Homilies

February 3, 2008
Sunday of 4th Week in Ordinary Time
Zeph. 2:3, 3:12-13; 1 Cor. 1:26-31; Mt. 5:1-12a
Fr. Stephen Muller, OCSO

Most of us have probably seen diagrams of how our eyes work. The image in the outside world that we’re looking at is rightside up. As the light from that image passes through the lens of our eye it gets inverted, and what is recorded in the back of the eye on the retina and passes to the brain through the optical nerve is upside down. That’s not a problem, though, because our brain automatically flips it rightside up. A camera works the same way. As the light passes through the lens it gets inverted, so what is recorded on the film is actually upside down.

The world that we live in has its set of values. The average person is constantly being bombarded by them through advertisements, TV programs, and other forms of our modern media. It is the culture we’re immersed in, and many of the people we associate with have bought into those values.

But in our readings today at Mass we hear those values being turned on their head. We hear Jesus presenting to us the gospel values as set forth in the Beatitudes. The world teaches that mourning is something to avoid. But Jesus says, “Blessed are they who mourn.” According to the world, persecution is a bad thing. But Jesus teaches, “Blessed are you when they insult you and persecute you and utter every kind of evil against you falsely because of me.”

Our culture tells us that success is measured by how rich and powerful and well-known you are. But Jesus assures us, “Blessed are the poor in spirit . . . blessed are the meek.” And St. Paul in our Second Reading reminds us, “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.”

Our culture indoctrinates us to feel inferior if we do not wear very expensive jewelry, very expensive clothes, and drive very expensive cars. But our religion is pleading with us, “No, no! Get rid of all that stuff! Simplify! That stuff can never satisfy – you’ll just want more. Turn your focus to things that really matter, things that will last, things that will go with you when you die. This life is so short! Live instead for the next life, which will have no end!”

Our First Reading counsels us, “seek humility.” But our world urges us, “No! Climb that ladder! Be on top! Blessed are those who GIVE orders, not those who receive them.

We live in a world where vengeance and violence are everywhere apparent. But Jesus’ message flies in the face of that: “Blessed are the merciful . . . blessed are the peacemakers.” Can’t we learn that violence only begets more violence?

Having been influenced by the values of the world, we feel bad if we think we’re a “nobody.” But our Second Reading reassures us that that’s okay. As you remember it began with, “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.” In fact, those things can actually get in the way and be an obstacle. It is better to have those things cleared out of the way so that we are not puffed up by self-importance. For, as the Second Reading concludes, “Whoever boasts, should boast in the Lord.”

So -- just as with our vision -- the values that pass into our brain from the outside world are upside down. Belief in the next world and its values helps us to flip things around upright and see them in their true perspective.