Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time Year A 2023

Title

Seek Justice, Seek Humility

Outline

When the Church gets involved with worldly power it loses

This is true when it got involved with Rome in the Fourth Century, when it got involved with the Holy Roman Empire later, when it got involved with Mother Russia, when it got involved with various Latin American Regimes, and when it gets involved with power and politics in the USA or Canada on either side of the political divide.

The power of this world seems to help the Church in its objectives, but ends up both corrupting and tainting the Church and its objectives.

In my family a vivid picture is when the Church in general and the Gray Nuns in particular got involved in the residential school scheme that the government saw as ultimately assimilating the Native Americans into the Canadian culture. While there were many abuses, some of them due to the government rather than Church entities, my son-in-law’s grandmother was, as he put it, imprisoned in a hospital/school run by the Gray Nuns, for a while losing her baby, and, upon getting sprung from the situation, preferring an abusive boyfriend who prostituted her to returning. That marked the next two plus generations of the family - only my son-in-law finding healing in Jesus due to meeting my daughter.

I use the personal example because it is current and because it is where the generalization touches me and my family, so it is specific.

Our texts encourage the Church to take another route

Zephaniah says, “Seek the Lord, all you humble of the land, who have observed his law; Seek justice, seek humility.” The remnant is not those who find a place in the administration of the great powers of that day, but those who humbly seek the Lord in the land.

Paul tells us that rather than seeking out the rich and powerful, the movers and shakers who could promote the fledgling Christian movement, “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.”

He had a reason, the purity of the good news, “so that no human being might boast before God.” The humble station and attitude of the believers mean that Christ remained the center, for they were 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.””

Finally Jesus tells us that the blessed are “the poor who have the spirit of the poor,” “those who mourn,” “the meek,” “those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,” and also those who care for these down-and-out folk, “the merciful,” “the clean or pure in heart,” “the peacemakers,” and “those persecuted for the sake of righteousness.” They will participate in Jesus’ reward/blessedness for “they insult you and persecute you and utter every kind of evil against you [falsely] because of me.”

We must remember that Mother Theresa never had political power, but she had kingdom influence because she worshipped deeply and out of that cared for the poorest of the poor. I am not sure any piece of legislation anywhere can be traced to her nor that she was the recipient of government largesse, but I am sure that a vast number of hearts were changed because of her.

Sisters, this is something to remember and store in your hearts

Let our joy be very muted about notable Church leaders being invited to address Congress or advise the President or its equivalent in other lands. Let our joy be muted about laws that try to force Christian behavior on society - it will create a backlash against the Church and Christian behavior if law comes before rather than after conversion of heart.

Let us rejoice rather in the powerful and influential who leave that to do works of mercy out of love of Christ and in the poor and mourning and those suffering injustice being given a caring home in the Church in his name.

But more than that, let us rejoice if we are the humble of the earth whose only hope is Jesus, for then we will indeed be attracting more disciples to Jesus and in the end will receive his blessedness even as the structures of this world receive something else.

Readings

Catholic Daily Readings 1-29-2023: Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time

FIRST READING

Zephaniah 2:3, 3:12–13

3 Seek the LORD,

all you humble of the land,

who have observed his law;

Seek justice,

seek humility;

Perhaps you will be sheltered

on the day of the LORD’s anger.

12 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—

13 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 lie down

with none to disturb them.

Catholic Daily Readings 1-29-2023: Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time

RESPONSE

Matthew 5:3

3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit,

for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

PSALM

Psalm 146:6–10

6 The maker of heaven and earth,

the seas and all that is in them,

Who keeps faith forever,

7 secures justice for the oppressed,

who gives bread to the hungry.

The LORD sets prisoners free;

8 the LORD gives sight to the blind.

The LORD raises up those who are bowed down;

the LORD loves the righteous.

9 The LORD protects the resident alien,

comes to the aid of the orphan and the widow,

but thwarts the way of the wicked.

10 The LORD shall reign forever,

your God, Zion, through all generations!

Hallelujah!

Catholic Daily Readings 1-29-2023: Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time

SECOND READING

1 Corinthians 1:26–31

26 Consider your own calling, brothers. Not many of you were wise by human standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. 27 Rather, God chose the foolish of the world to shame the wise, and God chose the weak of the world to shame the strong, 28 and God chose the lowly and despised of the world, those who count for nothing, to reduce to nothing those who are something, 29 so that no human being might boast before God. 30 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, 31 so that, as it is written, “Whoever boasts, should boast in the Lord.”

Catholic Daily Readings 1-29-2023: Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time

GOSPEL ACCLAMATION

Matthew 5:12a

12 Rejoice and be glad, for your reward will be great in heaven. Thus they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

GOSPEL

Matthew 5:1–12a

1 When he saw the crowds, he went up the mountain, and after he had sat down, his disciples came to him. 2 He began to teach them, saying:

3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit,

for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

4 Blessed are they who mourn,

for they will be comforted.

5 Blessed are the meek,

for they will inherit the land.

6 Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness,

for they will be satisfied.

7 Blessed are the merciful,

for they will be shown mercy.

8 Blessed are the clean of heart,

for they will see God.

9 Blessed are the peacemakers,

for they will be called children of God.

10 Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness,

for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

11 Blessed are you when they insult you and persecute you and utter every kind of evil against you [falsely] because of me. 12 Rejoice and be glad, for your reward will be great in heaven. Thus they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

Notes

Catholic Daily Readings 1-29-2023: Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time

SUNDAY, JANUARY 29, 2023 | ORDINARY TIME

FOURTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME

YEAR A | ROMAN MISSAL | LECTIONARY

First Reading Zephaniah 2:3, 3:12–13

Response Matthew 5:3

Psalm Psalm 146:6–10

Second Reading 1 Corinthians 1:26–31

Gospel Acclamation Matthew 5:12a

Gospel Matthew 5:1–12a

GREEN