution, the cancellation of debts, freeing prisoners and slaves. For the well-off and the well adjusted the Beatitudes are a challenge to how we welcome and treat others less fortunate than we are.
While poor in spirit is not a phrase we use in normal English conversation, it may have been more understandable to Jews or the time. He gives those whose knees shake strength to stand, 7 and strengthens those who have been smitten from the hips to the shoulder.
The Gospel verses about 'the poor in spirit' can be challenging to interpret. What do they mean for a church that wants to prioritise people on the margins? Note While poor in spirit is not a phrase we use in normal English conversation, it may have been more understandable to Jews or the time.
Make a donation here. Find out more about us. News Opinion Resources. Niall Cooper, director of Church Action on Poverty, asks: How do we build dignity, agency and power together as a society?
Introduction Church Action on …. Our local group in Sheffield report on their latest annual Pilgrimage. Film is a powerful way of accelerating and effecting social change.
0コメント