The Sánchez Archives FOURTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME Year A

By
Patricia Datchuck Sánchez

Declaration of Independence

ZEPHANIAH 2:3, 3:12-13
1 CORINTHIANS 1:26-31
MATTHEW 5:1-12

On July 2, 1776, the Second Continental Congress meeting in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania approved Richard Henry Lee’s motion that the thirteen colonies in North America declare their independence from British rule. On July 4 of that year, a day which later came to be celebrated as Independence Day, the Congress approved the Declaration. Since then, human history has been punctuated with many such declarations of independence. Over 40 countries on the continent of Africa alone have so declared. With the recent dissolution of the Soviet Union, maps have had to be redrawn in order to include the more than a dozen newly independent republics. For the past fifteen years, several areas of eastern Europe have been involved in a struggle for independence; conflicting ethnic groups with differing ideologies have engaged in a war which has irreparably affected millions of people. The clamor for independence can be heard everywhere, from Hong Kong in the east to the Basque country in the west.

Independence, self-rule and the prerogative of determining one’s own direction, goals and priorities have perennial appeal for most human beings. But, as is often the case, the readings for today’s liturgy invite us to consider a different perspective; today the proclaimed word challenges us not to glory in the fact of our independence or self-reliance but rather to make a Declaration of Dependence. . . dependence on God.

In order to formulate such a declaration, it is first necessary to stand in truth before God. There, in the truth of who he is, and who we are before him, awareness grows. He is Creator and Redeemer; I am a sinner in need of renewal and redemption. He is All and I stand in need of all.

Zephaniah, in the first reading, describes those who stand in truth before God as the humble of the earth. The word humble, from the Latin root humus (which means ground or soil) refers to that earthy, both-feet-on-the-ground-approach to life which does not dissemble or prevaricate. From his/her vantage point of truth, the humble person acknowledges that need for God which in integral to his/her very being. In a word, the truly humble person makes a declaration of dependence on God. The prophet Zephaniah described this declaration as being sheltered by the Lord and taking refuge in his name.

Paul, in his letter to the Corinthians (second reading), also called his readers to examine themselves honestly before God. By so doing, they would have to admit that they were not particularly wise or influential. Nor were they well-born or strong; rather they were low born and despised. Nevertheless, God chose to give them life in Jesus, by whom he justified, sanctified and redeemed them. Given their situation, the only wise thing to do would be to boast of the Lord’s goodness and to declare their dependence on him.

Today’s gospel periscope from Matthew introduces the Great Sermon (Matthew 5-7) by declaring blest those who have recognized and acknowledged their dependence on God, viz. the poor in spirit, the sorrowing, the lowly, those who hunger and thirst for holiness, the merciful, the single-hearted, the peacemakers and the persecuted.

Each of the inspired authors of today’s readings, Zephaniah, Paul and Matthew, has made a motion, as it were, a motion that each of us consider making a Declaration of Dependence on God. Do you second the motion? What say you?

ZEPHANIAH 2:3, 3:12-13

Over one hundred years before Zephaniah ministered as prophet to his people, Amos (ca. 783-743 B.C.E.) warned of the destruction which would befall the unfaithful, prideful and self-reliant. A southerner from Tekoa in Judah, Amos was sent by God to the northern kingdom of Israel with an appeal to return to that covenantal fidelity and dependence on God which was to be the central focus of God’s chosen ones. As Amos called his contemporaries to “Seek good and not evil” and to “Seek Yahweh and so find life” (Amos 5:4, 14), he also warned that there would be no chance of escaping God’s justice. It will be, said Amos, “as when a man escapes a lion’s mouth only to meet a bear; he enters his house and puts his hand on the wall, only for a snake to bite him!” (Amos 5:19-20). Faced with such gruesome prospects, his hearers asked the prophet if anyone would survive. His response was as graphic as his warning: “Like a shepherd rescuing a couple of legs or a bit of an ear from the lion’s mouth, so will these sons of Israel be rescued. . .” (Amos 3:12). Amos’ description of couple of legs or bit of an ear, snatched from the jaws of a lion is the first scriptural reference to the remnant (see also Amos 5:15, 9:8) of Israel, and the foundation of a theological motif which would be developed by later prophets and would come to full flower in the Christian scriptures.

