The Sermon on the Mount

Last Sunday, the readings for the Fourth Sunday of Ordinary Time were replaced by those of the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord.  Unfortunately, we missed the gospel reading of the Beatitudes (Mt 5:1-12).  This Sunday’s gospel (Mt 5:13-16) and the Sundays leading up to Lent are a continuation of what has traditionally been called the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7; Luke 6:20-49).  The Sermon is early in our Lord’s public ministry; it has a prologue of Jesus traveling around, and it begins with the Beatitudes and ends with the “Parable of the Two Foundations.” The Navarre Bible Commentary sums up the Sermon with five main themes:

1. The attitude a person must have for entering the Kingdom of heaven (the Beatitudes, the salt of the earth, the light of the world, Jesus and His teaching, the fullness of the Law).

2. Uprightness of intention in religious practices (here the Our Father would be included).

3. Trust in God’s fatherly providence.

4. How God’s children should behave towards one another (not judging one’s neighbor, respect for holy things, the effectiveness of prayer and the golden rule of charity).

5. The conditions for entering the Kingdom (the narrow gate, false prophets and building on rock).

Vital to these teachings of Jesus Christ in the Sermon is the perfection of the Mosaic Law rather than its elimination.  “Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets. I have come not to abolish but to fulfill” (Mt 5:17); “Do to others whatever you would have them do to you. This is the law and the prophets” (Mt 7:12).  Jesus Christ presents Himself as the New Moses.  Like Moses going up Mount Sinai to retrieve the Law, Jesus ascends the mountain to teach the New Law.  St. Matthew accounts the disciples following Christ up the mountain, a sign that the New Law consists of encountering Jesus Christ Himself—not just His teaching.  He begins His discourse with the Beatitudes, His plan of how each believer can obtain blessedness—true happiness—amidst the tribulations of this world.  They are promises of definite salvation, though not in this world.  I will return to the theme of the Beatitudes during Lent, and this Sunday I will treat the themes of salt and light in my homily.  It is my hope that these teachings and reflections on the Sermon in the coming Sundays will help you to find true blessedness in your work and prayer amidst the coldness of winter.