Less than a month ago, we encountered the familiar story of the Wise Men who brought the ChristChild gifts of gold, frankincense & myrhh. Gift-giving seems to be a staple of every culture, honoring a birth, marriage or other important milestone. Most of us fret about giving a gift that’s Just Right, and we spend time and thought in selecting our gifts. Readings for this coming Sunday question us about what we’re willing to bring to GOD!
Micah’s famous oracle (6:1-8) continues the question: “With what shall I come before the Lord, and bow myself before God on high?…. burnt offerings?….yearling calves?….thousands of rams?…. ten thousand rivers of oil?….my firstborn?” What could possibly be good enough for the Holy One? Does God need anything? “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?” So the gift most suitable has to do with revering those whom the Lord has created, and treating them as also Holy…
The good gift isn’t our wisdom and insight, say St. Paul. (I Corinthians 1:18-31) “Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world?” Not many of us were wise, nor have we been powerful and of noble birth. So evidently these don’t cut much ice with God, since he chose to live with us despite the lack of such virtues! God’s choice is what seems low and despised, the Simple Gifts of song.
We come as we are, warts & all — which is what the Lord really wants. We’re reminded that God “is the source of your life in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification and redemption…” If God needs nothing more, then why should we?
The Gospel lesson is The Beatitudes, found only in Matthew’s account at the beginning of what we call Chapter 5.
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