As prophesied, Israel was destroyed and as promised, a remnant did survive. Zephaniah, successor of Amos and prophet to his people during the reign of Josiah (ca. 640-609 B.C.E.) reprised Amos’ message and warned that Judah would know a similar fate. But like his predecessor, Zephaniah also promised that God would preserve a remnant; the humble who do no wrong and speak no lies and who in truth remain dependent on God, will live. To the humble remnant or anawim (in Hebrew) belong the promise of a secure future; “they shall pasture and couch their flocks with none to disturb them” (vs. 13).

Albert Gelin, the preeminent scholar on the motif of the anawim, once explained, “The oracle of Zephaniah (3:11-13) announced the future realization of an ideal which he could see taking place before his eyes and which he had helped to realize. He insisted that poverty be substituted for pride. . .” and called for “the rectitude of the whole moral life.” (The Poor of Yahweh, The Liturgical Press, Collegeville: 1964).

Today, Zephaniah’s challenge to be humble, lowly and dependent, may seem even less appealing than it did to his contemporaries. Self-determination and self-reliance are the by-words of most of contemporary society.

But it is precisely the spirituality of the remnant or anawim that Jesus would demand of his followers, calling them and us to ask each day’s bread in total dependence on the Father, to set our hearts first on the kingdom, to store up only treasures that will last, to stand in truth before God and to pray, “have mercy on me, a sinner!” Offering himself as an example of the spirit of dependence to which he called his disciples, Jesus invited, “Learn from me, for I am meek and humble (tapeinos in Greek; anaw in Hebrew) of heart.” (Matthew 11:28).

1 CORINTHIANS 1:26-31

In any given congregation gathered together for liturgical worship, an interesting phenomenon can be observed. People from every social class, from varying athnic backgrounds, and from different economic situations, people of all ages, of both genders, and from all races. . . people with differing levels of intellectual and physical ability. . . people of every mood and character and every size and shape have come together in one place, at the same time for only one reason. . . because God has chosen to call each of them to himself and has give each one called the grace necessary to respond to him. Paul had made a similar observation regarding the Christian community in Corinth and in an effort to focus their attention on God rather than on themselves, he reminded them of that fact.

Granted, the early church did include among its members some people of high rank in society, e.g. Dionysius of Athens [(Acts 17:34), Sergius Paulus, the proconsul of Crete (Acts 13:6-12), Lydia, the fabric merchant from Thyatira (Acts 16:12-15) and Erastus, city comptroller of Corinth (Romans 16:33)], but for the most part, Christianity appealed to simple, humble people many of whom were slaves. Slaves in the ancient world were regarded as “living tools” and the property of their master who could use, abuse, and discard them as he wished. In describing the dignity which baptism imparted, William Barclay said, “Christianity made people who were things into real men and women, more, into sons and daughters of God”; it gave those who had no respect their self-respect. . . it told men who in the eyes of the world were worthless, that, in the eyes of God they were worth the death of his only Son.” (The Daily Study Bible, St. Andrew’s Press, Edinburgh: 1975).

Recalling the fact that few among them (Corinthians) were wise, influential or well-born, Paul underscored the fact that intelligence, affluence and social status are of no consequence in the realm of faith and religion. Indeed, as Paul Wrightman pointed out, “the pitfall of all three is that they easily lead to self-sufficiency, and thus eventually to self-destruction.” (Paul’s Early Letters, Alba House, New York: 1983).

