Solemnity of All Saints
Lectionary: 667
Lectionary: 667
I, John, saw
another angel come up from the East,
holding the seal of the living God.
He cried out in a loud voice to the four angels
who were given power to damage the land and the sea,
“Do not damage the land or the sea or the trees
until we put the seal on the foreheads of the servants of our God.”
I heard the number of those who had been marked with the seal,
one hundred and forty-four thousand marked
from every tribe of the children of Israel.
After this I had a vision of a great multitude,
which no one could count,
from every nation, race, people, and tongue.
They stood before the throne and before the Lamb,
wearing white robes and holding palm branches in their hands.
They cried out in a loud voice:
“Salvation comes from our God, who is seated on the throne,
and from the Lamb.”
All the angels stood around the throne
and around the elders and the four living creatures.
They prostrated themselves before the throne,
worshiped God, and exclaimed:
“Amen. Blessing and glory, wisdom and thanksgiving,
honor, power, and might
be to our God forever and ever. Amen.”
Then one of the elders spoke up and said to me,
“Who are these wearing white robes, and where did they come from?”
I said to him, “My lord, you are the one who knows.”
He said to me,
“These are the ones who have survived the time of great distress;
they have washed their robes
and made them white in the Blood of the Lamb.”
holding the seal of the living God.
He cried out in a loud voice to the four angels
who were given power to damage the land and the sea,
“Do not damage the land or the sea or the trees
until we put the seal on the foreheads of the servants of our God.”
I heard the number of those who had been marked with the seal,
one hundred and forty-four thousand marked
from every tribe of the children of Israel.
After this I had a vision of a great multitude,
which no one could count,
from every nation, race, people, and tongue.
They stood before the throne and before the Lamb,
wearing white robes and holding palm branches in their hands.
They cried out in a loud voice:
“Salvation comes from our God, who is seated on the throne,
and from the Lamb.”
All the angels stood around the throne
and around the elders and the four living creatures.
They prostrated themselves before the throne,
worshiped God, and exclaimed:
“Amen. Blessing and glory, wisdom and thanksgiving,
honor, power, and might
be to our God forever and ever. Amen.”
Then one of the elders spoke up and said to me,
“Who are these wearing white robes, and where did they come from?”
I said to him, “My lord, you are the one who knows.”
He said to me,
“These are the ones who have survived the time of great distress;
they have washed their robes
and made them white in the Blood of the Lamb.”
R. (see 6) Lord, this is the people that longs to
see your face.
The LORD’s are the earth and its fullness;
the world and those who dwell in it.
For he founded it upon the seas
and established it upon the rivers.
R. Lord, this is the people that longs to see your face.
Who can ascend the mountain of the LORD?
or who may stand in his holy place?
One whose hands are sinless, whose heart is clean,
who desires not what is vain.
R. Lord, this is the people that longs to see your face.
He shall receive a blessing from the LORD,
a reward from God his savior.
Such is the race that seeks him,
that seeks the face of the God of Jacob.
R. Lord, this is the people that longs to see your face.
The LORD’s are the earth and its fullness;
the world and those who dwell in it.
For he founded it upon the seas
and established it upon the rivers.
R. Lord, this is the people that longs to see your face.
Who can ascend the mountain of the LORD?
or who may stand in his holy place?
One whose hands are sinless, whose heart is clean,
who desires not what is vain.
R. Lord, this is the people that longs to see your face.
He shall receive a blessing from the LORD,
a reward from God his savior.
Such is the race that seeks him,
that seeks the face of the God of Jacob.
R. Lord, this is the people that longs to see your face.
Beloved:
See what love the Father has bestowed on us
that we may be called the children of God.
Yet so we are.
The reason the world does not know us
is that it did not know him.
Beloved, we are God’s children now;
what we shall be has not yet been revealed.
We do know that when it is revealed we shall be like him,
for we shall see him as he is.
Everyone who has this hope based on him makes himself pure,
as he is pure.
See what love the Father has bestowed on us
that we may be called the children of God.
Yet so we are.
The reason the world does not know us
is that it did not know him.
Beloved, we are God’s children now;
what we shall be has not yet been revealed.
