The Remnant

Jan 29: Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Jan 29, 2023

Today, we’re talking about the very bottom of the barrel, socially. The poor, the weak, the unwise. You and me, basically. Fun stuff.

Reading 1

Zep 2:3; 3:12-13

Seek the LORD, all you humble of the earth, who have observed his law; seek justice, seek humility; perhaps you may be sheltered on the day of the LORD's anger.

But I will leave as a remnant in your midst a people humble and lowly, who shall take refuge in the name of the LORD: the remnant of Israel. They shall do no wrong and speak no lies;
nor shall there be found in their mouths a deceitful tongue; they shall pasture and couch their flocks with none to disturb them.

Zephaniah was predicting the fall of Jerusalem, the destruction of the first temple, and the Babylonian exile.

He also rightly predicted some people would stay behind, as an example of hope, not just for the exiled Jews but the whole world. They’re the lowliest of the low, the ones the Babylonians didn’t even bother to enslave. Yet, they’re the reason Israel persists.

Responsorial Psalm

Ps 146:6-7, 8-9, 9-10

R. Blessed are the poor in spirit; the kingdom of heaven is theirs!
The LORD keeps faith forever,
secures justice for the oppressed,
gives food to the hungry.
The LORD sets captives free.
R. Blessed are the poor in spirit; the kingdom of heaven is theirs!
The LORD gives sight to the blind;
the LORD raises up those who were bowed down.
The LORD loves the just;
the LORD protects strangers.
R. Blessed are the poor in spirit; the kingdom of heaven is theirs!
The fatherless and the widow the LORD sustains,
but the way of the wicked he thwarts.
The LORD shall reign forever;
your God, O Zion, through all generations. Alleluia.
R. Blessed are the poor in spirit; the kingdom of heaven is theirs!

We rely on God, no matter our station in life. Even if you are rich and powerful, remember that that spiritually, you are poor, and you need God.

Reading 2

1 Cor 1:26-31

Consider your own calling, brothers and sisters. Not many of you were wise by human standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. Rather, God chose the foolish of the world to shame the wise, and God chose the weak of the world to shame the strong, and God chose the lowly and despised of the world, those who count for nothing, to reduce to nothing those who are something, so that no human being might boast before God. It is due to him that you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God, as well as righteousness, sanctification, and redemption, so that, as it is written, "Whoever boasts, should boast in the Lord."

Boy, Paul sure loves a good back-handed compliment, doesn’t he? You’re not wise or noble; God chose you because you count for nothing!

Seriously though, we all know our shortcomings, whatever they may be. Rarely do we consider them to be something God can use, however. But He can! Be open to being that lowly and despised person, so that you can boast in the Lord.

Alleluia

Mt 5:12a

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Rejoice and be glad;
your reward will be great in heaven.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

This is the central message of the beatitudes: we have something to look forward to.

Gospel

Mt 5:1-12a

When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up the mountain, and after he had sat down, his disciples came to him. He began to teach them, saying:

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"Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are they who mourn, for they will be comforted.
Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the land.
Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be satisfied.
Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.
Blessed are the clean of heart, for they will see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.
Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are you when they insult you and persecute you and utter every kind of evil against you falsely because of me.
Rejoice and be glad, for your reward will be great in heaven."

The great heresy of the Enlightenment is that Jesus was a great moral teacher, but not a miracle worker, a messiah, the Son of God and second person of the Holy Trinity.1 But it would also be a mistake to be a reactionary against secularization, focusing solely on the supernatural elements of Jesus’ ministry. A reverse-Jefferson Bible would be just as heretical.

Like many street preachers, especially in a pre-literate time, Jesus re-used sermons as well as modified them from time to time.2 That's why this list is slightly different than in Luke's Sermon on the Plain.3

The beatitudes themselves are very clear and straightforward, requiring little exegesis separately.4 Jesus knew, I think, that they would be remembered and passed on throughout history, which is why they are very broad as well as clear. Every person can look at them and see something slightly different. One may stand out to you, and another might not speak to you at all.

So I don’t think I’ll go into them. When a priest chooses to focus on one or another in their homily, it seems to me he’s telling you more about what he’s thinking about than what Jesus was.

I think it’s better to suggest reading them one by one yourself, like an examination of conscious, and see which one see which one speaks to you. Which one are you? Which one do you lack? Which one is a model for what you’d like to become?