Sermon on the Mount

The gospel appointed for this Sunday in the Byzantine Rite is an excerpt from what is commonly known as the Sermon on the Mount. The reason for this designation is that Jesus “went up on a mountain” to deliver this message. The Sermon on the Mount is the longest continuous section of Jesus speaking found in the New Testament. Tradition identifies the location of this sermon to be a large hill known as Karn Hattin, located near Capernaum along the Sea of Galilee.

Jesus’ teachings during the Sermon on the Mount represent the major ideals of the Christian life, describing what a believer’s life should be like in faith, thoughts, words, and actions. In His sermon, Jesus taught that discipleship is not merely adherence to a set of legal precepts, but rather it is an all-encompassing conversion and commitment of every aspect of one’s life. Jesus’ teaching was a novel and radical paradigm shift from the established religious practice of the day.

Although society has changed a great deal since the time of Jesus, the fundamental message of the Sermon on the Mount remains relevant. The core message centers on a person’s priorities. A life of authentic discipleship is characterized by one that prioritizes pursuit of God as primary. To live in accordance with the precepts of Jesus’ teaching means that one adopts values, behaviors, and priorities that manifest faithfulness to God and compassion for others, rather than the rugged individualism and rampant consumerism prevalent in modern Western societies.

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