To deepen their awareness of their absolute dependency on God, Paul told the Corinthians three times that God chose them (twice in vs. 27, once in vs. 28). Then he set forth what has been called the Pauline gospel. Having thus chosen, not the wise but the absurd, not the strong but the weak, not the well-born and esteemed but the low-born and the despised, God gave them life in Christ Jesus. It is he who is the wisdom, justice, sanctification and redemption (vs. 30) of the believer. In other words, Jesus is the reason for and source of all knowledge of God, of being in right relationship with God, of holiness and of salvation.

Although we live in a church almost two thousand years older than the Corinthian community, Jesus continues to be the reason that each of us has come here today. God has chosen each of us and blessed us with life in him. For our part, we can only humbly, gratefully declare our dependence on him.

MATTHEW 5:1-12

After the thirteen North American colonies declared their independence from Great Britain and the rule of King George III, the new federation set about the task of organizing itself and identifying itself apart from its European origins. As a result of their efforts to organize and to define themselves, the first thirteen states formulated (1787) and later ratified the fundamental law of their new government, viz. the Constitution of the United States of America. The oldest written national document still in operation, the Constitution defines the principal organs of government, their jurisdictions and the basic rights of all citizens.

In a sense, the Matthean community of the eighties C.E. found itself in circumstances comparable to the early colonists. Certain events had made it necessary for the community to organize and to define itself apart from its Jewish matrix. When Jerusalem and the temple were destroyed by Titus (Roman general) in 70 C.E., both Jews and Christians were forced from the city. In order to survive and preserve their traditions, a group of Jewish scholars, under the leadership of Rabbi Johannen ben Zakkai, gathered at Jammia near the Mediterranean coast. Here the “academy of Jamnia offset fragmentation by asserting the rabbis’ authority as interpreters of the law and regulators of Jewish life.” (Donald Senior, What Are They Saying About Matthew?, Paulist Press, New York: 1983). Part of their efforts at reorganization included the expulsion of pagans, or other heretical groups from their midst. It was at this point (ca. 85 C.E.) that Jewish Christians, who were labelled as minim (Hebrew) or heretics were officially expelled from the Jewish community and from the synagogue.

Many scholars following the lead of W.D. Davies are convinced that Matthew’s gospel, and in particular the Great Sermon, was “a Christian response to Jamnia” (The Sermon on the Mount, Cambridge University Printing Press, House, Cambridge: 1966). Because of the breach between Church and synagogue and because of the increasing number of Gentile Christians, the Matthean community had to identify itself apart from and yet still somehow rooted in Judaism. In addition to establishing its identity, the church was also required to organize itself around a new source of authority.

Whereas formerly the Torah or law had been their guide and inspiration, it became necessary for Christians to adapt, as it were, a new law or constitution. In the Great Sermon, the Matthean community was able to find its new identity and its new authority; both of which found their source in Jesus.

Jesus came not as abolisher but as the fulfiller of the law; as such he is presented in the Great Sermon as teaching, “You have heard it said”, or “You have heard the commandment”. . . “but I say to you” (Matthew 5:22-48). For Christians, Jesus, in his words and works is the new source of authority and teaching. In helping them to find their true identity, Jesus called his disciples to live according to the spirit of the anawim, the humble remnant who declare dependence on God who is source of their life and joy.

Called “blest” are the poor in spirit who have surrendered self-will and self-reliance and every other base of security to welcome the reign of God. Also blest are the sorrowing, the lowly, and those who hunger and thirst for holiness. These are basic dispositions of need before God and for the believer to so identify himself/herself is to become open to receiving his gifts. The final four beatitudes, describe those whose dependence on God has made them sharers in the task of preaching and furthering his reign. The merciful, the single-hearted, the peacemakers and the persecuted are thereby blest because of their identification with Jesus, in his person and in his mission.

Today, the words of the beatitudes invite us to consider anew our dependence on God, to acknowledge him as the supreme authority in our lives and to find the source of our identity in him.

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