You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt becomes dull, what will you salt it with? It is good for nothing but to be thrown out and trodden on by people. You are the light of the world.
SACRED SCRIPTURE
Matthew 5:1-11
And when Jesus saw the multitude, he went up on the mountain, and sat down, and his disciples came to him; and he opened his mouth and taught them, saying:
"Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.
Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.
Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.
Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called children of God.
Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are you when they insult you and persecute you and slander you in any way for my sake. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward will be great in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets before you.
TEXTS FOR MEDITATION
This month, our retreat helps us to deepen our understanding of the Jubilee that the Church is celebrating under the theme 'A hope that does not disappoint'. This time of grace calls us to strengthen our Christian vocation as 'Salt of the earth and light of the world', exploring in the beatitudes the image of the true disciple of Jesus Christ. The 'paradoxes' of these teachings open our eyes to how God sees and values reality, a perspective very different from our own.
We are called to be light and salt in a world yearning for hope. However, our following of Jesus, even after many years, can be threatened by lukewarmness. We long to enter through the true Holy Door, which is Jesus Christ himself. As the Pope exhorts us in the Jubilee Bull: 'hope is founded on the love that flows from the Heart of Jesus'. We would like all men to cross this Holy Door to attain true peace, for each one and for the whole world, and that hope which does not disappoint.
BENEDICT XVI. Sunday, January 30, 2011
The Gospel presents the first great discourse that the Lord addresses to the people, high up on the gentle hills that surround the Lake of Galilee. When Jesus saw the multitude," writes St. Matthew, "he went up on the mountain, and sat down, and his disciples came to him, and he spoke and taught them"(Mt 5:1-2). Jesus, the new Moses, "sits on the "seat" on the mountain"(Jesus of Nazareth, Madrid 2007, p. 92) and proclaims "blessed" the poor in spirit, those who mourn, the merciful, those who hunger for justice, the pure in heart, the persecuted (cf. Mt 5:3-10). This is not a new ideology, but a teaching that comes from on high and touches the human condition, precisely that which the Lord, in becoming incarnate, wished to take upon himself in order to save it. For this reason, "the Sermon on the Mount is addressed to the whole world, in the present and in the future, and can only be understood and lived by following Jesus, walking with him"(Jesus of Nazareth, p. 96).
The Beatitudes are a new program of life, to free oneself from the false values of the world and to open oneself to the true goods, present and future. Indeed, when God consoles, satisfies the hunger for justice and wipes away the tears of those who weep, it means that, in addition to rewarding each one in a sensible way, he opens the kingdom of heaven. "The Beatitudes are the transposition of the cross and resurrection into the existence of the disciple"(ibid., p. 101). They reflect the life of the Son of God who allows himself to be persecuted, to be despised even to the point of condemnation to death, in order to give salvation to men.
An ancient hermit affirms: "The Beatitudes are gifts from God, and we should be very grateful to him for them and for the rewards that derive from them, that is, the kingdom of heaven in the future age, consolation here, the fullness of every good and mercy from God... once we are the image of Christ on earth" (Peter of Damascus, in Philocalia, vol. 3, Turin 1985, p. 79).
The Gospel of the Beatitudes comments on the very history of the Church, the history of Christian holiness, because, as St. Paul writes, "God has chosen the weak in the world to humble the powerful; he has chosen the contemptible, that which does not count, to bring to nothing that counts"(1 Cor 1:27-28). This is why the Church does not fear poverty, contempt and persecution in a society often attracted by material well-being and worldly power. St. Augustine reminds us that "what helps is not to suffer these evils, but to bear them for the name of Jesus, not only with a serene spirit, but even with joy"(De sermone Domini in monte, I, 5, 13: CCL 35, 13).
Dear brothers and sisters, let us invoke the Virgin Mary, the Blessed par excellence, asking for the strength to seek the Lord (cf. So 2:3) and to follow him always, with joy, along the path of the Beatitudes.
Examination of conscience
1. Jesus went up the mountain and taught them: "Blessed are the poor in spirit.... Blessed are those who mourn... the meek..." (Mt 5:1-12). When Jesus taught us the beatitudes, he outlined for us a way of life after his own heart. When I talk to God, do I ask him to give me insights on how I can live the beatitudes in my daily life?
2. "You know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that you through his poverty might become rich" (2 Cor 8:9). Within my economic and professional circumstances, have I allowed myself to be influenced by consumerism or do I know how to put the things and time I have at my disposal at the service of my mission? Does living with God give me serenity, confidence and a sense of humor in the face of a lack of money, time or physical or intellectual qualities that I would like to have?
The only good is to love God with all my heart and to be poor in spirit here below" (St. Thérèse of Lisieux). Do I try to understand that all I have is freely received from God and that the spirit of the Work leads me to use what is necessary to develop my vocation?
Those who sow in tears reap in songs of joy" (Psalm 125:5). How do I look to Jesus for comfort and peace? When dealing with others, in what ways could I transmit peace, consolation and joy?
Learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart, and you will find rest for your souls" (Mt 11:29-30). In what aspects do I need the light and strength of the Holy Spirit to be meek and humble like the Lord, also in my dealings with others?
6. In this Jubilee year, do I try to open my heart to receive the special graces of this time, including the Jubilee indulgence as often as possible? How do I try to be a sign of hope for others, reflecting in my daily life the peace and joy that come from Jesus Christ, our true Holy Door?