We do know that when it is revealed we shall be like him,
for we shall see him as he is.
Everyone who has this hope based on him makes himself pure,
as he is pure.
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.”
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.”
Meditation: "Rejoice
and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven"
What is the good life
which God intends for us? And how is it related with the ultimate end or
purpose of life? Is it not our desire and longing for true happiness,
which is none other than the complete good, the sum of all goods, leaving
nothing more to be desired? Jesus addresses this question in his sermon on the
mount. The heart of Jesus' message is that we can live a very happy life. The
call to holiness, to be saints who joyfully pursue God's will for their lives,
can be found in these eight beatitudes. Jesus' beatitudes sum up our calling or
vocation - to live a life of the beatitudes. The word beatitudeliterally
means "happiness" or "blessedness".
God gives us
everything that leads to true happiness
What is the significance of Jesus' beatitudes, and why are they so central to his teaching? The beatitudes respond to the natural desire for happiness that God has placed in every heart. They teach us the final end to which God calls us, namely the coming of God's kingdom (Matthew 4:17), the vision of God (Matthew 5:8; 1 John 2;1), entering into the joy of the Lord (Matthew 25:21-23) and into his rest (Hebrews 4:7-11). Jesus' beatitudes also confront us with decisive choices concerning the life we pursue here on earth and the use we make of the goods he puts at our disposal.
What is the significance of Jesus' beatitudes, and why are they so central to his teaching? The beatitudes respond to the natural desire for happiness that God has placed in every heart. They teach us the final end to which God calls us, namely the coming of God's kingdom (Matthew 4:17), the vision of God (Matthew 5:8; 1 John 2;1), entering into the joy of the Lord (Matthew 25:21-23) and into his rest (Hebrews 4:7-11). Jesus' beatitudes also confront us with decisive choices concerning the life we pursue here on earth and the use we make of the goods he puts at our disposal.
Jesus' tells us that
God alone can satisfy the deepest need and longing of our heart. Teresa of
Avila's (1515-1582) prayer book contained a bookmark on which she wrote: Let
nothing disturb you, let nothing frighten you. All things pass - God never
changes. Patience achieves all it strives for. Whoever has God lacks nothing
-God alone suffices.
Is God enough for you?
God offers us the greatest good possible - abundant life in Jesus Christ (John 10:10)
and the promise of unending joy and happiness with God forever. Do you seek
the highest good, the total good, which is above all else?
The beatitudes
are a sign of contradiction to the world's way of happiness
The beatitudes which Jesus offers us are a sign of contradiction to the world's understanding of happiness and joy. How can one possibly find happiness in poverty, hunger, mourning, and persecution? Poverty of spirit finds ample room and joy in possessing God as the greatest treasure possible. Hunger of the spirit seeks nourishment and strength in God's word and Spirit. Sorrow and mourning over wasted life and sin leads to joyful freedom from the burden of guilt and spiritual oppression.
The beatitudes which Jesus offers us are a sign of contradiction to the world's understanding of happiness and joy. How can one possibly find happiness in poverty, hunger, mourning, and persecution? Poverty of spirit finds ample room and joy in possessing God as the greatest treasure possible. Hunger of the spirit seeks nourishment and strength in God's word and Spirit. Sorrow and mourning over wasted life and sin leads to joyful freedom from the burden of guilt and spiritual oppression.
God reveals to the
humble of heart the true source of abundant life and happiness. Jesus promises
his disciples that the joys of heaven will more than compensate for the
troubles and hardships they can expect in this world. Thomas Aquinas said:
"No one can live without joy. That is why a person deprived of spiritual
joy goes after carnal pleasures." Do you know the happiness of
hungering and thirsting for God alone?
"Lord Jesus,
increase my hunger for you and show me the way that leads to everlasting peace
and happiness. May I desire you above all else and find perfect joy in doing
your will."
 Winning the Only Contest that Matters |
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November 1, 2014.
Solemnity of All Saints
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Matthew 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.
Introductory
Prayer: Lord, I believe in you
with a faith that never seeks to test you. I trust in you, hoping to learn to
accept and follow your will, even when it does not make sense to the way that
I see things. I love you, and I want to love you and those around me with a
love similar to the love you have shown to me.
