Sixth Sunday of the Year February 16, 2025
Jeremiah 17:5-8; 1 Corinthians 15:12, 16-20; Luke 6:17,
20-26
In the last century, a Belgian priest named Father Damien
went to live on a remote island colony among people with leprosy. Father Damien
tried to live the values of the Beatitudes. He was pure in heart, merciful,
hungry and thirsty for righteousness. He was publicly persecuted for doing what
he believed was right. His biographers also say he was often lonely, depressed,
and stubborn. His immediate superiors branded him a troublemaker. The Catholic
Church had to wait a long time before it canonized him in 2010. But people who
knew Father Damien called him “happy” or “blessed.”
In Luke's Sermon on the Plain, Jesus shares the beatitudes
to challenge our self-centred, consumer-driven society: Humility, selflessness,
and compassion, not wealth and power, are the true treasures in God's kingdom.
Today's Gospel encourages us to adopt a new outlook on life: to prioritize the
common good over our own needs, to show compassion and forgiveness despite our
anger and humiliation, and to seek the enduring values of God rather than
worldly pursuits.
In a world obsessed with wealth, power, and
self-sufficiency, Jesus’ words in today’s Gospel strike an unmusical chord:
“Blessed are you who are poor… hungry… weeping”. Meanwhile, He warns, “Woe to
you who are rich… filled… laughing”. This divine reversal of values defeats
human logic, inviting us to ask: Where do we place our trust? The readings
today—Jeremiah, Paul, and Luke—paint a portrait of a kingdom where true
blessedness lies not in earthly security but in radical reliance on God. As St.
Augustine once prayed, “Our hearts are restless until they rest in You”
(Confessions). Let us explore this restful trust that reorients our hearts.
Jesus’ Sermon on the Plain offers a vision of holiness
rooted in vulnerability. The “poor” and “hungry” are declared blessed not
because suffering is good, but because their emptiness creates space for God’s
providence. Similarly, the “woes” warn against the illusion of self-sufficiency.
St. Francis of Assisi, who embraced “Lady Poverty,” understood this: “It is in
giving that we receive, in pardoning that we are pardoned, and in dying that we
are born to eternal life.” The Beatitudes call us to detach from false comforts
and cling to Christ alone. Are we poor in spirit—acknowledging our need for
God?
The first reading from the Prophet Jeremiah offers a stark
contrast between two types of people: those who trust in human strength and
those who trust in the Lord. Jeremiah warns, “Cursed is the one who trusts in
human beings, who seeks his strength in flesh, whose heart turns away from the
Lord.” Such a person is compared to a barren shrub in the desert, lifeless and
unable to bear fruit.
In contrast, the one who trusts in the Lord is like a tree
planted beside flowing waters. This image reminds us of Psalm 1, where the
righteous flourish because they draw sustenance from God. When we root our
lives in God, we remain strong even in difficulties. But when we depend solely
on human wisdom, wealth, or power, we eventually find ourselves spiritually dry
and empty. This reading challenges us to examine where we place our trust.
At first glance, Jesus' words seem difficult to accept. How can poverty, hunger, mourning, and persecution be blessings? And why are riches, satisfaction, and laughter warned against?
Jesus is not condemning wealth or joy in themselves, but
rather the attitude of self-sufficiency that often comes with them. Those who
are rich in material things may forget their need for God. Those who are always
comfortable may not seek God's presence. Those who are praised by the world may
compromise their faith to maintain their status.
On the other hand, those who are poor, hungry, or suffering
often turn to God with open hearts. They recognize their dependence on Him.
Jesus promises that they will be comforted, filled, and rewarded in His
kingdom.
Throughout history, saints and holy people have lived out
the Beatitudes.
St. Teresa of Calcutta (Mother Teresa) embraced poverty and
dedicated her life to the poorest of the poor. She trusted in God's providence
and found joy in serving Him.
Sometime before she died, someone dared to ask Mother
Teresa, “Why do you spend so much energy on the poor, the hungry, and the
weeping of those in Calcutta?” She responded, “Jesus says the poor are the
blessed ones. I take him at his word. I treat them as the royalty of God’s
kingdom because they are.”
Oscar Romero, the Archbishop of El Salvador, spoke out
against injustice and was persecuted for defending the poor. He was ultimately
martyred but remained faithful to Christ.
Christian martyrs in different parts of the world have
suffered imprisonment and death because of their faith, but they remain strong
in hope.
These examples challenge us: Are we willing to live
according to Jesus’ teachings, even when it is difficult?
Today’s readings present us with a choice: Do we place our
trust in human strength or in God? Do we seek happiness in material things, or
do we rely on God's promises? Jesus invites us to embrace the Beatitudes, to
trust in Him even when life is hard, and to live for the Kingdom of God rather
than the fleeting rewards of this world.
As we continue with this Eucharistic celebration, let us ask for the grace to trust in God more deeply. May we be like the tree planted by the waters, drawing strength from Him and bearing fruit in our lives. May we live as true disciples, finding our happiness in Jesus Christ, our greatest treasure.
Happy Sunday
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