Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time
February 16, 2025 — Year C
Readings: Jer 17:5-8 / Ps 1 / 1 Cor 15:12, 16-20 / Lk 6:17, 20-26
by Rev. Nixon Negparanon, Pastor

As we reflect on today’s readings, we see a striking contrast between those who trust in themselves and those who place their trust in God.  The scriptures challenge us to examine where we have placed our hope and security.  In a world that often measures success by wealth, power and influence, Jesus’ words in today’s gospel are radical and countercultural, but they also lead us to true and lasting joy.

The prophet Jeremiah gives us a clear image of two kinds of people.  First, those who trust in human strength are compared to a barren bush in the desert: dry, lifeless, and unable to bear fruit.  On the other hand, those who trust in the Lord are like a tree planted near water, with deep roots that withstand heat and drought.  The prophet makes a sharp contrast between those who trust in human strength and those who trust in God.  Cursed is the one who trusts in human beings.  Blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord.

Jeremiah’s message is clear:  human strength alone is unreliable.  It is not a warning against human relationships or seeking counsel from others, but rather a call to recognize that our ultimate goals – security and happiness – rest in God alone.  Everything in this world, including wealth, power, and even human approval, passes away.  God alone remains our firm foundation.  When we rely on our own wisdom, wealth, or power, we eventually find ourselves spiritually dry and empty.  But when we root ourselves in God, we can endure trials and bear good fruit even in difficult seasons.

St. Paul, in our second reading from first Corinthians, reminds us of the ultimate reason for our trust in God:  the resurrection of Jesus Christ.  If Christ has not been raised, our faith is vain.  Because He has risen, we, too, have the promise of eternal life.  This truth transforms our understanding of what it means to be truly blessed.  The world may see poverty, suffering, and rejection as curses, but in Christ these trials become paths to holiness, purification, and ultimate joy.  This reading connects beautifully with Jeremiah’s message.  The one who trusts in human ways alone is like a person who believes this life is all there is.  The one who trusts in Christ, however, understands that our lives are not limited to this world.  We are called to something eternal.

Today, and for the next two weeks, our gospel is the teaching of Jesus, which in St. Matthew’s gospel we know as the Sermon on the Mount.  Luke and Matthew present essentially the same material, but there are some notable differences.  While St. Matthew tells us that Jesus went up the mountain to teach, St. Luke depicts Jesus descending the mountain after prayer to teach on level ground.  For this reason, St. Luke’s version of Jesus’ teaching is often called the Sermon on the Plain.  Both evangelists begin with the Beatitudes, in which Jesus proclaims that those who follow His way are blessed, or happy.  St. Matthew records eight Beatitudes, while St. Luke gives us four, followed by four corresponding woes.  Despite these variations, the message remains the same:  True blessedness is not found in worldly success or fleeting pleasures, but in faithfulness to God.

Today’s liturgy provides us with a key to understanding these Beatitudes by giving us the passage from the prophet Jeremiah.  Jesus blesses the poor, the hungry, those who weep, and those who are hated for His sake.  In contrast, he warns those who are rich, full, and comfortable, telling them that their rewards are temporary.  At first glance, this may seem unfair.  Why would Jesus bless those who suffer and warn those who are successful?  The answer is found in where we place our trust.  Those who are poor in spirit recognize their need for God, while those who are self-sufficient may fall into the delusion that they do not need Him.

Fulton Sheen once said, “The world’s greatest tragedy is not suffering, but is suffering wasted.”  The Beatitudes and woes in Luke’s gospel call us to see life through the eyes of faith.  Jesus challenges the values of the world, where wealth, abundance, and human approval are seen as signs of success.  Instead, He teaches that true joy is found in trusting God, even in the midst of suffering.  Those who are poor, hungry, weeping, and rejected in this life are not abandoned but blessed because they are more open to God’s grace and the promise of His kingdom.  Conversely, those who place all their trust in material wealth, comfort, and human praise risk losing sight of what truly matters.

Answering God’s call requires trust and perseverance even though the path is difficult.  It reminds us that true happiness is found in God alone.  The Catechism of the Catholic Church, #1716, says the Beatitudes respond to the natural desire for happiness.  This desire is of divine origin.  God has placed it in the human heart in order to draw man to the One who alone can fulfill it.

The Beatitudes, we are promised, confront us with decisive moral choices.  They invite us to purify our hearts of bad instincts and to seek the love of God above all else.  In a world that constantly seeks happiness in temporary things, we are called to root ourselves in the eternal promises of God.  This means trusting God in our struggles, serving the poor, standing firm in our faith, even when it is unpopular, and finding joy in God rather than in the approval of others.  It means seeing suffering, not as a meaningless burden, but as an opportunity to grow in holiness and draw closer to Christ.

Jesus calls us to a different standard, valuing humility, compassion, and faithfulness over riches and power.  We should seek to serve, rather than dominate; give, rather than accumulate; love, rather than compete.  When we experience trials, we must remember that our true hope is in Christ’s victory over death.  The difficulties of this world are temporary.  Our true reward is eternal life with Him.

The world tells us to trust in riches, power, and comfort, but Jesus tells us to trust in Him.  Today, let us reflect where we place our trust.  Are we like the barren bush that relies on itself, or are we like the tree planted by the water, nourished by faith in God?  May we have the courage to place our trust in God alone, living out the Beatitudes, not just as words, but as a way of life.  Let us remember the wisdom of Jeremiah, the hope of the Resurrection proclaimed by St. Paul, and the challenge of Christ in the gospel.  For those who trust in the Lord, there’s no fear; only the promise of eternal life and true joy in Him.