Petition: Lord, help me accept sacrifices and overcome
difficulties in order to gain heaven.
1. The
Beatitudes Don’t Make Sense: As
we celebrate the Solemnity of All Saints’ Day, the Church calls us to
contemplate the promises Jesus makes to all those who follow him. At first,
they don’t seem very attractive. Jesus lists a whole series of things that
most people would probably avoid. They would see them as interfering with
their wants and desires, Yet, Jesus says that we will be blessed if we have
them in our lives. The word in the original Greek is makarios,
which means “happy”. This doesn’t make sense. I am supposed to be happy when
I am poor, mourning, meek, lacking righteousness, merciful, clean-hearted, a
peacemaker, persecuted and insulted? That’s not what I see on TV, in the
movies, on the Internet. It’s not what many of the people I know would
recommend. So what is Jesus’ big idea telling me this? Is he out to make me
miserable?
2. Sacrificing for Worldly Glory: We can
see that the whole picture isn’t gloomy. Jesus says that if we accept these
difficult things, there will be rewards. And the rewards sound pretty good.
In fact, they sound great: the Kingdom of Heaven, comfort, inheriting the
land, satisfaction in seeing righteousness done, receiving mercy, seeing God,
being a child of God, a great reward in heaven. Who wouldn’t want these
things? Don’t people work a lot harder for a lot less? Don’t athletes train
for years, giving up all kinds of pleasures, submitting themselves to intense
suffering at times only for a brief moment of glory in some competition?
Don’t businessmen work long hours, giving up pleasures and making immense
sacrifices just to make a few more dollars? Isn’t what Jesus offers us much
better than any of that? Better than a gold medal or even a million dollars?
3. But I Am Not Interested in Heavenly Things: Anything
worth having is worth making sacrifices for, and the more it is worth, the
greater sacrifices we should be willing to make for it. Perhaps a gold medal
is worth the sacrifices the athlete makes to win it. Perhaps a million
dollars are worth the sacrifices that a businessman makes to gain them. If
heaven is really all it is supposed to be, isn’t it worth all the sacrifices
Jesus mentions here – and more? If people are willing to make such great
sacrifices to gain things they cannot keep, shouldn’t I be willing to make
even greater sacrifices to gain the eternal happiness of heaven? Of course,
many people with the talent to do great things in this world never do them
because they just aren’t that interested or motivated. Is that why I don’t do
more to gain heaven? Just not that interested? What will it take to motivate
me to really desire what Jesus offers?
Conversation with
Christ: Dear Jesus, I don’t do
much to make the Beatitudes come to life in me. Help me to give heaven its
full value. Help me to desire it more each day. Help me to meditate on what
heaven will be like so I will love it more and more and be willing to do
anything – whatever it takes – to get there and help many others arrive as
well.
Resolution: I will spend at least five minutes today imagining
what heaven will be like so as to increase my desire for heaven and enable me
to make the sacrifices necessary to get there. Jesus is setting up a mansion
there for me. He is going to put everything that he can in it to please me
and make me happy.
Father James
Swanson, LC
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SOLEMNITY OF ALL SAINTS, SATURDAY, NOVEMBER
1, MATTHEW 5:1-12a
(Revelation 7:2-4, 9-14; Psalm 24; 1 John 3:1-3)
(Revelation 7:2-4, 9-14; Psalm 24; 1 John 3:1-3)
KEY VERSE: "Rejoice and be glad, for your reward will be great in heaven" (v 12).
READING: In his Sermon on the Mount, Jesus revealed the character he required of his followers. The "Beatitudes" that Jesus exalted was the attitude of trust and humility represented by the poor, the suffering and persecuted. At the time of Jesus, affliction was thought to be punishment for sin, and good health and material prosperity were seen as rewards for one's righteousness. Jesus reversed human expectations of those who were thought to be fortunate – the rich, powerful and contented people. He announced that true happiness was not found in wealth and power. Jesus promised eternal reward for all who humbly sought God's will despite hardships. But the "blessedness" that the disciples received was not some future glory; it is the blessedness that exists in the here and now. Jesus exemplified every Beatitude. He was poor (Mt 8:20) and gentle and meek (11:29). He grieved over sin and hungered and thirsted for God's justice (12:18). He was merciful (12:16-21) and single-hearted in his desire to do God's will (26:39). Jesus suffered persecution and died to bring about God's reign on earth (27:50). He gave us the ideal that every Christian should constantly pursue in order to be holy people, worthy of God's reign.
