4th SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME

 

Readings: Zephaniah 2:3, 3, 3:12-13
                Corinthians 1:2-31
                Matthew 5:1-12

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“…happy are the poor in spirit
theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”

 

 

We have two versions of the Beatitudes in the gospels: that of Matthew and that of Luke. While versions focus on poverty, a closer study and comparison of the two reveals a difference of references or emphasis. The Matthean version refers more to spiritual poverty while the Lukan version refers more to material poverty. Such difference is, however, not exclusive as if what is meant in Matthew is not meant in Luke or vice versa. In fact, both versions seem to take material poverty as common point of take off. Only, Matthew enlarges his sense of “the poor” to the realm of “in the spirit” perhaps in order not to discriminate the rich who might have been among his ardent listeners. Our gospel today is according to Matthew.

 

1. Poverty is a sad situation. It is in fact a difficult one. The poor struggles everyday for the most basic things in life: food, shelter, clothing, health. Before he could think of anything secondary, he worries whether he could have something to survive for the day. Being poor, he has no equal footing with those who are more financially fortunate. While we know that all men are endowed with equal rights, the rights of the poor most often remain unsatisfied simply because they are deprived of equal opportunities they ought to have. Rights are given flesh and blood by the opportunities that accompany them. Thus, the right .to a good education may simply become a poor child's dream. The right to a decent living may only be an endless longing to the jobless or the landless poor. This applies to other aspects of a poor man's life. This - and other more - makes the poor so vulnerable to exploitation, oppression and other forms of manipulation. The poor finds no choice but to grab, grip and hang on even to a double-edged sword. He is most prone to succumb even to things which he himself may dislike. In situations like this, poverty and vulnerability become synonymous.

 

2. But wealth is not the ideal thing either. Wealth and affluence another form of slavery. It is a slavery to power, fame and even to more wealth. This is truly enslaving because of man's unending wants. As one grows richer, the more he craves even for more, only to find out that nothing of what he owns can ever satisfy him. This is the reason why Christ makes a decisive stand against riches and wealth. He advises the young rich man to abandon what he has and follow him (cf Mt 19:16-22). He clearly states how difficult it is for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven (cf Mt 19:23-24).

 

But over and above what he says, Jesus shows his definitive stand by not becoming himself rich. From the stable of Bethlehem to the carpentry shop of Nazareth, we can see no indication that he leads a rich man’s life, nor has any intention to. Good for the birds; they have their nests. Good for the foxes; they have their holes. But not for the Son of man who has nothing at all, not even a place to lay down his head (cf Mt 8:20-22). The bread and fish he multiplies, but makes no money out of it. The devils he drives out and the sick he heals, but asks no amount in return, not even the meanest professional fee. When his time finally comes, he is laid on another man's tomb (cf Mt 27:57-61). Surely he has no savings for it.

 

3. Poverty and affluence are two contrasting situations, neither of which is evangelically ideal. While Christ gives his definitive stand against wealth and affluence, he does not sanctify poverty either. .We must not falsely understand that the Beatitudes were said in order to sanctify poverty. But they are said precisely so that out of the situation of poverty, blessedness may still shine. Nor are the Beatitudes in Matthew’s version meant to condemn the rich. But they are preached even to the rich so that even in their abundance they may still find virtue of those who are truly poor in spirit. The spirit of the Beatitudes teaches us a typical Christian truth; there is poverty in riches and riches in poverty. As wealth and poverty continue to be the opposing poles of human experience, we find these following realities:

 

a. While it is true that because of poverty many innocent are turned criminals, it is also equally true - as many would say - that money is the root of all evil. While it is true that financial emptiness makes the poor so restless, it is also equally true that no amount however big can ever buy man's peace of mind. While it is true that poverty makes a hungry mouth fight an endless bout for survival, it is also equally true that nothing of this world's goods can ever satisfy the endless cravings of a hungry soul. While it is true that a poor man's life haunts every fear of isolation, discrimination and even death, it is also true that a rich man’s life is full of insecurities and anxieties over so many things including death. And while it is true that the life of poverty invites the poor to a complete dependence on God and an assurance of eternal life, it is also true that the life of abundance is an opportunity for the rich to share what he has and establish even on earth the kingdom of God.

 

b. This simply shows that there are those materially poor may acquire the ugly and most unlikely attitude of the rich, just as there are those materially rich who may share the lowly and humble attitude of the poor. And in this situation, the former also deserve the bitterness of the Lukan woe (cf Lk 6:24-26), while the latter also deserve the grace of blessedness. The spirit of the Beatitudes, therefore, calls for the fulfillment of the reign of God. For the truth is: in God's reign, there is no one who is just too rich that he has no longer the capacity to receive, nor too poor that he has no longer the capacity to give. "Poverty amidst wealth and wealth amidst poverty" is the rightful slogan that must motivate all efforts towards genuine evangelization. This is the kingdom of God promised to the truly humble of heart.

 

c. This is the paradox of Christian faith which Christ brings to his listeners as something new. Wise men of his time - and philosophers before him - teach that "virtue rests in the middle." Christ goes a little further and deeper. With his Beatitudes, we discover that “out of a paradox is born a virtue.”

 

Many eloquent speakers and many excellent writers have indeed spoken and written great things that influenced the world. But perhaps no message can ever compare to the greatness of that sermon once delivered by the poor man of Nazareth on the mount where simple and humble people gathered to listen. One famous non-christian leader once commented that he found nothing special about the Bible until he arrived at the Beatitudes. With today's gospel, we get into the heart of one of Christianity's best and finest trade marks.

 

“…happy are the poor in spirit…theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”