The Inheritance of the Meek

The Lectionary of the Roman Catholic Church marks the 4th Sunday in Ordinary time. This is about half way between Christmas and Lent. Certainly, the official liturgy of Catholicism and the traditions of worship and assembly are comforting to the human need for pattern and regularity. The caution, of course, is that observance of the rules is mistaken for living the relationship with Christ through the indwelling Spirit. The prophet Zephaniah, in the 7th century BCE, was presenting the continuing story of the loss of attention of the people of Israel on the keeping of the Covenant. The observance of the ritual laws and rules was not enough to renew the relationship with the Divine. The prophet calls for a living of the Covenant and a witness to the nations through this living as God directs. The letter to the Corinthians raises a paradox of living in relationship with the Divine. The sinner and the weak and the foolish and the outcast are the people from whom the love, compassion and wisdom of the Divine will be shown. The Gospel of Matthew begins to relate the Sermon on the Mount. Fr Larry Gillick SJ comments on the dialogue of invitations from Jesus to be alive and present in the world. The radical pairing of meekness, poverty of spirit and humiliation with a heavenly inheritance is even more mysterious when we understand that inclusion in that “Kingdom of Heaven” is an offer made and accepted now!