Reading I: Zephaniah 2:3; 3:12-13
Reading II: 1 Corinthians 1:26-31
GOSPEL: Matthew 5:1-12a
The American Dream – The American Dilemma
“Humble thyself in the sight of the Lord. And He shall lift you up, higher and higher, and He shall lift you up.” It is a catchy little refrain I have heard sung by a couple of Catholic “rock stars,” and it sounds beautiful (especially compared to print). It’s an appropriate refrain for this week’s readings, which are all about God lifting up the humble.
Living in America
I find digesting this week’s readings, with their themes of humility and the beatitudes, rather difficult. This is not due to any great arrogance, although I have been called-out on that from time to time. Rather, it is because we live in America – the most rich, powerful, and materialistic of all nations. Just being in the “middle class” in America dictates that you are wealthier than 80 – 90% of the rest of the people in the world.
What do we learn about the rich, powerful, and materialistic people of the world from this week’s readings? We learn that these people will be brought down by the lowly, the meek, and the foolish. It’s a rather disconcerting message for the people of a nation as rich as ours. My only consolation, as an American, is that maybe what we are talking about here is attitude.
Another way to put it is that “what goes around comes around.” If we spend most of our time doing good for others, good will come back to us; and if we spend most of our time belittling others, that will come back to us, also.
Lessons Learned
In the second reading, it says that God chose the foolish to shame the wise and the weak to shame the powerful. So how are the lowly of the earth going to do this? I think they do it in their happiness and faith.
After visiting Chile, my wife told me how poor the country was. The people she met had so little wealth compared to us, yet they were far richer in many ways. Despite how little they had in money and material, they were full of happiness. They sang, they danced, and they held hands. They had a great faith in God and each other. It was all they needed.
Even with big houses and fancy cars, the rich and powerful are not always happy. And in the end, that is how they will be brought to their knees. They see the poor and the meek and they ask themselves, “How can I have that kind of happiness?”
And here is the realization that stuns them: money, power, and material wealth will not provide happiness. Only faith in God can provide this. Have faith and He will lift you up.
The Beatitudes
In the Gospel, Jesus tells us how to live and how living like this will provide us with all our needs. The Beatitudes actually give us a blueprint of how to live our lives like Jesus. I know I’m mixing my metaphors, but they are also a portrait of Jesus, and thus a picture of God.
Many wise and gifted people have preached about the Beatitudes, so instead of giving you my take on these amazing verses, I’d like to suggest something a little bit different. You’ve heard the Beatitudes many times, but when was the last time you really listened to them?
Right now, grab your Bible (or look at one online), and go to Matthew 5:1… and start reading. But as you read each sentence, take a moment to reflect on what it really means when applied to your life. Have you been like this? Have you known others who embody these traits? What can you do to live the Beatitudes every day?
Take some time to do a little soul-searching with the help of the Beatitudes, one of Christianity’s greatest treasures!
Life Applications
How do money and material possessions impact your happiness?
How will God lift you up in difficult times?
What can you do to fight for a righteous cause or become a peacemaker?
Check out the REAL Word Podcast for the 4th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Cycle A):
Original article by Rod Hetherton, 2002 – 2023.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.