Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Dear friends!

Today’s Gospel presents the Lord’s first great discourse, something similar to the newly elected president’s discourse, where the program of His new order is condensed in a nutshell. Imagine Him now  encircled by the gentle hills of the Sea of Galilee. “Seeing the crowds… he went up on the mountain, and when he sat down his disciples came to him. And he opened his mouth and taught them” (Mt 5:1-2).

Our Lord Jesus, as the new Moses, “takes his seat on the cathedra of the mountain” (Benedict XVI, Jesus of Nazareth, Doubleday, New York 2007, p. 65) and proclaims “blessed” the poor in spirit, etc. It is a speech not about “happiness” (which just “happens”) but about True Joy. He does that by describing the traits of His own deep Joy. But what’s the secret of Jesus joyfulness? For sure He is the most joyful person in human history (He said His joy was complete), but what’s His secret?

Everything flows from His intimate relationship with The Abba (The Father). Every heart beat says “Abba, i love you, i trust in you, i thank you, your will be done”. From the heart of a child the first words are of Joy… here is the lil secret. This is beautiful, so I'll Invite you to stop and ponder this words addressed to you from His gentle heart and this gentle hill… He is asking us to embrace His paradoxical Joy. Everything in His lifestyle is paradoxical for us, is the way of the Light in the darkness. Just kiss and embrace the paradox and then we will understand it. Benedict XVI, now from perfect nearness to the Lord is whispering these words to us:  “the Beatitudes are the transposition of the Cross and Resurrection into discipleship” (ibid., p. 74).

Our Lady of Reconciliation, the Blessed and joyful par excellence, pray for us!

Fr. Remy Morales, SCV