REFLECTING: Which of the Beatitudes do I most need to put into practice today?
PRAYING: Saints of God, help me to imitate your righteous and holy lives.
Saturday 1 November 2014
All Saints.
Apocalypse 7:2-4, 9-14. Lord, this is the people that longs to see
your face—Ps 23(24):1-6. 1 John 3:1-3. Matthew 5:1-12.
‘Happy those who are poor in spirit …’
While the church has many
canonised saints, many go unacknowledged.
We all know at least one
person in our lives who has saintly qualities. This does not mean they are
perfect, indeed no saint was perfect. Many were broken people who recognised
themselves as sinners and yet allowed God to work through their brokenness for
the good of others. It is this openness to the operation of God in their lives
that is the key hallmark of sainthood. Such dependence leads to a humility that
cannot be faked.
This feast reminds us that
we are all called to sainthood, to trust in God as the centre of our lives and
to allow God to work with and through our brokenness and failings.
MINUTE MEDITATIONS
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Act of Kindness
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Touch can be an act of kindness when someone is dying. If you
visit a sick person and find that you are at a loss for words, reach out and
touch her hand.
November
1
Solemnity of All Saints
Solemnity of All Saints
The earliest certain observance of a feast in honor of all the
saints is an early fourth-century commemoration of "all the martyrs."
In the early seventh century, after successive waves of invaders plundered the catacombs,
Pope Boniface IV gathered up some 28 wagonloads of bones and reinterred them
beneath the Pantheon, a Roman temple dedicated to all the gods. The pope
rededicated the shrine as a Christian church. According to Venerable Bede, the
pope intended "that the memory of all the saints might in the future be
honored in the place which had formerly been dedicated to the worship not of
gods but of demons" (On the Calculation of Time).
But the
rededication of the Pantheon, like the earlier commemoration of all the
martyrs, occurred in May. Many Eastern Churches still honor all the saints in
the spring, either during the Easter season or immediately after Pentecost.
How the
Western Church came to celebrate this feast, now recognized as a
solemnity, in November is a puzzle to historians. The Anglo-Saxon
theologian Alcuin observed the feast on November 1 in 800, as did his friend
Arno, Bishop of Salzburg. Rome finally adopted that date in the ninth century.
Comment:
This feast first honored martyrs. Later, when Christians were free to worship according to their consciences, the Church acknowledged other paths to sanctity. In the early centuries the only criterion was popular acclaim, even when the bishop's approval became the final step in placing a commemoration on the calendar. The first papal canonization occurred in 993; the lengthy process now required to prove extraordinary sanctity took form in the last 500 years. Today's feast honors the obscure as well as the famous—the saints each of us have known.
This feast first honored martyrs. Later, when Christians were free to worship according to their consciences, the Church acknowledged other paths to sanctity. In the early centuries the only criterion was popular acclaim, even when the bishop's approval became the final step in placing a commemoration on the calendar. The first papal canonization occurred in 993; the lengthy process now required to prove extraordinary sanctity took form in the last 500 years. Today's feast honors the obscure as well as the famous—the saints each of us have known.
Quote:
“After this I had a vision of a great multitude, which no one could count, from every nation, race, people, and tongue. They stood before the throne and before the Lamb, wearing white robes and holding palm branches in their hands.... [One of the elders] said to me, ‘These are the ones who have survived the time of great distress; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb’” (Revelation 7:9,14).
“After this I had a vision of a great multitude, which no one could count, from every nation, race, people, and tongue. They stood before the throne and before the Lamb, wearing white robes and holding palm branches in their hands.... [One of the elders] said to me, ‘These are the ones who have survived the time of great distress; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb’” (Revelation 7:9,14).
