Epiphany 4 | Ordinary Time 4, Cycle A
With selections from Psalm 15 as the leadoff text and the Beatitudes of Matthew 5 as the anchor text, it is obvious that the overriding theme of the readings selected for this coming weekend is basically “Happiness is…” Biblically speaking, happiness is experienced in the Presence of God. Happiness is the condition of those who do what is right in the sight of God. Happiness is the state of being for the People of God in the kingdom of God, wherever God, rather than some earthly oppressive ruler, is king.
Within the general framework of these texts, happiness is various things for diverse people at different times. Let us look briefly at what happiness was for the People of God in the four situations depicted in these texts. Then perhaps we can look at what happiness is for us and what it may be for the People of God who will be worshiping God together with us this coming weekend.
Psalm 15
This psalm has similarities with Psalm 1, the opening psalm in the Psalter, though the emphasis here is less on the commandments of God and more on simply living righteously. The person who is honest, considerate, and helpful will have a clear conscience and a happy life within the congregation of those who worship the Lord.
Micah 6:1-8
In this Micah reading, the happiness theme is certainly in the final portion, verses 6-8. The rather severe self-criticism apparent in 6:1-5 was undoubtedly a matter of earnest concern at the time this message was first proclaimed, but in terms of Christian usage, 6:6-8 is the portion that has the closest contact with the other readings for this day.
Happiness for the People of God in the Presence of God is simply to “do justice” in all relationships, to “show mercy,” and to “live and walk humbly” with your God. The interpretation that our proper position with respect to God is a position of humility, or at least of modesty, is the point of contact between this text and the Beatitudes of Matthew 5.
1 Corinthians 1:18-31
Happiness in 1 Corinthians 1:18-31 is found in relationship with Christ Jesus, through whom we have “wisdom,” “righteousness,” “holiness,” and “redemption.” We boast in our relationship with Jesus as the Christ, not in our own wisdom, not in our own righteousness, not in our own holiness, nor in our own redemption.
Matthew 5:1-12
Most of us as Christians are more familiar with the Beatitudes of Matthew 5:1-12 than we are with similar beatitudes in the psalms and in texts such as Deuteronomy 28:1-14. Careful comparison of Matthew 5:1-12 and Luke 6:17, 20-23 with similar beatitudes in our Older Testament indicates Matthew 5:1-12 is probably a collection gathered from among many “Happiness Sayings” expressed by Jesus in a variety of settings and remembered by his closest followers. In addition, followers of Jesus may have added to early collections of beatitudes of Jesus additional beatitudes of their own, in view of their experiences within their changing situations later during the first century. The final two beatitudes in Matthew 5:11-12 appear to have their life situation in the experiences of the Matthean church.
True happiness does not consist in having more material things than we can possibly use or consume, but in being dependent on God and on having a good relationship with God. The poor, mourning, kind, considerate, oppressed Jews in Galilee and Judea among whom Jesus lived and worked and followers of Jesus who were poor, mourning, kind, considerate, and oppressed later within the first century probably understood and appreciated these beatitudes more clearly and more fully than most of us who are not oppressed and poor understand and appreciate them. They were poor because the Romans and the Roman occupational forces oppressed them personally, economically, and socially. They mourned because the Romans crucified Jesus and other leaders among them. They were meek because there were no other options for them in the political situation in which they lived. In spite of all of this oppression, they were blessed and were happy because the Jesus of history had given them hope by pointing them toward God, and later they were given hope through their relationship with Jesus the Risen Christ. Along with them, we also are most happy and most blessed when we trust in God and depend most fully on God.
