Reflection
1 Kings 17: 1 – 6
Psalm 121: 1 – 8
Matthew 5: 1 – 12
Today begins a series of Gospel readings from Matthew centered around instruction of the law and the Kingdom of Heaven. It is important to remember that Matthew wrote to deliver the message of Christ to a Jewish audience. He tries to help them understand Jesus through that which they already know by Jewish teachings – making Jesus the new Moses and yet instructing that Jesus supersedes Moses. Matthew is teaching that the instruction of Jesus does not eliminate the Law but goes beyond and fulfills the Law.
Matthew does not use the name of God in his Gospel and therefore refers the Kingdom of Heaven, the Jewish people would have had an issue with Matthew using the name of God. What is meant by the Kingdom of Heaven? The word from the Greek text was “basileia”, which is more of a reign or kingship rather than a place. It is a relationship with God where we see Him as our Lord, the Lord of our lives, the Lord of everything in our lives.
Jesus shares with us today His instruction for what it looks like to live in the Kingdom of Heaven. His instruction is so very different than our world today…and just look around to see how many incredibly unhappy people there are in our lives, on social media, and in the theatre of the news media. “Poor in spirit”? Yes, there are a lot of people who are poor in spirit. A lot of people wallow in sadness, whose lives are full of anger and resentment, constantly looking for someone on whom they can get their revenge and make the other person as miserable as they are. That is not the Poor in spirit to which Jesus is referring. Jesus is referring to the gentleness of being poor in spirit, recognizing that we are always in need of the nourishment received by living in the Kingdom of Heaven.
The instruction Jesus gives us today leads us to being Blessed, or how the word may also be interpreted….fortunate….or happy!!!! Jesus does not say it will be easy – being persecuted…insulted…and being a peacemaker means we will be in the midst of conflict. However, as we head into this week where we will be reopening the Church again for Mass and the Eucharist, let’s keep today’s Gospel in mind and realize that when it is all said and done, what God wants for us is to be happy. Living the life Jesus instructs today leads us exactly to that place…happiness in the Kingdom of Heaven.