LECTIO DIVINA:
ALL SAINTS - MATTHEW 5,1-12A
Lectio:
Saturday, November 1, 2014
The Beatitudes
Matthew 5:1-12
Matthew 5:1-12
1. Listening to the text
a) Opening prayer:
Lord, the meaning of our life is to seek your Word, which came
to us in the person of Christ. Make me capable of welcoming what is new in the
Gospel of the Beatitudes, so that I may change my life. I would know nothing
about you were it not for the light of the words spoken by your Son Jesus, who
came to tell us of your marvels. When I am weak, if I go to Him, the Word of
God, then I become strong. When I act foolishly, the wisdom of his Gospel
restores me to relish God and the kindness of his love. He guides me to the
paths of life. When some deformity appears in me, I reflect on his Word and the
image of my personality becomes beautiful. When solitude tries to make me dry,
my spiritual marriage to him makes my life fruitful. When I discover some
sadness or unhappiness in myself, the thought of Him, my only good, opens the
way to joy. Therese of the Child Jesus has a saying that sums up the desire for
holiness as an intense search for God and a listening to others: «If you are
nothing, remember that Jesus is all. You must therefore lose your little
nothing into his infinite all and think of nothing else but this uniquely
lovable all…» (Letters, 87, to Marie Guérin).
b) Reading the Gospel:
1 Seeing the crowds, he went onto the mountain. And when he was
seated his disciples came to him. 2 Then he began to speak. This is what he
taught them:
3 How blessed are the poor in spirit:
the kingdom of Heaven is theirs.
4 Blessed are the gentle:
they shall have the earth as inheritance.
5 Blessed are those who mourn:
they shall be comforted.
6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for uprightness:
they shall have their fill.
7 Blessed are the merciful:
they shall have mercy shown them.
8 Blessed are the pure in heart:
they shall see God.
9 Blessed are the peacemakers:
they shall be recognised as children of God.
10 Blessed are those who are persecuted in the cause of uprightness:
the kingdom of Heaven is theirs.
11 'Blessed are you when people abuse you and persecute you and speak all kinds of calumny against you falsely on my account. 12 Rejoice and be glad, for your reward will be great in heaven; this is how they persecuted the prophets before you.
3 How blessed are the poor in spirit:
the kingdom of Heaven is theirs.
4 Blessed are the gentle:
they shall have the earth as inheritance.
5 Blessed are those who mourn:
they shall be comforted.
6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for uprightness:
they shall have their fill.
7 Blessed are the merciful:
they shall have mercy shown them.
8 Blessed are the pure in heart:
they shall see God.
9 Blessed are the peacemakers:
they shall be recognised as children of God.
10 Blessed are those who are persecuted in the cause of uprightness:
the kingdom of Heaven is theirs.
11 'Blessed are you when people abuse you and persecute you and speak all kinds of calumny against you falsely on my account. 12 Rejoice and be glad, for your reward will be great in heaven; this is how they persecuted the prophets before you.
c) A moment of prayerful silence:
It is important to be able to listen in deep silence so that the
word of Christ may speak to us and so that the Word made flesh may dwell in us
and us in him. It is only in silent hearts that the Word of God can take root
and, on this Solemnity of All Saints, become flesh in us.
2. Light shed on the Word (lectio)
a) The context:
Jesus’ words on the Beatitudes that Matthew drew from his
sources, were condensed in short and isolated phrases, and the Evangelist has
placed them in a broader context, which Biblical scholars call the “sermon
on the mount” (chapters 5-7). This sermon is considered like the statutes
or Magna Carta that Jesus gave to the community as a normative
and binding word that defines a Christian.
The many themes contained in this long sermon are not to be seen
as collection of exhortations, but rather as a clear and radical indication of
the new attitude of the disciples towards God, oneself and the brothers and
sisters. Some expressions used by Jesus may seem exaggerated, but they are used
to stress reality and thus are realistic in the context although not so in a
literary sense: for instance in vv.29-30: «If your right eye should be your
downfall, tear it out and throw it away; for it will do you less harm to lose
one part of yourself than to have your whole body thrown into hell. And if your
right hand should be your downfall, cut it off and throw it away, for it will
do you less harm to lose one part of yourself than to have your whole body go
to hell». This manner of speaking indicates the effect desired to be
created in the reader, who must understand correctly Jesus’ words so as not to
distort their meaning.
