Fourth Sunday after Epihany

Listen

Texts

• Micah 6:1-8    
• Psalm 15      
• 1 Corinthians 1:18-31      
• Matthew 5:1-12

Children of God, little ones, beloved of God; those who make peace; those who are poor in spirit.

Merciful, we mourn for a world where power rules and in this place, as those who appear foolish, we say, listen principalities and powers look and see, we are meek but in Christ we inherit the earth. We reject peace through violence.

Your rule is over in this people. Meek, we weep, mourning for a world ruled by death, by those who speak violence, those who neglect the poor and despise the stranger, who fuel hate and division. This is a frightening moment, and we hunger for righteousness, for beauty, goodness and truth; for justice. We are filled as we see God, as we wait, as we tarry, as we trust, lingering in hope and expectation, receiving the gift of a pure heart, looking foolish.

Together with Christ, through his cross, we receive the rule of heaven. Poor in spirit, ridiculed and persecuted, the kingdom of heaven is ours. Spoken ill of, accused we are broken in time; tarred with the sins of the world and those who in our midst abuse.

In heaven all is healed; in God’s now flowing presence we join with those who speak peace; overflowing becoming, filled. These are blessings bought with a price, they cost a life as God’s ever-flowing forgiveness is revealed, forgiveness which is, always has been and always will be. Jesus is the alpha and the omega.

Micah speaks God’s word in our readings:

“With what shall I come before the LORD and bow myself before God on high? Shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves a year old? Will the LORD be pleased with thousands of rams, with ten thousands of rivers of oil? Shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?” He has told you, O mortal, what is good, and what does the LORD require of you but to do justice and to love kindness and to walk humbly with your God? 

And this is what it is to be a peacemaker- to be a child of God, a little one, beloved of God.

The psalm is our rallying call:

Walk blamelessly and do what is right and speak the truth from your heart;  do not slander with your tongue and do no evil to your friends nor heap shame upon your neighbours; in your eyes despise the wicked, do not idolise them, but honour those who fear the LORD whoever they might be; who stand by their oath even to their hurt- stand with them; do not lend money at interest and do not take a bribe against the innocent.

Those who do these things shall never be moved.

Are we wise?

In the foolishness of the Lord’s table, of the bread and wine that are Christ’s flesh and blood, true food and drink that nourishes now, always and always will; gathered let us bless the world. From the cross to the table let us join with Paul who tells us,

God chose what is low and despised in the world, things that are not, to abolish things that are, so that no one might boast in the presence of God. In contrast, God is why you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God, and righteousness

(I understand here goodness, truth and beauty), and sanctification (my understanding here is that God cleanses us through Christ’s sacrifice and forms us, pure in heart), and redemption (I say restored by grace to what we were created to be, light in the darkness), in order that, as it is written, “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.”

Grace and peace to you all.