-
Pope Benedict XVI (Joseph Ratzinger) writes in his book Jesus of Nazareth about the Sermon on the Mount and focuses on each Beatitude. Benedict writes that the third Beatitude, Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the land, is mostly about peace that is connected to freedom and land. Just as the Israelites longed for their own land, the new Israel (Christians) also long for a place to live in obedience to God. This idea that God promises land as a place that allows an openness to God, a place that is free from the temptations of the world, is a concept that must be explored more fully. Benedict goes on to say that "Israel was scattered across the world so that it might everywhere create space for God and thus fulfill the purpose of creation suggested by the first creation account [in Genesis1:1-2:4]." I may be out of my depth here but it appears that Benedict is making a connection between the old and new that signals a call to all Christians. It reignites the urgency that Christ first asks of us, namely that we spread the gospel to all people. That concept is somewhat foreign to many Catholics who prefer to go to Mass each Sunday and then leave the work of the Church to the priests and bishops. But we cannot sustain this model and the weakness of this model has surely been revealed over and over again. We are called as disciples of the Lord to spread the word. We are the Israelites who have been dispersed throughout the earth to bring the Good News to all people. Benedict writes in another section of this discussion of the third Beatitude that "Every Eucharistic assembly is for us Christians a place where the king of peace reigns...The universal communion of Christ's Church is thus a preliminary sketch of the world of tomorrow, which is destined to become the land of Jesus Christ's peace."  Is this the land that Jesus promised in the Beatitude? If so, is your church a land of peace? Is it a place where Christians are drawn to be free to worship and celebrate God? If so, how are you contributing to this "world of tomorrow"? If not, what can you do to make it so? Is there a meekness in your church that promotes this peace? We have talked before on this blog about the danger of allowing strife to build in your church. This meekness that Jesus is talking about is beneficial to your future and allows the peacemakers to work in the world. We are all called to be these peacemakers. Are you going to be meek for the Lord? Are you going to be part of the new Israel?

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Finding St Anthony Among the Lost Items

-
Image
Saint Anthony of Padua, though often associated with finding lost articles, was primarily known in his lifetime as a powerful and eloquent preacher. Originally a Canon Regular of St. Augustine, he was inspired to join the newly formed Franciscan order after witnessing the martyrdom of the first Franciscan missionaries in Morocco. His conversion to the mendicant life under St. Francis of Assisi transformed him, deepening his commitment to poverty, humility, and evangelical preaching. Gifted with profound theological knowledge and a captivating speaking style, he traveled across Italy and France, drawing immense crowds with his clear and passionate sermons, converting many and combating heresy with his unwavering faith and intellectual rigor. Beyond his public ministry, St. Anthony was a mystic who enjoyed profound spiritual experiences, most notably a vision of the Infant Jesus. This intimate connection with the Christ Child is a hallmark of his iconography, often depicting him c...
Read more
-
Kurt Hilgefort, is a Catholic father of six who publishes his thoughts on his blog Shadows of Augustine . He responded to my seven question survey with the following answers. Kurt is the first layperson to respond to the seven question survey and I think that his experience is extremely relevant to me personally and I hope that you are inspired by his thoughts as well. If you would like to respond, please send an email to fellmananthony@gmail.com with your thoughts and I will be happy to publish them as well. 1. What is the biggest challenge to your faith that you have faced so far? The biggest challenge for me has been the whole dying to self thing. On an intellectual level, there are no barriers. It comes down to a matter of accepting the authority of the Church that Christ founded upon Peter. My challenge is not in the intellect, but rather in the will. The challenge for me has always been to continually seek conversion. I want to be transformed, but I want it to be over all ...
Read more

Jesus Came to End Death and to Build a Church

-
Image
The twelve apostles chosen by Jesus formed the bedrock of the early Church , and their Catholic identity is deeply rooted in their direct relationship with Christ and the mission He entrusted to them. The Catechism of the Catholic Church highlights this foundational role, stating that Jesus "instituted the Twelve as 'the seeds of the new Israel and the beginning of the sacred hierarchy'" ( CCC 860 ). These men were not simply followers; they were handpicked by Jesus, lived intimately with Him, witnessed His miracles and teachings firsthand, and were specifically commissioned to preach the Gospel to all nations ( Matthew 28:19-20 ). Their unique position as eyewitnesses to the life, death, and resurrection of Christ, and their reception of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, established them as the authoritative leaders of the nascent Church, a reality echoed in the writings of early Church Fathers like Ignatius of Antioch, who emphasized the apostles' authority as repre...
Read more