Our focus, for liturgical reasons, will be on the first part of
the “sermon on the mount”, that is the part dealing with the
proclamation of the beatitudes (Mt 5:1-12).
b) Some details:
Matthew invites the reader to listen to the beatitudes
proclaimed by Jesus with a rich concentration of details. First he indicates
the place where Jesus proclaims his sermon: “Jesus went onto the mountain”
(5:1). That is why exegetes call this the “sermon on the mount” even
though Luke places this sermon on level ground (Lk 6:20-26). The geographic
location of the “mountain” could be a veiled reference to an episode in
the OT quite like ours: that is, when Moses proclaims the Decalogue on mount
Sinai. It is possible that Matthew wishes to present Jesus as the new Moses who
proclaims the new law.
Another detail that strikes us is the physical posture of Jesus
as he proclaims his words: “when he was seated”. This posture confers
upon him a note of authority in the legislative sense. The disciples and the
“crowd” gather around him: this detail shows what Jesus had to say was for all
to hear. We note that Jesus’ words do not present impossible matters, nor are
they addressed to a special group of people, nor do they mean to establish a
code of ethics exclusively for his inner circle. Jesus’ demands are concrete,
binding and decisively radical.
Someone branded Jesus’ sermon as follows: «For me, this is
the most important text in the history of humankind. It is addressed to all,
believers and non, and after twenty centuries it is still the only light still
shining in the darkness of violence, fear and solitude in which the West finds
itself because of its pride and selfishness» (Gilbert Cesbron).
The word “blessed” (in Greek makarioi) in our
context does not say “softly” but cries out happiness found throughout the
Bible. For instance, in the OT, those called “blessed” are those who
live out the precepts of Wisdom (Sir 25,7-10). The prayerful person of the
Psalms defines “blessed” as those who “fear”, or more precisely
those who love the Lord, expressing this love in the observance of the precepts
contained in the word of God (Sal 1,1; 128,1).
Matthew’s originality lies in adding a secondary phrase that
specifies each beatitude: for instance, the main assertion “blessed are the
poor in spirit” is clarified by an added phrase “for theirs is the
kingdom of heaven”. Another difference with the OT is that Jesus’ words
proclaim a saving blessedness here and now and without any limitations. For
Jesus, all can attain happiness on condition that they remain united to Him.
c) The first three beatitudes:
i) The first cry
concerns the poor: “How blessed are the poor in spirit, the kingdom of
heaven is theirs”. The reader may be shocked: how can the poor be happy? In
the Bible, the poor are those who empty themselves of themselves and above all
renounce the presumption of building their own present and future alone, and
thus leave room for and focus on God’s project and his Word. The poor, always
in the biblical sense, is not someone closed in on himself, miserable,
negative, but someone who nurtures being open to God and to others. God is all
his/her treasure. We could say with St.Teresa of Avila: happy are those who
experience that “God alone suffices!”, meaning that they are rich in
God.
A great modern spiritual author described poverty as follows: «As long as one does not empty one’s heart, God cannot fill it with himself. As you empty your heart, so does the Lord fill it. Poverty is emptiness, not only in what concerns the future but also the past. Not a regret or memory, not a worry or wish! God is not in the past, God is not in the future: He is in the present! Leave your past to God, leave your future to God. Your poverty is to live the present, the Presence of God who is Eternity» (Divo Barsotti).
This is the first beatitude, not just because it is the first of many, but because it seems to encapsulate all the others in their diversity.
A great modern spiritual author described poverty as follows: «As long as one does not empty one’s heart, God cannot fill it with himself. As you empty your heart, so does the Lord fill it. Poverty is emptiness, not only in what concerns the future but also the past. Not a regret or memory, not a worry or wish! God is not in the past, God is not in the future: He is in the present! Leave your past to God, leave your future to God. Your poverty is to live the present, the Presence of God who is Eternity» (Divo Barsotti).
