Celebrating 100 over years in Irondequoit
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Cycle A
- A148: Doesn't this Sunday have the same theme as last Sunday, a "check your attitude" scriptural reflection?
- Blest Are The Lowly
- Q304: The “Beatitudes” in today’s gospel (Matt. 5:1-12a) always seem so pious, perhaps even a description of saints. How can they speak to me?
- Q. 461: Our first reading (Zephaniah 2:3; 3:12-13) speaks of both anger and peace as situations that will befall the Israelites. What is going on here?
A148: Doesn't this Sunday have the same theme as last Sunday, a "check your attitude" scriptural reflection?
That would be one appropriate way of describing these readings! Last Sunday we talked about "poverty of spirit," that deep sense of our total dependence upon God. That very realization carries us forward to the next level, which is a desire to seek justice and humility (Zephaniah 2:3). Today, St. Paul (1 Cor 1:26-31) reaffirms our need for "poverty of spirit" because of the fact that God chooses the foolish, the weak, and the lowly - in order to teach the powerful and pretentious a lesson. Because of this, our gospel (Matt 5:1-12a) invites us to see what kind of behavior and which attitudes are welcomed by God. This week, focus on each Beatitude by looking at its opposite, and see which of those comes closest to describing your personal character.
For example, "Blessed are the Peacemakers." How do you live out your baptismal responsibility: do you try to help make peace, through direct involvement in controversial issues, or do you do the opposite: remain uninvolved and decide to "duck" these matters? Another example: "Blessed are you when they insult you and persecute you...because of me." Do you evade discussing your spirituality, or refuse to defend true Christianity, and choose instead to placate others by avoiding or compromising truth?
Reflection: Jesus has taught us the actions and attitudes that he wants us to cultivate. Deliberately take the time on this Sabbath weekend to look at the Beatitudes and their opposites, and through this personal inventory see what actions you are being called to take.
In the early 1970's, the St. Vincent de Paul Societies of New England had a major meeting at Holy Cross College in Worcester. The bishops of New England were on hand to advise and pay tribute to this wonderful international lay organization dedicated to aiding the poor.
Cardinal Medeiros of Boston was the principal speaker. He began by expressing his personal gratitude to the Society. "It was the St. Vincent de Paul Society," he explained, "that gave me my first pair of shoes."
Humberto Medeiros was not a native of America. He was born in the Portuguese Azores in 1915 and lived there until he was 15, when his parents decided to move to Massachusetts. The barefoot son of Antonio and Maria Medeiros was poor but willing. The first job he got, sweeping floors, netted him 62 cents a day. But he learned English well, applied himself diligently to his preparatory education, and then entered the seminary to study for the priesthood of the diocese of Fall River. Ordained a priest in 1946, he did graduate work in Rome and then returned home to serve both in parishes and as Chancellor of his diocese. Pope Paul VI, in 1966, named him the founding bishop of the diocese of Brownsville, Texas. His five years there were notable for his work with Mexican laborers.
In 1971, the same pope brought Bishop Medeiros back north to become archbishop of Boston, and created him a cardinal two years later. Cardinal Medeiros set about manfully to reduce the tremendous archdiocesan debt and to carefully teach his multi-ethnic flock. A quiet, gentle man, deeply spiritual, he was the first non-Irishman to rule the Boston see; and there were certain tensions because he came from a "minority." Furthermore, he was not in the best of health. Thus, as Archbishop John Whealon later observed, "There was something of a martyrdom to his life and ministry." But when the Cardinal died aged 68, on September 17, 1983, the public expressions of grief showed that his people had finally learned to appreciate this humble man who became a cardinal, but still remembered what it was like to own no shoes.
-Fr. Robert F. McNamara
Q304: The “Beatitudes” in today’s gospel (Matt. 5:1-12a) always seem so pious, perhaps even a description of saints. How can they speak to me?
Perhaps that happens because you are focusing on the “blessings” rather than the “reason” for those blessings. Consider the following.
The recipients of these “blessings” from Jesus are recognized because of what they “DO.” Each one of their actions reflects the example of Jesus, and shows the effect of God’s grace in their lives. They are trying to reconcile people to God and to each other (the peacemakers). By their lifestyle they are teaching trust in God alone rather than in power and possessions (the poor in spirit). They suffer for their perseverance in being living examples of Christians in right relationship to God (the persecuted). They reflect the caring compassion of God who is present in all suffering, whether physical or spiritual exile (those who mourn). They display holiness in their activities that seek social justice for the marginalized (those who hunger and thirst for righteousness). In all humility they recognize their need for God at every moment, and their equality with all other humans (the meek). They have generous and forgiving hearts like Jesus (the merciful). Finally, they demonstrate a total lack of selfishness by their outreach and compassion (the clean or pure of heart).
It is only where the activity of God is present and manifested that one finds a “blessing,” a beatitude. This is the call of every Christian, and also a baptismal responsibility: to carry on the mission of Jesus in building the kingdom of God.
Know Your Catechism! In Matthew’s gospel, Jesus is compared many times to Moses the lawgiver. However, Jesus helps us grow spiritually by showing that true holiness and blessing flows from a loving heart, not just from rigid ritual observance of laws (i.e., like the Pharisees). All Christians are called to speak out in Jesus’ name, and to influence our world with love and charity (CCC#1717). The goal is always to be in right relationship with God (CCC#1719).
Q. 461: Our first reading (Zephaniah 2:3; 3:12-13) speaks of both anger and peace as situations that will befall the Israelites. What is going on here?
The prophets had been silent for 70 years before Zephaniah spoke. During that time, immoral leadership on the part of Judah’s kings and temple priesthood led the country back into apostasy, superstition, idolatry, and even child sacrifice. Then good King Josiah began to reign, and the prophets began to speak again. This time they spoke of impending doom. Even Jerusalem was going to be destroyed, because God’s judgment, “the Day of the Lord,” would soon be experienced. It came to happen: in 587bc, Jerusalem was leveled and burned, and the Israelites were taken into captivity to Babylon.
The prophet Zephaniah held out God’s promise, a ray of hope to cling to. A “remnant” would be left. These would be the people who remained faithful to the covenant, especially the humble and those seeking justice at all levels. Restoration would indeed take place through this remnant; peace would be the ultimate conclusion to the journey of salvation history.
It is very dangerous to your eternal health to pretend that God’s word applied “only to them” several centuries ago. Many self-proclaimed “Christians” contribute to the immoral leadership in our country. They do this by voting for public officials who approve the child sacrifice called “abortion”; who see nothing wrong with same-sex marriage; who see nothing wrong with sexual relations outside of marriage; who do not seek justice for the poor and migratory workers; who perpetuate racial tensions through loose talk; and so on. The danger is in ignoring the “Day of the Lord” – you cannot mock the Lord’s will and escape judgment.
KNOW YOUR CATECHISM! The “remnant” will escape the “Day of the Lord” by acting humbly and seeking justice in all things. In this way we become a people prepared for the Lord by the Holy Spirit (CCC #716), whose transforming grace is manifested through our actions that promote morality.
