Homily: Monday of the 10th Week in Ordinary Time - Beatitudes

Over the next three weeks we will read through Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount, for our daily Gospel readings, beginning today with Chapter 5 of St. Matthew’s Gospel.  Throughout the initial stages of his ministry—calling sinners to repent in order to live in right relationship with God, performing miracles in order to show the divine authority behind his mission—Jesus had begun to draw crowds from Galilee and the surrounding regions.  One day, Jesus went up a mountain and began to deliver a sermon expounding upon the fundamental attitudes His disciples are to have in relationship to God as their Father, to Jesus as their Lord, to one another as brothers and sisters, and to others, even their enemies.

It is clear from the very beginning of the Sermon, that Jesus’ disciples are to live differently from others in the world—by a different set of standards than the good pagans who love those who love them and are good to those who are good to them—with a righteousness surpassing that of the Jewish scribe and Pharisees. He calls us in short to be like him, to be like his Father, to be holy.

The beatitudes are read at baptisms, weddings, funerals, and throughout the Church year because they are the attitudes and dispositions we are meant to cultivate throughout all of life whether we are mourning or rejoicing.  By practicing the beatitudes the Christian orients himself to eternity by putting on the mind and heart of Christ.  We are to be meek, as he was meek; we are to be pure, as he was pure; we are to be devoted to doing the will of God as he was devoted.  True Success in this life isn’t measured by the size of our house or bank account, but by allowing the Christian faith to permeate every dimension of our life, and by our cooperation with God—using our time, talent, and treasure for His Will, not our own.

I encourage you to read chapters 5 through 7 of Matthew’s Gospel in one sitting, to get a sense of the Sermon in its entirety. 

In the face of the many problems in the world—violence, materialism, poverty, moral relativism, Jesus calls us to radiate the holiness of God by putting on His mind and heart—seeking to be holy as He is holy.  Christians are called to beatitude—and the world will be impacted for better or for worse by the Christians live our lives.  May we be faithful to this call of holiness today and all days—for the glory of God and salvation of souls.