Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Matthew 5:1-12a

 

So you want to build a house.  Step one: clear the land.  Get rid of the rocks, the stones, the bushes, the trees.  Even out the uneven spots and dig a little to prepare for the foundation.  Step two:  Pour the foundation. The thing which will anchor the structure and give it strength and endurance.  Step three:  build the house according to the blueprint.  The blueprint which lays out the dimensions, the designs, the rooms, the windows, the doors, the electrical wiring, the pipes, etc.  If you start building without a well thought out blueprint your house will look like some lopsided structure out of a Dr. Seuss book.  And it won’t last long, most likely, because it won’t be structurally sound.

 

And so it is when we build a life of faith; when we build a relationship with our God.  First, as we saw during Advent, we need to clear the land of anything that will stand in the way of our relationship with Our Lord.  Only by ridding ourselves of these obstacles will we be able to receive and embrace God’s love for us.  Knowing we are loved by God is certainly “step one” in our faith.  Then, lay the foundation.  The Ten Commandments are the foundation of our faith. Certainly knowing what not to do in faith is important (thou shalt not lie, steal, kill, covet) but knowing what’s most important – I am the Lord thy God, thou shall have no other gods before me – is key.  The all knowing, all powerful and all loving God is first and foremost.  A foundation.  Then, the blueprint: the Beatitudes. In the Beatitudes Jesus presents to us everything that is needed to build a life of faith, and to make sure it is structurally sound. 

 

It is important to note that each of the eight blessings have something in common.  They each require that we surrender ourselves to God and turn away from what human nature and society tell us. Human nature and society tell us to take charge.  Be the master of your fate, the captain of your destiny.  Take care of number one.  Self-reliance; self-determination. But the beatitudes are a blueprint written with the ink of humility. Put God, and those created in God’s image first.  Only then will our house of faith be structurally sound.

 

One final thought:  What kind of house of faith do I want to build?  One where I can easily lock all the doors and windows to keep others out?  Or one where all are welcome.  A house where hatred, selfishness and discord are discussed and practiced?  Or one where all can find a safe haven with love, mercy, peace, hope and comfort?

 

We have the blueprint.  Let’s go to work.

 

 

“Call Me Ishmael”

Turn towards Me.

 In today’s Gospel, Matthew 4:12–23, Jesus officially begins His ministry. John the Baptist has just been arrested, so Jesus leaves and goes to Galilee. This is where He fulfills the prophecy of Isaiah—a place where those in darkness would see a great light. He was going to help the blind see. His message was simple and direct: “Repent, for the kingdom of Heaven is close at hand.”

While walking along the Sea of Galilee, Jesus encounters Peter and Andrew, who were fishermen. They become His first disciples. He says to them, “Come after me, and I will make you fishers of people.” With that call, the ministry begins. Jesus goes on to meet several other disciples, and together they travel throughout Galilee, preaching the Word.

When John the Baptist was arrested, Jesus went to Galilee—not to hide, but to move away from attention. He wanted to be among the “regular” people. It is among ordinary people that He chose to grow His ministry. Jesus makes it clear that power and worldly possessions have no place in what He is doing. He works best with the broken, the misguided, and the often misunderstood. His message of repentance speaks perfectly to those who have been living out of step with His teachings.

The call to repentance is a call to change. Often, when we hear the word repent, we think we are being chastised or judged. The truth is that Jesus calls us to repent out of love. He wants us to redirect our lives. He wants us to turn away from the world and look toward the Lord. “Repent, for the kingdom of Heaven is close at hand.” A simple yet powerful request.

How many times has Jesus asked you to look away from the world and turn toward Him? How many times have you found yourself in darkness, waiting for the light of Christ to enter your heart? So many of us struggle in life, and I believe the solution is as simple as the message in today’s Gospel: repent. Change your ways and draw closer to the Lord. Let go of the past and start fresh. Begin living a life as a follower of Christ, just as the disciples did when they simply followed Him. We are called to do the same.

The disciples are the perfect examples of what it means to be a follower of Christ. Each one of them was broken in his own way. They were not the “perfect candidates” to start a ministry—yet Jesus chose them, just as He chooses you and me. They were not powerful in a worldly sense. Their power came from something else. The power of a disciple rests in faith in Christ. That is real power. That is the light and freedom the prophet Isaiah spoke of. Today, we are reminded to turn away from the world, look toward the Lord, and know that the kingdom of Heaven is close at hand.

