The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today resonate with our mission as prophet and leader and our example of fullness of life in living the Beatitudes.
In the reading from the First Book of Kings, Elijah Predicts a Drought.
* [17:1] This verse introduces the enigmatic figure of Elijah the Tishbite. (The name “Elijah” means “the Lord is my God.” The meaning of “Tishbite” is unknown; it may refer to a place or to a social class.) His appearance before Ahab is abrupt and involves several matters that will unify the whole Elijah story. His claim to “serve the Lord” (lit., to “stand before the Lord”) points forward to 19:13, where he refuses to do so; the center of narrative tension on this level is the question of the prophet’s autonomy in God’s service. His proclamation of a drought points forward to 18:41–45 where he announces the drought’s end; the center of narrative tension on this level is the struggle between the Lord and the Canaanite fertility god Baal for the loyalties of Israel. His claim that the drought is due to his own word of power (“except at my word”) points forward to 17:24 where the widow acknowledges the divine source of the word Elijah speaks; the center of narrative tension on this level is the gradual characterization of the prophet as one who receives a divine word (vv. 2, 8), obeys it (v. 5), conveys an effective divine word of threat (v. 1) or promise (vv. 14, 16), and even speaks an effective human word of entreaty to God (vv. 20, 22). (1 Kings, CHAPTER 17 | USCCB, n.d.)
Psalm 121 offers assurance of God’s Protection.
* [Psalm 121] A blessing given to someone embarking on a dangerous journey whether a soldier going on a campaign or a pilgrim returning home from the Temple. People look anxiously at the wooded hills. Will God protect them on their journey (Ps 121:1)? The speaker declares that God is not confined to a place or a time (Ps 121:2), that every step is guarded (Ps 121:3–4); night and day (Ps 121:5–6) God watches over their every movement (Ps 121:7–8). (Psalms, PSALM 121 | USCCB, n.d.)
In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus begins the Sermon on the Mount with The Beatitudes.
* [5:3–12] The form Blessed are (is) occurs frequently in the Old Testament in the Wisdom literature and in the psalms. Although modified by Matthew, the first, second, fourth, and ninth beatitudes have Lucan parallels (Mt 5:3 // Lk 6:20; Mt 5:4 // Lk 6:21b; Mt 5:6 // Lk 6:21a; Mt 5:11–12 // Lk 5:22–23). The others were added by the evangelist and are probably his own composition. A few manuscripts, Western and Alexandrian, and many versions and patristic quotations give the second and third beatitudes in inverted order.
* [5:3] The poor in spirit: in the Old Testament, the poor (’anāwîm) are those who are without material possessions and whose confidence is in God (see Is 61:1; Zep 2:3; in the NAB the word is translated lowly and humble, respectively, in those texts). Matthew added in spirit in order either to indicate that only the devout poor were meant or to extend the beatitude to all, of whatever social rank, who recognized their complete dependence on God. The same phrase poor in spirit is found in the Qumran literature (1QM 14:7).
* [5:4] Cf. Is 61:2, “(The Lord has sent me)…to comfort all who mourn.” They will be comforted: here the passive is a “theological passive” equivalent to the active “God will comfort them”; so also in Mt 5:6, 7.
* [5:5] Cf. Ps 37:11, “…the meek shall possess the land.” In the psalm “the land” means the land of Palestine; here it means the kingdom.
* [5:6] For righteousness: a Matthean addition. For the meaning of righteousness here, see note on Mt 3:14–15.
* [5:8] Cf. Ps 24:4. Only one “whose heart is clean” can take part in the temple worship. To be with God in the temple is described in Ps 42:3 as “beholding his face,” but here the promise to the clean of heart is that they will see God not in the temple but in the coming kingdom.
* [5:10] Righteousness here, as usually in Matthew, means conduct in conformity with God’s will.
* [5:12] The prophets who were before you: the disciples of Jesus stand in the line of the persecuted prophets of Israel. Some would see the expression as indicating also that Matthew considered all Christian disciples as prophets. (Matthew, CHAPTER 5 | USCCB, n.d.)
Tamora Whitney comments that, in the beatitudes, we are told that this suffering will not last forever. We are told that we will have a reward. And we are told that we are already blessed.