This is the first beatitude, not just because it is the first of many, but because it seems to encapsulate all the others in their diversity.
ii) ”Blessed are
those who mourn; they shall be comforted”. One can mourn because of a great
pain or suffering. This underlines the fact that we are dealing with a serious
situation even though the motives or the cause are not mentioned. If we wish to
identify today “those who mourn” we could think of all the Christians who hold
dear the demands of the kingdom and suffer because of many negative aspects in
the Church; rather than focus on holiness, the Church presents divisions and
lacerations. They may also be those who suffer because of their sins and
inconsistencies and who, in some way, slow down their conversion. To these,
only God can bring the news of “consolation””.
iii) ”Blessed are
the gentle, they shall have the earth as inheritance”. The third beatitude
is about gentleness. This is a quality that is not so popular today. Rather,
for many it has a negative connotation and is taken for weakness or the kind of
imperturbability that knows how to control calculatingly one’s own emotions.
What does the word “gentle” mean in the Bible? The gentle are remembered as
those who enjoy great peace (Ps 37:10), are happy, blessed and loved by God.
They are also contrasted with evildoers, the ungodly and sinners. Thus the OT
gives us a wealth of meanings that do not allow for one single
definition.
In the NT the first time we meet the word is in Matthew 11:29: “Learn from me because I am gentle and humble of heart”. A second time is in Mt 21:5, when Matthew describes Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem and cites the prophet Zechariah 2:9: “Behold your servant comes to you gentle”. Truly, Matthew’s Gospel may be described as the Gospel of gentleness.
Paul too says that gentleness is an identifying quality of the Christian. In 2 Corinthians 10:1 he exhorts believers “I urge you by the gentleness and forbearance of Christ”. In Galatians 5:22 gentleness is considered one of the fruits of the Holy Spirit in the heart of believers and consists in being meek, moderate, slow to punish, kind and patient towards others. Again in Ephesians 4:32 and Colossians 3:12 gentleness is an attitude that is part of the Christian and a sign of the new man in Christ.
Finally, an eloquent witness comes from 1 Peter 3:3-4: “Your adornment should be not an exterior one, consisting of braided hair or gold jewellery or fine clothing, but the interior disposition of the heart, consisting in the imperishable quality of a gentle and peaceful spirit, so precious in the sight of God”.
How does Jesus use the word “gentle”? A truly enlightening definition is the one given by the gentle person of Cardinal Carlo Maria Martini “The gentle person, according to the beatitudes, is one who, in spite of the fervour of his/her feelings, remains docile and calm, not possessive, interiorly free, always extremely respectful of the mystery of freedom, imitating God in this respect who does everything with respect for the person, and urges the person to obedience without ever using violence. Gentleness is opposed to all forms of material or moral arrogance, it gains the victory of peace over war, of dialogue over imposition”.
To this wise interpretation we add that of another famous exegete: “The gentleness spoken of in the beatitudes is none other than that aspect of humility that manifests itself in practical affability in one’s dealings with the other. Such gentleness finds its image and its perfect model in the person of Jesus, gentle and humble of heart. Truly, such gentleness seems to us like a form of charity, patient and delicately attentive towards others” (Jacques Dupont).
In the NT the first time we meet the word is in Matthew 11:29: “Learn from me because I am gentle and humble of heart”. A second time is in Mt 21:5, when Matthew describes Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem and cites the prophet Zechariah 2:9: “Behold your servant comes to you gentle”. Truly, Matthew’s Gospel may be described as the Gospel of gentleness.
Paul too says that gentleness is an identifying quality of the Christian. In 2 Corinthians 10:1 he exhorts believers “I urge you by the gentleness and forbearance of Christ”. In Galatians 5:22 gentleness is considered one of the fruits of the Holy Spirit in the heart of believers and consists in being meek, moderate, slow to punish, kind and patient towards others. Again in Ephesians 4:32 and Colossians 3:12 gentleness is an attitude that is part of the Christian and a sign of the new man in Christ.
