Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time February 3, 2008

Reading 1, Zephaniah 2:3, 3:12-13  Zephaniah was the ninth of the minor prophets in the Old Testament believed to have prophesied during the early years of King Josiah (beginning 640 B.C.) prior to the finding of the book of the law (probably Deuteronomy) during temple restoration in 622 B.C. Based on the contents of that book, Josiah ordered a religious reform temporarily abolished the idolatrous deviations and abuses denounced by Zephaniah in his oracles. In this section the prophet speaks of the perfection of a society true to the Lord following a purging of the Jewish nation.

Reading II, 1 Corinthians 1:26-31  The divisions or factions within the Corinthian community understandably led to an unhealthy competition in which each group tried to show they were superior to others. This competition seems to have included boasting over who had better houses and possessions (material prosperity was often taken as an indication of favor with God based on one’s closeness to God) as well as over who possessed the better spiritual gifts such as prophecy and speaking in tongues. In some non-Christian religions adherents tried to prove their spiritual acuity by shouting louder, longer and more passionately in their prayer and praise. Paul will speak to the issue of spiritual gifts in chapters 12 and 14 and emphasize that love for others trumps all other gifts in chapter 13.

Matthew 5:1-12a  Many of the attitudes or conditions indicated as blessings are actually things we strive to avoid rather than seek. They are not in and of themselves blessings. They only become blessings in a bigger picture as they lead us to turn to God or make us more like God. Note that Jesus addressed the beatitudes not to the crowds but to his disciples. The word disciple means a student, one who seeks to learn from and become like the teacher. These people who were following Jesus were understandably more intent on Jesus’ message than on his miracles as were most of the people in the crowds. In other words, the disciples were more capable of grasping how the concept of these attitudes and conditions being blessings than were the people below. It would be their task, as it continues to be the task of Jesus’ disciples today, to live and find ways to translate that message so that the crowds can understand the beatitude of following Jesus Christ.

Comments

[dominic yamoah]

I LIKE THE REFLECTION ON THE GOSPEL IS GOOD AND PRACTICALBUT THE OTHERS ARE NOT.