Sunday Reflections

Sixth Sunday of the Year February 13, 2022

Jeremiah 17:5-8; 1 Corinthians 15:12, 16-20; Luke 6:17, 20-26

image courtesy: Google

Once the train ticket inspector entered a crowded compartment and there he found an old worn-out purse. He searched for the identity of the person and found nothing except the picture of Jesus in it. He asked the people there and an elderly person said that it was his. The inspector asked him to prove and he replied saying that it had the picture of Jesus. The inspector said that anyone could have it but could he explain.  The senior man said that it was a gift from his father and he kept his parent’s pictures because they were great. Later he placed his own photo thinking he was handsome. Soon his girlfriend took that place, and later his wife, and finally his son. His parents, wife all passed away, his friends left him alone and his son went his own way. What was left for him was only Jesus. He had little money but Jesus was his companion. All in the compartment heard his tale in silence. At the next station, the Inspector got down and went to the book store to get a picture of Jesus to be kept in his purse.

In the first reading, the Prophet explains the benefits of placing one’s trust in God rather than himself. Jeremiah contrasts the blighted state of those who trust in human devices with the blessed state of those who trust in the Lord.  In the second reading, Paul speaks of the guarantee of a blessed future in the life to come through the merits of Christ’s passion death and resurrection. The Gospel promises everyone that his living of the beatitudes will bring him authentic fulfillment as opposed to the illusory fulfillment of those who put their hope in the present life.

Contraries abound in today’s readings.  We have the images of abundance and sterility, blessings and woe, time and eternity, and all these make us reflect our ultimate destiny.  The words of Jesus show how startling the Gospel message can be. In fact, it is just the opposite of the wisdom pervading our consumer society.  Woe, says Jesus to the rich, the satisfied, those financially secure and blessing to those poor, suffering and the hungry. How can this be real?  On reflection, we see that material satisfaction can isolate us but a lack of it can take us beyond ourselves.  Our poverty, hunger sorrow can lead us to greater riches as it takes us close to the divine.

In the passage immediately preceding today’s gospel, Luke describes the call of the twelve apostles (Luke 6:12-16). From a large group of followers who were coming and going, still trying to decide one way or the other, Jesus publicly calls out these twelve as his regular associates. Given the situation we have just described, how would you feel if you were called to be one of them? You knew that as soon as you answered yes to the call of Jesus, you would lose all your possessions and entitlements in the community, instantly joining the club of the poor, the hated, the reviled, the excluded. Some of these men would literally have tears in their eyes as they went up to join Jesus as full-time associates. So Jesus looks at this tearful, stranded twelve young men before him, willing but still not so sure they are taking the right step. He looks at them and he tells them the Beatitudes, i.e. today’s gospel.

After that you can imagine the newly recruited apostles smiling through their tears. Suffering, yes, but smiling, because they now understand they have indeed made the right choice.

May Jesus alone be our attitude.

Happy Sunday