(Please read the Scripture passage before reading the homily.)
We begin a series of readings from the Gospel according to Matthew. We finished the series of the Gospel according to Mark last week. We shall hear from Matthew’s account until almost the end of August.
Both Matthew and Luke follow roughly the same outline provided by Mark, but each arranges the material and adds new material according to the purposes each has for writing and according to the talent given each for writing. Matthew, for instance, presents Jesus as a new Moses and divides his material into five sections, much like the first five books of the Bible. Luke, on the other hand, highlights women and God’s mercy. The additional material used by Matthew and Luke is often attributed to a source given by the initial Q (from the German Quell which means source).
We pick up Matthew’s narrative after the birth of Jesus and his call to the first disciples. We call this section the Eight Beatitudes, from the first word of each statement (in Latin, beati giving us beati-tudes). Each statement announces something that will make us blessed or happy. In one sense, each beatitude says the same thing, but different words.
Jesus announces blessed all those who submit to God. These are the poor is spirit, the mourners, the meek, the hungry and thirsty for justice, the merciful, the clean of heart, the peacemakers, and all the persecuted. Jesus announces these people blessed and great in heaven because these are the ones who have submitted themselves to God’s way of doing things.
Welcome to the kingdom.