Walking with Jesus: Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time

For January 29, 2023

Zephaniah 2:3, 3:12-13; 1 Corinthians 1:26-31; Matthew 5:1-12

We all have a need to belong. And we like to belong to the best or be considered the best.

The world … or at least our world ... is involved in seeing which team will win the Super Bowl on Feb. 12. Teams will be determined this weekend and the winner from each division will be waving banners and screaming, “We’re Number One!” And the defeated will be proclaiming, “Wait till next year!’’ And life goes on. We certainly like to cheer when winning a game, a race, a pennant, even an election. We are proud and like to be involved when “our side” has accomplished something great. Is this need of ours really that important?

Years ago many of us studied Abraham Maslow, an “expert” who suggested that the need to belong was a major source of human motivation. He taught that it was one of five of a hierarchy of human needs. Do you remember the others? They were physiological needs, safety needs, self-esteem needs, and self-actualization needs. He explained that the sense of belonging is crucial to one’s life satisfaction, happiness, mental and physical health. It gives one a solid sense of meaning and purpose.

Our scripture readings give us a very different message: They are telling us that each person is important to the Lord. Every individual was created out of love. God loves everyone all the time. Do I recognize that I am an important part of belonging to the human family? What is the purpose of God’s love? Remember the Old Catechism answer as to why God created us: He created us to know, love and serve Him in this world and to be happy with Him in eternity. Short answer: He created people out of love for the purpose of sharing love. Everyone was created to love God and to love each other. Jesus came and proved God’s love by dying on the cross, rising from the dead and ascending into heaven. What is the hero’s crown … the victor’s reward … trophy or the like? What is the reward for responding to God’s call to love all? It is heaven forever. The material doesn’t last; the spiritual lasts forever. Hopefully it’s a no-brainer for all.

Zephaniah is a near contemporary of Jeremiah. And like Jeremiah, his main concern is to steer the king and people away from pride in themselves and back to humble service of the Lord. Most of his oracles portray the harsh realities and terrible consequences that lie in store for a nation that ignores the ways of God. His oracle in today’s reading reveals a brighter future for the nation: If they seek the way of the Lord, they are on the right path. The first step requires setting aside human pride and choosing to walk humbly with God. The Law of Moses … the Ten Commandments ... sets the standards. All are called to faithfulness and right living. How am I doing?

Paul states it plainly in his first and closing line: “Consider your own calling … whoever boasts, should boast in the Lord.” The problem for Paul is not wisdom, power or status, but thinking of oneself as the source and thus giving ourselves standing before God. “Look at me and how great I am before the Lord.” The bottom line is that I cannot take credit even for faith — everything comes through the Lord’s grace, strength and gifts. God is to be glorified; I am a simple, unworthy person loved by God, and this love allows me to love because now I know what love is: God is the source and is love itself.

So the basic question ... the bottom line ... is, how do I live love? Jesus’ summary teaching is contained in the Beatitudes, which mirror a life of faith. Matthew portrays Jesus as an authoritative teacher. He assumes His official position by sitting down to teach. As such, here He is interpreting the Old Law as given to Moses for a new Israel. These Beatitudes have often been interpreted as the “Magna Carta” of God’s kingdom: HEAVEN. All are considered blessed because that’s how the kingdom of heaven works. Receiving the Kingdom of Heaven is As Good As It Gets.

Our very existence depends on God. All of our individual talents and material blessings are gifts from God. Our  spiritual gifts … our faith … the Sacraments … scriptures … teachings … traditions … we earned none of them. All our blessings come as gift from God to lead us closer to Him. God gives; unfortunately we hoard. God loves: Can I love? Can we love? Does this lead us to prayer?

So I reflect on:

• I look around … look at myself ... and see what I believe isn’t worthwhile. What am I preferring to God?
• In my life, does suffering draw me nearer to God or push me away? What happens when I look at the Cross? And Jesus did that for me: This Tremendous Lover!

Sacred Space 2023 states:

“I allow these blessings to come home to me. I imagine Jesus carefully speaking them to me, aware of my poverty, sadness and hunger.

“I might choose two of these beatitudes to be a backdrop to my prayer and reflection today: one that affirms me and one that calls me further.”