I’m an English teacher, so I pay attention to verb tenses. Every statement starts with “Blessed are” – that’s present tense. That’s right now. We are blessed right now, already. We don’t have to wait for that. The poor in spirit are blessed and the kingdom of heaven is theirs. Now. Present tense. Who are the poor in spirit? What does that mean? It’s those who are humble, who know that they need God, and who are open to him. It’s not the rulers, not the rich, not the smug; it’s the ordinary folks who are struggling, and who are trying their best. (Whitney, n.d.)
Don Schwager quotes “Perfect blessedness is humility of spirit,” by Hilary of Poitiers (315-367 AD).
"'Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.' The Lord taught by way of example that the glory of human ambition must be left behind when he said, 'The Lord your God shall you adore and him only shall you serve' (Matthew 4:10). And when he announced through the prophets that he would choose a people humble and in awe of his words [Isaiah 66:2], he introduced the perfect Beatitude as humility of spirit. Therefore he defines those who are inspired as people aware that they are in possession of the heavenly kingdom... Nothing belongs to anyone as being properly one's own, but all have the same things by the gift of a single parent. They have been given the first things needed to come into life and have been supplied with the means to use them." (excerpt from commentary ON MATTHEW 4.2) (Schwager, n.d.)
The Word Among Us Meditation on Matthew 5:1-12 comments that this Beatitude teaches us that each one of us can be a peacemaker. Yes, we do that by working to end conflicts. But there’s another way we can bring peace into our world. By being at peace and maintaining our peace, we can actually help the people around us find peace as well.
The Hebrew word that’s often used in the Bible for peace, shalom, conveys a sense of safety, soundness, health, perfection, or completion. And ultimately, Jesus, the “Prince of Peace,” is the only One who can bring us this kind of peace.
Just think, you can be a peacemaker! Your attitude is contagious, and you can be a force for good for everyone around you.
“Lord, give me your peace—the peace that passes all understanding—so that I can bring that peace to others.” (Meditation on Matthew 5:1-12, n.d.)
Friar Jude Winkler comments on the mission of Elijah against the adoration of Baal and how his mission involves attention to “as the sin so the punishment”. The Beatitudes in Matthew and more spiritual than the more material and more like the Jewish Covenant formula of blessings and curses in Luke. Friar Jude reminds us that the counter intuitive Beatitudes outline the Kingdom proclaimed by Jesus.
Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, introduces author and filmmaker Cassidy Hall who describes coming to embrace her queerness as a path to intimacy with her true self.
Everyone carries their own true self in their own way, in their own words, and in their own time. And that is also beautifully queer. My true self is the queer way I rest my ear to the chest of a tree, listening for its heartbeat. My true self is the part of me that shows up at the Indiana statehouse when anti-trans bills are brought to the table, knowing the privilege of my own position as a cis queer white woman and the roles I am called to in communal care. My true self is the part of me that keeps asking questions, stays curious about my own blossoming, and holds myself—and the world—with open hands…. As we unclench our fists, shedding internalized norms and expectations, we step toward everything alive, toward everything wild, toward the truth of who we are. (Rohr, n.d.)
We seek the guidance of the Holy Spirit to accept how our Baptismal anointing as priest, prophet, and leader will be lived out as “Beatitude People” in gratitude for our being blessed.
References
Matthew, CHAPTER 5 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved June 10, 2024, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/matthew/5?1
Meditation on Matthew 5:1-12. (n.d.). The Word Among Us: Homepage. Retrieved June 10, 2024, from https://wau.org/meditations/2024/06/10/993614/
1 Kings, CHAPTER 17 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved June 10, 2024, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/1kings/17?1
Psalms, PSALM 121 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved June 10, 2024, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/121?1
Rohr, R. (n.d.). Allowing Ourselves to Unfold. CAC Daily Meditations. Retrieved June 10, 2024, from https://cac.org/daily-meditations/allowing-ourselves-to-unfold/
Schwager, D. (n.d.). Rejoice and Be Glad, for Your Reward Is Great in Heaven. Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations – Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved June 10, 2024, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/?ds_year=2024&date=jun10
Whitney, T. (n.d.). Daily Reflection Of Creighton University's Online Ministries. Creighton University's Online Ministries. Retrieved June 10, 2024, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/061024.html
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