Finally, an eloquent witness comes from 1 Peter 3:3-4: “Your adornment should be not an exterior one, consisting of braided hair or gold jewellery or fine clothing, but the interior disposition of the heart, consisting in the imperishable quality of a gentle and peaceful spirit, so precious in the sight of God”.
How does Jesus use the word “gentle”? A truly enlightening definition is the one given by the gentle person of Cardinal Carlo Maria Martini “The gentle person, according to the beatitudes, is one who, in spite of the fervour of his/her feelings, remains docile and calm, not possessive, interiorly free, always extremely respectful of the mystery of freedom, imitating God in this respect who does everything with respect for the person, and urges the person to obedience without ever using violence. Gentleness is opposed to all forms of material or moral arrogance, it gains the victory of peace over war, of dialogue over imposition”.
To this wise interpretation we add that of another famous exegete: “The gentleness spoken of in the beatitudes is none other than that aspect of humility that manifests itself in practical affability in one’s dealings with the other. Such gentleness finds its image and its perfect model in the person of Jesus, gentle and humble of heart. Truly, such gentleness seems to us like a form of charity, patient and delicately attentive towards others” (Jacques Dupont).
3. The word enlightens me (to meditate)
a) Am I able to accept those little signs of poverty in my
regard? For instance, the poverty of poor health and little indispositions? Do
I make exorbitant demands?
b) Am I able to accept some aspect of my poverty and fragility?
c) Do I pray like a poor person, as one who asks with humility the grace of God, his pardon and his mercy?
d) Inspired by Jesus’ message concerning gentleness, do I renounce violence, vengeance and a vengeful spirit?
e) Do I encourage, in families and in my place of work, a spirit of kindness, gentleness and peace?
f) Do I pay back any small malice, insinuations or offensive allusions with evil?
g) Do I look after the weakest who cannot defend themselves? Am I patient with old people? Do I welcome lonely strangers who are often exploited at work?
b) Am I able to accept some aspect of my poverty and fragility?
c) Do I pray like a poor person, as one who asks with humility the grace of God, his pardon and his mercy?
d) Inspired by Jesus’ message concerning gentleness, do I renounce violence, vengeance and a vengeful spirit?
e) Do I encourage, in families and in my place of work, a spirit of kindness, gentleness and peace?
f) Do I pay back any small malice, insinuations or offensive allusions with evil?
g) Do I look after the weakest who cannot defend themselves? Am I patient with old people? Do I welcome lonely strangers who are often exploited at work?
4. To pray
a) Psalm 23:
The Psalm seems to rotate around the title “The Lord is my
shepherd”. The saints are the image of the flock on the way: they are
accompanied by the goodness and loyalty of God, until they finally reach the
house of the Father (L.Alonso
Schökel, I salmi della fiducia, Dehoniana libri, Bologna 2006, 54)
Yahweh is my shepherd,
I lack nothing.
I lack nothing.
In grassy meadows he lets me lie.
By tranquil streams he leads me
to restore my spirit.
He guides me in paths of saving justice as befits his name.
By tranquil streams he leads me
to restore my spirit.
He guides me in paths of saving justice as befits his name.
Even were I to walk in a ravine as dark as death
I should fear no danger,
for you are at my side.
Your staff and your crook are there to soothe me.
I should fear no danger,
for you are at my side.
Your staff and your crook are there to soothe me.
You prepare a table for me under the eyes of my enemies;
you anoint my head with oil;
my cup brims over.
you anoint my head with oil;
my cup brims over.
Kindness and faithful love pursue me every day of my life.
I make my home in the house of Yahweh
for all time to come.
I make my home in the house of Yahweh
for all time to come.
b) Closing prayer:
Lord Jesus, you show us the way of the beatitudes so that we may
come to that happiness that is fullness of life and thus holiness. We are all
called to holiness, but the only treasure of the saints is God. Your Word,
Lord, calls saints all those who in baptism were chosen by your love of a
Father, to be conformed to Christ. Grant, Lord, that by your grace we may
achieve this conformity to Jesus Christ. We thank you, Lord, for the saints you
have placed on our way and who manifest your love. We ask for your pardon if we
have tarnished your face in us and denied our calling to be saints.
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