November 22, 2011 - Knights of Columbus Bible Study: Universal Call to Holiness - A spiritual journey with Father Antonio O. Moreno

Opening Prayer:  Psalm 24

The Teaching of Jesus – A call to prayer

“Christian faith centers on the person of Jesus.  The early Christians clearly understood that Jesus was God moving among his people, that he was, the very Word of God made flesh, the first Christians were keenly interested in remembering, understanding and propagation Jesus’ teaching.” Fr. Robert Barron – Catholicism

“Jesus is the prophet, a teacher of the divine truth. He shows us the face of God and in so doing shows us the path that we have to take.  He points out the path of the true “Exodus.” Pope Benedict – Jesus of Nazareth

One of the fundamental problems in the spiritual order is that we attempt to satisfy it with some created good that is less than God.  St. Thomas Aquinas said that there are four typical substitutes for God, wealth, pleasure power, and honor.  The void within us pushes us to combine the four “concupiscence”/ “addiction” to try to satisfy the hunger for God with something less than God.

“What holds us back from a wholehearted response to the call of Jesus? – Not the external circumstances of our lives but the interior sluggishness in our hearts.  The source of all our unhappiness and misery is sin and it effects, and the sooner the purification of sin and its effects can take place in our life, the happier we will be and the better able to truly love others.  We are called to contemplation of the face of Christ.”  Blessed John Paul II


St. Matthew 4: 23-25 and 5: 1-3

St. Matthew 4: 23-25

V. 23      “He went around all of Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the gospel of the Kingdom, and curing every disease and illness among the people.

                Jesus is the teacher proclaiming the gospel of the Kingdom.  Jesus is our teacher, he teaches us how to pray and embrace the universal call to holiness.  Jesus invites us into his heart.  He calls us to hear his voice. Our call to prayer begins with Jesus teaching us to see creation through his eyes.

V.24   “His fame spread to all of Syria, and they brought him all who were sick with various diseases and racked with pain, those who were possessed, lunatics, and paralytics, and he heal them

                Jesus the healer call us to holiness through pray and reconciliation.  He calls us to allow him to heal our brokenness.

V.25   “And great crowds from Galilee, the Decapolis, Jerusalem, and Judea, and from beyond the Jordan followed him.”

                Jesus is the Messiah for all peoples. The proclamation of the gospel of the Kingdom of Heaven is a Universal call to holiness to all peoples.

St. Matthew 5: 1-3

V. 1   “When he saw the crowds, he went up the mountain, and after he had sat down, his disciples came to him.

                It is upon seeing the multitudes, sheep without a shepherd, that Jesus preaches the Sermon on the Mountain.  The Sermon on the Mountain not only comes from Jesus but it also leads us to Jesus.

1.       Crowds gathered to be healed and hear Jesus.  Why have you come?  What do you want to see?  What do you want to ask Jesus? Do you want to be healed? Do you want to encounter Jesus or just be a spectator?

2.       He went up the mountain.  Jesus is the New Moses, the prophet promised by Moses (Deut 18:15).  Jesus speaks to God face to face.  He invites us to know the Father.

3.       Jesus sat down.  A teacher in the ancient world would sit down to teach – he had authority.

4.       His disciples came to him.  To be holy we must come to Jesus to be healed and transformed into new life.

V. 2 “He began to teach them, Saying”

                1.  Jesus will teach us to pray

                2. Jesus will teach us about the gospel of the Kingdom

                3.  Jesus will teach us the way, the truth, and the life

V.3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit, theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”

1.  Jesus begins with “Makarios” (Greek for blessed or happy). Jesus promises to make         us happy.  Holiness is blessedness or happiness in the presence of God – fullness of life.

2.  St. Augustine “O Lord, you have made us for yourself, and therefore our hearts are restless until they rest in you.”

3.  What is happiness?

Modern concept:  something subjective, a state of consciousness, a feeling.  If you feel happy, you are happy.  Connotes a temporary state-for the moment, sometimes happiness depends on future change.

Biblical concept:  happiness is an objective state, not a subjective feeling. The objective of happiness is not within us but outside of us, it is in the person of Jesus (God). How was Jesus happy?  By doing the will of the Father and proclaiming the gospel of the Kingdom.

Jesus Christ does not call us to a new lifestyle but to a new life!

Why are we blessed if we are poor in spirit?  Because through detachment we given a new mind and heart in the person of Jesus.

The principle of the spiritual journey is detachment, detachment from our additions.

Additions means to be nailed down, our main additions are wealth, pleasure, power, and honor.  This first Beatitude confronts our additions and shows us the path to life.

Humility and contrition opens us to transformation.  To the healing power of Jesus and draws us out of our darkness.  Humility is the first principle virtue that Jesus teaches us – poor in spirit is the virtue of humility.  It is the parent of all virtues, as pride is the parent of all vice.