Rank

 The Gospel this coming Sunday is a familiar one.  John the Baptist gives way to, and recognizes, Jesus' authority as the Son of God.  (John 1:29-34). John remarks that "a man is coming after me who ranks ahead of me".

Rank.  We often think of rank as the idea that someone with a higher rank directs and controls someone with a lower rank.  But shouldn't it be the opposite?  Shouldn't the person of higher rank serve those beneath them, while guiding their actions and helping them fulfill their role in the overall mission?  Jesus thought so.  He was the Son of God, yet served to the point of His own obedient death.  

Unfortunately, our governmental "leaders" can often fail to see this.  They think of themselves as "in charge", to their own benefit, rather than to the benefit of their constituents.  Indeed, their benefit is too often to the detriment of their constituents.  

Jesus never fails to see what true leadership means.  And He gives us His example and encourages us to follow it.  Let us always try to remember what true leadership looks like.

 - The Older Brother

 

Legs of Faith

Matthew 3: 13-17 (January 11, 2026)

O’ Lord, only You can rise up from the river and inspire me to serve others and heal a broken world.

Lord, help me to put on “legs of faith” so I may carry on a legacy of love and finish the race with dignity.

Praise to the Divine Fountainhead!

O’ Lord, You remain the God of liminality who is outside my world of human senses and who incites the Gospel into my heart.

Lord, make me an elder of humanity whose tiny spark of faith will incite an explosion of faith in others.

Glory to my Beloved!

Holy Scout, I am not worthy to follow You on this mysterious journey, but I cannot resist or retreat from Your call.

Lord, You are the guide to righteousness and the Divine agent of change who draws all who listen with their hearts.

Praise to the Divine Inspiration!

Divine Shepherd, I stand in awe before You, the consummation of love who is the Christ of the Martyrs and of the desert fathers.

Lord, immerse me into the holy water of life and empower me to continue the quest I have been assigned that will bring Glory to You.

Glory to the Author of Mankind!

                                                                                      The Pilgrim

 

In this week’s Gospel passage, we are presented with the story of the Magi; wise men, we are told, traveling from “the East.”

Unlike the Scribes who had the benefit of books, who knew how to map the coordinates, and did not hesitate when Herod asked where the baby King would be born, the Magi were foreigners. They had pilgrim hearts and the courage it takes to walk towards the light they had been studying.  The truth was shared with the Scribes but they didn’t have what the journey requires... a steadfast desire for more. The Magi were seekers... they recognized the invitation in the bright star and wanted to pursue what it offered.

As we navigate our cities, shops, workplaces, and homes this week, let’s consider three things we find in the movement of the Magi towards Bethlehem...

First, these wise men originally went to Jerusalem because something so great surely must be happening in a place of power and prestige; they were wrong.  This kind of King is found in the eyes and laughter of children, in the love relationships we hold dear, in the integrity of our lives, in the muck and challenge of our humanity.  Our journey to find the baby brings us back to where we already are with eyes and heart anew... seek Him there!

Second, the Magi brought the best they had to offer; gold, frankincence, and myrrh.

·       Gold was the appropriate gift for a King. It represents the best of our work and influence.  When we are at the peak of our performance, we must pause and offer this back to the One who it truly belongs to. 

·       Frankincense is used in churches and temples.  As the smoke rises and the aroma fills the space, we can think of this as representation of our interior lives; it’s the aroma of our character as followers of the Christ. Let’s challenge ourselves to bring the scent of our spiritual lives out into the open.  As men, we are often uncomfortable in the vulnerability required to allow this part of ourselves to rise up as the gift it is intended to be in this world filled with such longing for witnesses to the Gospel.

·       Myrrh, an embalming ointment, and a strange gift for a baby.  Let’s consider this as representing where we are vulnerable and wounded.  It’s the grief and sorrow we carry over bad decisions and broken relationships.  Here is where we are invited to lay ourselves bear before the King, acknowledging that we are tired, hurting, unsure, scared, and in need.

We offer these gifts not because the Savior, Messiah, King, the Christ needs them but because WE NEED TO LET THEM GO.

And, lastly, after offering these gifts of our most intimate and imperfect selves, we do as the Magi and return home “another way.” A true encounter of the Christ and handing over who we are to His loving embrace... and if, no – WHEN we feel ourselves slipping back to old habits, anger, isolation, we recall the journey of the Magi and pivot towards the Light. 

~Ignar, the Pilgrim Prophet